The Birmingham age-herald., 1920-03-11

never do to let old Joe guess the anx- iety that was gnawing at her heart. But as she stroIled away her thoughts were very troubled. If old Joe's sur mise was correct then it would offer "a solution to the present mystery-name- | ly. that Dalton had indeed married Lu- | cille out in Africa, and-since his acci. dent-had forgotten all about the mat | ter.
 That would certainly clear his char acter," thought poor Shirley miserably 1 but, ohi it would simply break my 1 heart" 1 For she had been hoping against hope that Lucille and the snapshots and the marriage certificate were all one huge mistake.
 Two dreay days went by. And still | there was no word from Jim. | Lucille. too. had departed from the ] village inn, carrying her various im- | pedimenta with her. She had sent Shirley note, in a none too educated hand, giving the ad- l dress of her little flat in Soho, and asking the girl to call upon her there. But Shirley shrank from any further meetings with Lucille. They were much too painful.
 l On the morning of the third day 1 David Burke arrived upon the scene. l He calculated that in the interval Shir-
 
 moping, and would certainly begin to miss him. Burke was strategical. He | had timed this visit we'll What you need is cheering up, my dear" he remarked rather thoughtfully. He had seen the weary droop of Shir- l leys pretty mouth, and the dark circles round her eyes You must take your mind right off that worthless fellow Dalton-clean forgot you ever met him"
 Shirley smiled a wan, pathetic little smile. As though she ever could for get!
 She was bitterly regretting now her l action in the past, when she had sided with Burke rather than with Jim. If she had only given Jim a proper hear 1 ing!
 Too late now! She didn't even know where he had gonel
 Shirley, let's go up to town tonight and see a show!" Burke's voice broke in on her unhappy meditations. My 1 sister, Mrs. Arnold, and some friends of hers can meet us. We'll dine some. i where first. Then later on we can find a place to dance. Come. what do you say to it?"
 1 A faint flicker of interest shone in Miss Shirley's eye. She was young, and very much alive-and in the last few days she had been so miserable. An other solitary evening in the White Cot tage, with dreary imaginings for sole companion, would surely drive her crazy. Yes, she would go She intimated so to Burke.
 He beamed at her. "You can spend the night with my sister, after the festivities are over. Or, if you'd rather, III run you home ! again in my carr"
 Shirley shook her head She wanted no intimate motoring tete-a-tete with her would-be lover.
 "Tn stay with Mrs. Arnold, if she'll have me"
 things up," said Burke, well pleased.
 AFTER THE THEATRE At luxuriously decorated table in 1 an ultra-expensive London restaurant sat Miss Shirley Marsh. bewilderingly pretty in an evening frock of palesi yellow.
 She eyed the other guests in inter ested fashion. Mrs. Arnold--the chap. eron and sister of her host-was an at
 tractive woman in the late forties. brisk
 and sensible.
 It was well seen from her attitude
 toward Shirley, too, that she woult
 further David's matrimonial plans. fl Her husband, quiet inoffensive lit 1ie man or COnSlQeTaDie mcdnS--kep
 somewhat in the background. He wore a perpetually worried look, as though I business cares pressed down on him | His wife took little notice of him and he spoke but seldom. Yet their marriage was frequently
 cited as happy one
 The masculine element among thu other guests impressed her not at all 1 How could they, after knowing Jim? C@r. ,fza+ nioi1 iu hA nro (. day fashion,, the party exiled from the
 restaurant and set off theatreward ir
 taxis.
 ! As they darted through the seething
 maelstrom of the London traffic Miss
 Shirley's spirits rose. The night was
 young yet--so was she-what use tc
 nope?
 She permitted David Burke to whis- Il per several gallant sentiments into her
 ear. She even smiled bewithingly in-
 toxicating little smile up at him, which
 made him want to kiss her-as Shirley
 fully realized.
 A heady feeling came to her-oi
 woman's power-a pretty woman, that's to say. Well, tonight she was going
 to enpoy that power. A deplorablt
 point of view, perhaps, but very hu- man.
 q wish we could go through life live
 this, Shirley--just you and l." Burke's tactful sister had engineered affairs SC that the two of them should have the
 taxi to themselves T wish we could go on--and on Here the taxi swung abruptly round a corner and his head hit the roof.
 Miss Shirley laughed her clear. tink. ling laugh.
 All men in love were bound to be a
 little foolish, particularly when they reached Burl<e's age, He relapsed into a wounded silence the blow to his head, and nignity--ar effectual stopper on loves eloduence. the evenings entertainment that Burke
 began to revive little It was only when the party found it. !. self collected in a couple of boxes ir
 the variety house he had selected fol
 The curtain rose on a special par Tor act" gorgeously arrayed young ' woman in an equally gorgeous drawing
 room awaited the arrival of an alec l hoiic husband, that time-worn classic
 which always gets a laugh. But the moment that the injured lady
 came upon the stage. Haunting hel ! grievance in low. beautifully modulatet tones, Shirleys attention was com , For the injured lady was none othei
 than Lucille.
 Yes. 1t was she. a younger. infinitely prettier Lucille, who trailed about th' stage superbly gowned. ' But despite her beauty and he : clothes and her attractive voice-sh ] was an actress-even Shirley with al her inexperience. could notice that. He ] acting was mechanical and stilted. T Half way through the act it scene, , to Shirley as though Lucille's per