The spectator., 1921-08-02
PART l-Continued.

The girl considered gravely for moment; then her face broke into a rippling smile that swept up and set tied in her eyes. She reached for cushion. put it st her back. tucked one foot under herself. and waved the other In the same fashion as had Miss Van Tellier earlier in the evening
 "Now talk" sine said.
 Do you like me-" asked Mir. Ran dolph.
 She nodded her head.
 "You're not afraid to he here?"
 She shook denial.
 ''IIave you ever been in mans room heforef"
 She looked him straight in the eyes and made no other sign.
 It was Mir Randolph's turn to flush.
 Then" he said, If you like me and If you're not afraid. please begin at the start and tell me ali about it.'
 The girls eyes fell and sought the fire. Her face slowly paled to the 3ha of her somber thoughts. She q se0ffcef pretty; she was beauti- full, Nth a revealing transparency that made her seem untleshed. q disem- bodied spirit of sincerity and truth. indubitably pure.
 "l had nurse once" she said. In low voice. and wire-haired terrier. a show-dog and darling His name was Sport" She raised solemn eyes to Randolph'S face as though measur- l,fs. ,t nurse died and then. one day, I had to sell Sport; wasn't old enough to sell myself"
 She stopped speaking with an un- mistakable finality. Randolph was overwhelmed by the flood of inforna ton thar this slip of girl had packed into two-Score words. lifc-story in four lines and revelation of the heart thrown in for good measure! Over and above rhat. he had to reckon with the confirmation of suspicion which had been slowly establishing it. self in his mind that he had met her before, that not for the first time this night had those soft lips. curved for merry words. cried. My, what bump" within his hearing.
 So many considerations pressed 10 his immediate attention that he awoke to the actual present too late to stem the tide of tears that sudden ly rose to the girls eyes.
 "Oh." she sohbed, what is to be- come of me? l was SD happy here, if you hadn't made me think ,''
 If anything has been said in the course of these pages to give the im- pression that Mir. Randolph was mod eled after Joseph or hewn out of ice or packed with probity to the eXclu sion of red blood forget it. At the sight of those tears. he slid the length of the couch to first base, fielded the girl in his arms. switched her round so that she lay across his knees, drew her face against his shoulder. and rocked her gently.
 You poor kiddie." he said softly. "what devil of a time you've had But believe me when tell you it's all over. This Is the night that starts your old happy sun into the blue sky again. Don't worry"
 She stopped crying and looked up into the honest face so close to her own. puzzling as to how just those words could have come from 1t: but the world had taught her a hard les son in varying standards. She drew long quivering sigh.
 "If you could only wait until love you. body and soul" she breathed.
 "What on earth do you meanT asked Mir Randolph.
 "Why then it wouldn't he so bad 90 ugly"
 'T don't get you" remarked Robert Hervey.
 "A man told me just little while ago that he was making catalogue of reasons why women give them selves" she continued. "He had eleven already. and yet he was one of the incest men I've met. He talked to me as though he were showing me way inst must travel alone"
 sRcaily7" said Mir. Randolph, stiff fening perceptihly.