The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1921-10-07
"PAPER ROSES"
By RUBY M. AYRES


CONTINUED from Yesterday
shsrney stood beside Lillian while
.he wrote the check: her hand shook
"a that she could hardly sign her
,.me The bland smile never left
his face: hts luck had been almost
Incredible. and--he still had card
len 90 lay on the table at later
date
lie dried the check carefully with
hiotting.paper folded II. and put II
into his pocket.
s<ow--tell ma" Liiian's voice
was hoarse: there was sort OF en-
RACED terror In her eyes: she had
never believed Il possible for her 10
suffer az she was doing now. jeai'
eusy was teaching her. as nothing
else could have done. how dear TO
her Rorie really was: at that mo-
ment abe cared nothing for his
money. or her own. she would have
given II all gladly To possess again
49, impetuous hoy-lover that he had
once been to her.
sherney bowed.
y had q ward he began In HIS
c.s,, setestahie tones "A pretty lit
tie Elri-she was the altar turn In
the circus. l am q circus proprietor.
Six weeks ago. Miss Fame. We
played At Bedmund. and Mr.. Br'ton
came TO the show. He saw Rosaiie
you know what men arc, She ap
pealed to him--to his kind heart
snd-weli--- Again that shruE. and
hateful grin.
Lillian could not speak: both hands
ciutched the chsir. back In front Of
her: she felt as II AZ each word .
knife were turned In her heart.
He made love TO her. and she
took him seriousiy--that Il the case
In . nutshell. Msss Fame. Not an
uncommon story. by any means. Well
things didn't 80 right between
them and they auarreied. and ono
night she let herself fall from the
trapexe. deiiberatcs'
Lilian swayed slightly.
You mean-she II deadr- che
asked. with white lipa sherncy did
not answer-but his silence was elo~
auent-As he had Intended II TO be-
Lillian eat staring before her.
What had she heArdy Nothing that
she might not have suspected Of
any other man OF her acquaintance.
She thought OF the men abe knew
who hung around sfaGsdoors and
took chorus giris out 10 supper: but
Roderick Briton had never been
like that She had believed herself
the one woman who had ever at
tracted him: u was something OF a
shock to hear how mistaken she
had besn-and yst--ths giri was
dead.
She forced herssh to speak.
We'll. ana what Of itf You say
she = dead. and u she II dead--this
gtrl--what harm 10 doner'
Anger flashed into her eye. She
rcse to her feet
How dare you come here ana ex-
tort money from me for such q
ssoryf You shall not leave the
housA viii send for the police
shsrnsy ala not move; his hassful
smile widensd . little.
But that 10 not all hs saiA
NE sank back Into her chair.
oomshov she had guessed there was
moro to hear. She stared at him
with fascinated eyes.
II discovered afserwArds.- 8hernsy
vent On. Il discovered quite By
ehancA thst--Mr. Briton and my
ward WERE he paused and drew
. deep breath a. II TO launch his
news out with greater emphasis
-vsrs--married-~ he added trium-
phantly.
-Marr1edr
II was impossible not 10 b. sorry
for Lillian. a. she sat there. white
fhcsd and staring. All her natural
grace and dignity seemed to have
deserted her: she was just . missrs
able. Jealous woman.
gherney looked IT her end won
'esred what she could s>s In . boy
- young Briton- She was . wo-
ban In thousand. he told himself.
Suddenly she started up: when she
spoke her voice was shrfii with
pain
Il DON'T believe you--f DON'T b.
llisvs you. It's not trus-it's . wick
- He--made up to set money out Of
ne. I don't believe you
0hsrney moved uneasiiy.
TITS true enough" he said. They
1wers married ~ Bsdmund church.
I've ssen the registrar myself. I've
spoken to the ver9er who witnessed
ehe CEREMONY" He laughed disa-
greeably. "Oh. there's no doubt
|about Il 1t ALL"