The Washington herald., 1920-03-11
Helene S Married life
By May Christie
Copyright. 1880. Mcclure syndicate)
By May Christie
XLI.-A Crumpled Paper.
ssso. Mcclure Syndicate,
Copyright. 1879

read and re-read he scrap of
paper. utterly amazed For Travis
Lloyd-that staid. decorous gentle-
man-had written the mysterious
words:
Enclosed you will find my usual
check. Please see that Amy Is pro-
vided with every LUXURY"
His signature In bold, firm hand
followed this order.
i crushed the scrap of paper into
tiny ball, and let IL slip from my
fingers to the floor. who--who was
"Amy?"
The more thought about the
thing, the odder did II seem. Travis
Lloyd-and an "affairew Impossi-
BILE!
Besides, Travis Lloyd was def
| nitely courting me! In his own
quiet, well-bred way, he was max
Ing II quite obvious that he cher
ished Intentions" towards myself.
Alice and the others-Tony Included
had remarked his attitude.
Enclosed you will find my usual
check" repeated the words, soto
voce, stupidity. What could they
mean?
And then. on a sudden impulse. 1
stopped down and picked up the
scrap OF paper from the floor where
IL had fallen. Glancing over my
shoulder to see that 1 was not oh
served by the card players, I slipped
the incriminating little document
| into my small mesh bag.
1 flushed. Because I hate to do
anything mean or surreptitious.
And yet I felt that this little scrap
or paper. torn as II was, might mat
ter a good deal.
Excuse my temporary absence,
Miss Helene" The mellow tones of
Travis Lloyd were in my ear. "I
lett you rather hurriedly. Your
friends wished my opinion as to a
certain point in the game"
| His rather pedantic way of speak
ing-courteous to an extreme de-
gree-appealed to me. Mr.. Lloyd-
In the old-fashioned meaning of the
term-was such gentleman" Of
| ten think, in these hurried, hectic
DAYS, that the old-fashioned inter-
pretation OF the term has gone,
hever TO return It Is a pity.
May 1 sit down." He was sni,-
ing at me now. His smile held Kind
illness and admiration. aIwavs
have liked his smile.
| And yet - systematically - a
strange doubt of him had crept into
my mind, to, dim the old feeling OF
pity and liking.
VI course you may sit down" ]
tried TO speak gaily. naturally. But
my thoughts returned persistentIy
20 the scrap Of paper in nv bar
What could II mean?
L curled up in q corner Of tbs
wide divan, with a mass of pillows
propped luxuriously at my back
They were peacock blue in color.
ing-a shade immensely becominr
to my Titan locks.
overhead, q single yellow lanterr
burned. casting a soft radiance on
US both.
Mr.. Travis Lloyd's rather melan.
choly eyes were fixed upon my face
as though he were seeking some.
thing there.
"A penny for them?" said archly
For-for WHAT He seemed
quite taken aback. His mind hat
been woolgathering. evidently.
Your thoughts" answered
Then. provocatively:
Don't say they aren't worth 9
penny. for that would be so un.
original"
He smiled A melancholy. rathe,
pathetic smile. thought.
AS a matter of fact, they'r.
worth far more" he remarked, a
last.
"A shilling. them held out 9
coin toward him. Tell me, please
MY thoughts were about tn,
loveliest lady in the world" said m,
companion. slowly, meaningly. Blu
I-at the same time-they make me
sadw
why? Sad.'
He smiled again.
The sselessness of striving fol
the out-of-reach.
Faint heart" / rallied him.
Fair LADY," he replied, taking VI
the challenge.
He moved a little nearer to me
on the sofa