The Washington times., 1920-05-22
ANE COSBY himself opened the

- swer to my ring. On seeing
me his drawn face smoothed itself
out and then fell into new lines
those OF smiling welcome. He seized
my hand in his and cried in a choked
voice;
Little Anne! Bless your heart
this is good of you. I knew you'd
come straight or"
As he spoke he drew me into the
big studio living-room and led me
over TO the great window seat
where ne sat at my side, patting
and stroking my hand with the alb
sent-minded air OF needing some
thing to cling to. As soon as / de-
Gently could I drew away from the
awkward gestures OF his big brown
paw and asked soothingly:
What Is It, Lane? Breakers
ahead? You know you San count on
Jim and me whenever you need US
IT'S that Mason woman" groan
cd Lone. She's started talking.
met that West chap Jim bought
out of the nrm today and his darn In
science told me he knew something.
All / got out of him was that he'd
been spending a weekend at Allan
tic City and that Envy Mason was
there. But I can add two and two
as well as the next fellow. How are
we going to stop her, Anne
we aren't" said judiciously,
But We aren't going to pay bit OF
attention to a word she says No
one worth while will listen to her.
and a man like Dick West isn't i'm
portant socially or in any other way.
All you have to do Is to keep up
your nerve. Lane. A few true
friends-worth while oncs--can see
you through any ugly rumors a dis
carded person or two tries to start"
spoke with far more confidence
than felt. but knew that unless
Lane pulled himself together at
once and used his wits to combat
her, Envy Mason might tell her
garbled version OF Lanes and Vars
story in way to make life i'm
possible for them in any place she
had been getting in her work.
A New Thought.
IF ! could get hold Of West said
Lane. II was too ratified today to
sound him out thoroughly. Per-
haps Jim will know where TO reach
him. Where is Jimmie?"
AT Tom Mason's." replied
you might call him II you like, and
in the meantime-does Val know
I'm here?"
with ponderous gallantry, par
ticularly startling under the cir
cumstances. Lane replied!
80 1t bores you to have little
visit alone with me! And an
swered the door myself just to be
sure OF a minute with you. All
right" in answer to my irrepressi-
Bile frown. "Ill call Val while
you're getting on the wire"
please do" ! replied little
coIdly, and at once called Tom Ma
sons house on the telephone.
But got a wrong number. Then,
after a minute or two wasted In
trying to call back the operator, I
finally received Don't answer" In
complete aggravation ] called the
managers office and was assured
my number was busy and they'd
call me as soon as they could get
an answer
turned to Val, with whom 7 had
hardly exchanged a word OF greet
ing, sandwiched In between my
struggle with tho telephone. To her
I suggested that / get a taxi and
'oWH W iofn tihSoh n " ''NNN
Jim, and that as soon as his num-
Der answered II would be wise to
tell Jim and Tom that I was on my
way. Val smiled with lifted brows-
Her manner held me off from any
discussion OF the subject for which
Lane had summoned me.
The taxi came before she had
succeeded In getting Toms telephone
to answer. I started at once. At
Toms door I dismissed my taxi and
hurried up the steps eagerly. But
I rang the bell vainly for a minute
or two. Then his old housekeeper
appeared and told mo that she'd
been struggling for three-uuarters
~ an hour TO locate me by tele-
phone, since Mr.. Tom and my hus-
band had been compelled to hurry
on TO the walgrave and wanted me
to join them there.
"Oh, dearr I said YEARLY, i've
been on my husbands trail for al
most two hours. Are you sure
TIL find him at the hotelr'
surely. dearie. I'd insist on your
III