The Washington times., 1920-08-11
Continued from YexterdayJ

(SOntInucO
"Oh, yes, indeed. Helen and l
are going as a pair of Burmese
idols-just gold all over-you know
-" She took the stiff attitude
of the wonderful Burmese idol, and
threw back her slender hands
this sort OF thing, jim? Tiny gold
bells on our ankles and that won
derfuI golden filigree head dress
She was in wonderful spirits; she
caught his arm and hand and per-
suaded him into two-step, hum
ming the air "You dance nicely,
Jim. You can have me whenever
you like
Helen called through the door:
You're quite mad, steve! You've
scarcely time to dress"
"Oh. must run" she cried.
turned to Cleland, audaciously, Of
fered her lips, almost defiantly.
Were quite safe, Jim, IL we can
do THIS so innocently." She
laughed. "You adorable boy! Oh,
Jim, you're mine now. and I'll new
er let you go away again"
Meets Grismer.
As he went out, he met Grismer,
face to face. The blood leaped hot
ly to his cheeks; Grismer's golden
eyes opened in astonishment:
ICELAND! BY all the gods" he
said, offering his hand.
Cleland took it, looked into Girls
mer's handsome face:
How are you, Grismer?" he said
pleasantly. And passed on out Of
the front door.
CHAPTER XVIII.
Cleland dined by himself in the
lively, crowded cafe of the Hotel
Rochambeau--a somber. taciturn
young man, still upset by his en-
counter with Grismer, still brood
ing impotent resentment against
what Stephanie had done. Yet, in
spite of this, the thrill OF seeing
her again persisted, filling him with
subdued excitement.
He realized that the pretty. en-
gaging college girl he had left
three years ago had developed into
an amazingly lovely being with a
delicately vigorous and decisive
beauty of her own. quite unexpect-
ed by him.
But there was absolutely no shy-
ness, no awkwardness, no self-con-
seriousness in her undisguised af-
fection for him: the years had
neither altered nor subdued her in
nocent acceptance OF their relation
ship, nor made her less frank, less
confident, or less certain OF 1t and
Of the happy security it meant for
both.
Still a Little Girl.
In spite of her twenty-one years,
her education, her hospital expert
ence, Stephanie, in this regard, was
a little girl still. For her the CLAM
our OF the schoolboy had never de-
parted from Cleland with the ad-
vent of his manhood. He was still,
to her, the wonderful and desirable
playmate, the miraculous new
brother, the exalted youth OF her
girlhood: the beloved and ideal of
their long separation-all she had
on earth that represented a substi-
tute for kin and family ties and
home.
That her loyal heart was still the
tender impulsive youthful heart OF
a girl was plain enough to him. The
frankness of her ardour. her instant
happy surrender, her clinging to
him in a passion OF gratitude and
delight, all told him her story. But
II made what she had done with
Grismer the more maddening anu
inexplicable; and at every thought
OF IL gust OF jealousy swept him.
lie ate his dinner scarcely con-
scious OF the jolly tumult around
him, and presently went upstairs
to his rooms to rummage In one
of his trunks for costume
souvenir OF some ancient Latin
quarter revelry-Closerie des Lilas
or 'Quat's Arts, perhaps.
Under his door had been thrust an