The Birmingham age-herald., 1920-03-11
CHAPTER V. A THUNDERBOLT.

| A The Cafe Del Ricardo is cheery lit- tie place. renowned for the excellence of it's cooking and it's clientele.
 And I.ueille--eiaboratel arrayed and iao ing yery kandsome-partook with Ernnk eu5oyulent the recherche little iGtnnex Dawn Boglxe had ordered for her seisc alton
 The1 usrc sitting in a cozy little -prNer near an open window, while overhead an electric fan made a soft breeze and stirred the fashionably ''glycerined' feathers of Lucille's pert ! hat.
 She was a curious mixture, was this / Sophisticated, travelled lady. With her 1 many excellent qualities was intermin- gled certain sordidness of outlook the product of her up-and- down career. And she looked out for Number One with . frankness that was almost pa- gan.
 On the other hand, she could be gem erous--at times She was kind-heart- ed. Given the proper environment which she had never had-she might develop into something rather fine. To David Burke she had taken d gen. ufne liking. She had all the bour- geoisie envy of good breeding and -class." She thought his manners the lvery acme of refinement He had been genuinely kind to her-and Lucille ap- preciated kindness. She had met with very little of it in her somewhat check cred life.
 Now-as he recounted to her tho inci- dents of the afternoon--she hung upon his words.
 "You--you actually cabled out to South Africa--for my sakeT' Wide eyed she gazed at him.
 TT wanted the affair seen to- A hope began to tremble in Lucille's lrather tcughened heart--toughened per force 6y the many knocks it had re- lceived. Could it be possible that Burke cared for her? He who was so infinite 1y above her-socially--intell ally Financially? He had been so keen to verify this marriage. Some vital req Eson must have urged him on.
 But aloud she merely said, coyly, re- lproachfully:
 Didn't you believe, then. in the truth of what told you7"
 My dear young lady, of course I didr Burke's manner was quite perfect as he bowed his head. But I wanted writ ten evidence with which to confront James Dalton"
 ''what-what did he say?" faltered Lucille.
 For . moment Burke was nonplussed. He didn't want to tell her that a sim le, Well-a1meu Dlow hao lSnominl0uSly felled him to the dust. For such con fession would be much too humbling.
 I'm afraid he acted in an ungentle- manly manner" he prevaricated. "but let's forget about it."
 Jim never was a gentleman" said Lucille candid1y.
 The remark astonished Burke. For, in his brief and none too happy &C., hcquaintanceship with Dalton, that young man had struck him as exceed fngiy well bred.
 However, he didn't wish to let his mind dwell on annoying subjects.
 He fussed over the different courses, making Lucille feel herself a sort of queen.
 And so you want to leave the stage!" he queried, smiling pleasantly across he little table. "Art, 'pur ct simple f.oesh't appeal to your
 Tho latter portion of the query might have, been so much Greek to Lucille }for any meaning it conveyed to her. 1But she perfectly comprehended the first question.
 T do. indeed, Mir. Burke-and. be- AievepmX, the first chance that comes hionE I'll take itr''
 "But your husband ought to look hfter ycu--support your pompously proceeded Burke SIt's Dalton's duty!"
 -Oh, I'm not 90 crazy. on him as