The Washington herald., 1921-04-01

L44A-ANO me atESEAONs
Nancy declined Maj. DesmonGs
iuncheon invitation. declaring that
sha had set her heart on a Turkish
bath, She promised to meet him
for tea. however. IL her hair had
dried sufiicientiy. f
She also forbore asking him ques-
tions0 She wanted time to think
overfthe strange statement that he
had made.
Why had he said. Tam sorrier
Hxd he meant Edith And why
whsthe Langwell house no place
for ,,hkr. Nancy? What shadow of
disaster brooded over 1t?
SO occupied was she with her
thoughts and conjectures that she
hid passed through sthe various
steaniing processes of the bath and
was teady for the pool before she
realized it
The shock of the cool, bracing
water brought her back to realiza-
tien ,of her surroundings She
found out from the attendant that
IL, Was already mid-afternoon, so
she went through the remainder of
the process in short order. and was
soon stretched out luxuriously on a
cdutn with an appetizing tray beside
her.n while her hair flowed over her
shoulders and gradually regained
its blbnd nuffiness.
She, even partook Of a cigarette to
complete her sense of well-being,
and then. feeling at peace with the
world and free from the dark fore
bodings of the past three days, she
got back into her street costume
ana went up to the lobby to meet
Major Desmond.
Helwas waiting with that utter
lack of impatience which so dis
tingutsed the well-bred English
man. Many feminine eyes were
turned in his direction. but his own
were bent upon his stick. with which
he drew imaginary designs on the
Oriental rug at his feet.
At Eancys approach he sprang UP
quickly. Gone was the impersonal
expression. His eyes expressed the
lover, ardent and eager.
Nancy could not resist an arched
glance from under lowered lids.
"A few hours ago would have
said that you could never look more
charming. But now l retreat. You're
. constant surprise. Mrs. Burrard."
Marcy suggested recklessly:
why don't you call me by my
FIRST name? Don't you think Mrs.
Burrard' sounds rather formal?"
He smiled down into her eyes
RI should be most happy. But I
should rather call you-Mrs. Des-
mSpdr
Nancy bit her lip vexedly.
above everything in the world
ence to the interrupted proposal of
the day before.
To change the subject, she said:
by the way, got the queerest
letter- from Connie last night. 1t
told me that her heart ached for
mes~ srged me to be brave. and in
formed me that she was leaving
imtnediately for Chicago. 1 never
was SO puzzled. But fond as am
Of Connie, would rather she would
stay where she is One of the Stan
ley family in Chicago at a time Is
quite enough-especially IL that one
Is Curtis You haven't seen him,
hsye, your
Desmond smiled.
i left him standing around where
tho hotel bar used to be-"
Nancy laughed.
well, IL there's ghost Of a spirit
left there, trust Curtis to summon
up tthe shade 1t will be a big re-
lief when Connie gets here to take
ch4rge of him I'll admit he Is on
my conscience"
when they went into tea, she d.
recfed the. conversation to other
channels, fearing-though she knew
that IL was only remotely possible
that Desmond would make some
reference to stanfey's unfortunate
remark about the formers proposal
to Nancy.
she chattered along blithely about
impersonal subjects while she made
the tea
Desmond accepted his cup from
her and pushed Il aside without
tasting II.
Now, tell me when you're going
to marry me-" he said.
ecopyrisnt. ls21. ~ Wheeler Syndicate. Inc.)