Evening star., 1921-09-25

est references, sir" said Miss Lomas'
oyerawed but fumtng.
X 4 4 Il
90 Reeste was allowed to inspect
- her register. He studied 1t In
vain. No name suggested connection
with any Of the few archeologists likely
to own q Hottentot Venus. He gave
it up.
well, sir? Miss Lomas was
triumphant and disdainful. Il am
very much obliged to you for your
! courtesy. regret exceedingly that
I have troubled you with my affairs.
I need not ask you to waste more OF
your valuable time on the case that
/ foolishly submitted to you.
But. my dear Miss Tomas, ,a m
Just getttn' interested" satd Reggie,
with an engaging smile. You .So,
know, my first thoughts were that
your children had been raging"
Really, Mr.. Fortune! Your way
of putting things! Please under
stand thar the girls in my school 40
not 'rag'--as you call it. l think my
sex leaves that to young men, Mr..
Fortune" .,
"Women are so revoltin' nowadays
Reggie murmured. II wonder-you
have no new women in the flock? NO
bold. bad rebel" The face ,,I,t OF MISS Isl
Lomas answered him. Il thought So
We must have the second solution
Somebody wanted somebody's photo
graph"
but why? Why should one .girl
want to steal photographs OF the other
girls? It's nonsensical."
"Oh, it's all nonsense Reggie
agreed cheerfuiiy. Its ra,o giooerlsn ana oad ,a,i
thing for certain, the Hottentot
Venus. / expect to find a lot more
before we've DONE"
tuner
pened recently. Has any one new
come to the school recently? Any
new servant? Any new teacher? Well,
any new girl?
TITS very unusual to have any new
girls this term. But we have had
one-Alice Warenne. She came with a
tune. The Countess of Spilsborough
asked me to take her"
"And who are Alice Warenne's
people?'
"Her father is English but lives
abroad. A. MISUNDERSTANDING man,
obviously well off. He has friends,
as you see, in the best society. Her
mother, believe, has been long dead:
She was brought up in France, and
speaks French better than English.
But this is all waste Of time, Mr.. For.
tune. Alice Warenne Is a delightful
girl-a sweet nature. I cant imagine
anything against her. Pray don I
form idle prejudices.'
.And has anybody called to see Alice
Warenne since the affair OF the pho-
tographs?"
Miss Lomas showed some surprise.
Dear me. Mr.. Fortune-now you
in England and came down to see her
few days ago. He had another man
with him, I remember"
Another? Do fond fathers often
bring a faithful friend down to see
how their daughters are growing?" ..
is unusual" Miss Lomas looked at
Reggie with apprehension. still, it's
quite reasonable. Mr.. Fortune"
"Well-if he were a brother-or a
selected ffance."
"ReaIly, Mr.. Fortune! Alice is a
other man was older than her father.
wish could remember his name.
$50 do l." Reggie agreed.
"1t was nothing uncommon. THINK.
He was rather an uncommon-looking
man-biS and handsome. but artistic
or bOneInlan IN ulS ClOthcS
And after the fond father and the
faithful friend saw Alice you found
this little lady'-he held up the Hot
tentot venus-"in the library"
TT was-the day after" Miss Lomas
cried. Good gracious"
I'VE are getting on, aren't We!
Reggie smiled. but l wonder where
we are getting to?' ,,a
"They saw her in the library. I
shall certainly ask Alice for an ex-
planation," Miss Lomas said.
Reggie put the Hottentot Venus In
his pocket and smiled at her. I'm
sure you're much too wise. Let's say
nothing till we can say something
sensible. ] should like to see Alice.
Just for to admire you know"
'The girls will be in the playing
"Deiightful Suppose you walk me
through: Treat me as If was III
tendin' to be a parent.
"I beg your pardon?' said MISS Lo'
mas, with emphasis.
.Oh. mean a fond father comm
to see il it was all nice enough ior
INV darlin' daughter. Don't let Alice
every well, Mr.. Fortune" MISS
Tomas went off for her hat.
The playing field was a pleasant
Mace set about with old oaks, in the
freshest of their leaves then. through
which there, were glimpses of the sun
lit Devon sea. Comely girls in white,
clustered, arms in the air. at basket
ball, or ram and smote across the ten
mis- courts.
Reggie paused and sank down on a
seat. "This is very soothin' and
pretty" he murmured. Here are our
Young barbarians all at play. Why
will they grow up. Miss Tomas?
They're so much more satisfying
now"
Miss Lomas stared at him. NAT
urally they grow up" she explained.
sThey can't be children all their
Some of US never were" Reggie
sighed. "Charming. Charming. Like
the young things in Homer, what?
The maidens and the princess of the
white arms they fell to playing at
ball. Charming-especially that one
Yes. Which cid you say was Alice?"
'"rhat is Miss Warenne." Miss Lomas
pointed with her sunshade to two
girls arm in arm. One was a tall
creature, a. woman already in body
and stately, with fine, bold face, and
red-brown hair that glowed.
why. she's a goddess" Reggie
"Oh dear, no." said Miss Lomas
That's Hilda Crowland Alice Is the
little one"
Lets go and look at the basket
ball." Reggie suggested, and to do
that walked across the field on line
which brought them for a moment face
to face with little Alice Warenne She
was a tiny creature, and had appropri-
ately q round baby face. She was dark
and plump and dimpled. But although
her hair was not yet up. she need
not have been younger than her mag
niflcent companion.
4 + !: X
EGGIE FORTUNES interest in