The diamond drill., 1921-02-19
PART I.
Moral Emhlems.


Please don't skip this description Of
Robert Iiervey Randolph six feet
straight up and down. broad OF shout
der ana narrow OF hip. sandy-halred.
blue-eyed nose slightly up-ended and
wearing a saddle Of faint freckles,
clean shaven, well groomed, very cor
rectly dressed. and twenty-six years
old Let Il be added that his eyes
were placed just far enough apart 70
stamp him forever honest; lie had an
open and most prepossessing coun-
tenance.
Az the moment OF the start OF this
rapid yarn, he was standing Ia the
Van Telliers' library, looking down IN
pained and flushed surprise at Miss
Madge Van T., who was sitting In
huge leathen chair half facing the
fire In the open CRATE, one leg very
much under her the other waving a
satin-and-sIlk combination OF foot and
ankle in distracting accompaniment 70
her disturbing speech.
Bobby" said Miss Van r. "you are
darned good-looking; you're strong,
straight, and gentleman; there are
times when YOU are wholly adorable.
hut. nevertheless I'm not going 10
the show with you tonight, or 10 the
opera tomorrow, or anywhere any
more There. there. dear boy You
don't have 10 say anything You have
one Of those faces that is absolutely
beyond the aid Of vocal organ. II
says everything that is In your heart
OF gold before your brain has time to
tinkle hell"
"Look here. Madge,' said the panied
Mr.. Randolph: "are you making fun
both?"
"My dear" said Miss Van II. quite
gravely. Pm not making fun of Won I'm
any way whatsoever. I'm merely tell
ing you how lovable you are, so that
you will understand how serious II Is
when say that I've decided not TO
love you any more"
"B-but how can you help it2' STAN
mered Mr.. Randolph. his tongue for
once saying the same thing as his face
at the same time.
Miss Van T.'s breast futtered as
though rising against It's mistress TO
the defense OF this disingenuous Young
man, and she was obliged 90 swerve
her eyes from his and draw n long
breath before she answered
II can. because Will" she said, her
face paling. "Oh Bobby, can't you
wake mp? Look round you and come
10 earth! You are born and bred on
Manhattan, yet you've never seen New
York" /"
al guess you're right" said Bobby
thoughtfully. Look here. Madge. why
should | try 90 see New York. and
why should we be talking nsh-cans
when I've got YOU to look az in one OF
the most hewitchlng and abbreviated
bits Of dress goods that ever revealed
a completely adorable person? Tel
me that"
"Well," said Madge. her face hard.
ening, II will. It's long story, NOT IN
words hut In generations The Van
Telliers have lived In East Ninth
street since the year one OF the island.
That Is. they used 10 live here: nov
they hardly exist They are merely an
assorted lot OF animated corpses that
crawl ont Of their tomb periodically To
take q strange air. leaning on a rotten
stave called the old Order. Listen 10
this. Bobby: The new New York is a
fever, and I've caught IT, | want q
raIny-day car. cniling-car. aud q
4 "A ~. IA
stab with envy the heart OF every
woman that looks M them: want my
Jewels 10 run 10 size and quality. and
] want yacht Just for the papers Ia
talk about. because | hate TO ride IN
the smelly things"
Bobby's eyes had grown rnnnder
and wider as the list progressed.
"Do YOU think you could get along
on hundred thousand a yearf" he
asked very softly.
IL don't know" she said slowly.
'Tve been going into the subject
rather thoroughly. and hundred thou.
sand would be running II on n pretty
close margin. by the way Just what
Is your allowance under that crazy
willg"
"Ten thousand" said Bobby.
"well." said Miss Van r.. there you
are Just enough TO keep you com.
fortably in debt, and you want 10
marry me on itl II wouldn't be quite
so out Of the question n you knew You
were going to have Il forever but you
don't. II may be cut or"
"Any day" said Bobby promptly.
at isn't likely, after all these years.
but IL may"
"Well, there YOU aref' Miss Van +.
repeated herself I'm not altogether
pig. Bobby. Ten thousand with you
thrown In ls enough 20 make any
woman think three times. but the
truth Is you have been killed by too
little and too much kindness. n you
had never gone on as super FOR n dis