The Washington times., 1920-01-08
CHAPTER CCxxII.

x-yE were booked to start for
M Mason Towers early Satur-
w day morning. so / had oniy
time for a wee telephone chat win
phoebe. / suppose this was just as
we'll. for in my frst bitterness AT
inns lack of faith in me L might
have blurted out the facts which
were unpleasant and would nave
vorded themselves about like TINS:
"Phoebe, Jim cantor won
understand the Dick West situation.
There's no record of your trans
actions on the books of the COM
nany. so he won't believe they ever
took place. And he thinks MS
nartner is very eligible man
whom you would do well TO marry.
This is all the help we can count
on from jim"
Naturally ovep>the phone ! didn't
commit myself like that. l just
listened to Phoebe's happy assur-
ance that my check was aireadv IN
dorsed over to West, and oftered
her NV assurance in turn that as
soon as we got back I'd see her ana
we'd decide what to do next. What
that next" was to be / hadLt the
least idea.
NV own personal next was TO
hurry downstairs and Join Jim, who
had gone ahead to take our bags
down to the waiting Cosby automo-
nile. when I got down to the
street there sat Tom Mason In the
Cosby car on very chummy terms
with yaleria and Lane. hadn't
expected to enjoy the party, aLd
Toms presence didn't change tne
prospects for the better.
'These nice people picked me up,
he explained. "Eyvy's gone out
ahead in her roadster"
Who was with Envy In that ROAD
ster no one said. Perhaps no one
knew. But when we arrived at MA
son Towers, a great rambling coun-
try place, Neal sat on the xeranua
With Evvy, waiting for u.s. He call
cd A greeting to Jim in the most
natter-of-fact way imaginable.
This was the very thing I had been
longing for, and yet / got no pleas
ure from their reconciliation, since
n took place under Evelyn Mason's
auspices. Seeing Neal there on the
steps with his red curls unnung IN
the old boyish way made me re-
member Phoebe too vividly-Phoebo.
With her head bowed over a glass
Of fruit lemonade she couldn't drink
because II reminded her Of Neal ana
the happiness they'd once known
Hello, cveryoneW greeted EVvy.
'Here we are n nice little famiiy
party, and IL you don't all act as n
YOU owned every grass blade on the
Mace ri hate you. oh, yes-intro-
auctions are in order. Neal tells me
he doesn't know Anne's new neigh
bors. Very unneighborly I call 1t
for Anne to keep her nice brother y
secret from you, Mrs. Cosby.
Pack of the purr in Evvy's voice
felt the scratch. And 1 caught her
looking significantly at Valerie
Cosby as she presented Neal.
"Hands on" Envy added in an
exaggerated stage whisper. mo
poaching! Meals my partner. j
ought to have one for you. Mr.. Cos
by-for, of course, cousin Tommie
will claim his Donna Anna stu
think you and l have--a lot to talk
over"
II was all said very lightly with
the air OF wide-eyed Innocence
Envy reserves for her most daring
remarks. Everyone laughed, but i,
for ono, knew Evvy meant what she
said--and mofe. Lane Casby looked
from Val to Envy. There was
question in his quick glance.
For luncheon and the early after
noon we all stayed together But
presently Envy disappeared TO re-
turn In a sprightly sweater and
tam.
Meal and are going canoeing"
she announced. There ere plenty
OF boats for everyone And tennis.
That paih In TIA left Of the gate