Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1922-04-02

MI modern girl. She broke OF
WI absolutely and forever with
4 L the only man she could ever
love or ever possibly think of mar
rying-these words are her own
because he attempted to dictate to
her.
Lowell Edwards had no business
to say that it was unsafe for her to
live in the big Craig house, out on
that lonely shore road. with only the
maids for protection, while her father
and mother spent the wintersin Pas
adena. Her father and mother had
said so, too, many time, butshat was
difYereat. u. =
At frst she was quite patient and
only reminded him gently that there
vas the combination garage man and
Rardener--her parents had taken the
chauffeur with them-but Lowell had
argued that Tim was old and deaf and
a terribly sound sleeper and lived out
over the garage, anyway, so that he
was no good at all. And then he
talked about the crime wave and his
anxiety and how far the house sets
back from the road, and not the main
road at that. And he wound up with,
And you haven't even got re-
volvsr!"
Then Martie had laughed. Now.
Lowell, really! If I wasn't ever so
much stronger and more athletic than
tho average woman, might be
afraid; but. honestly. couldn't han
ole any burglar or sneak thief or any
other sort of bad character who
wasn't a regular Jack Dempsey
Given fair warning and fair play
perhaps you could" Lowell admitted.
'Hut you must remember that thieves
and burglars are desperate criminals:
they carry guns and they shoot to
kill. I do think. even Though you're
not afraid, you might be willing to
spare me this anxiety by going to
live In town or getting an able-bodied
take care Of you"
His tone was exceedingly proprie-
torial, and Martie's little round chin
went up in the air.
It's very good OF you, darling" she
began. with a little lemony edge to
her voice, but I dent need taking
care Of. 1 am not afraid OF anything.
I can take care of myself in any
emergency. And I'm certainly not
going to close the house and live I'M
comfortably In town-for I'd have to
go to Aunt virginia-just because you
think I ought to do it,
nNE word led to many others and
eventually to the return of the
ring and a profound disregard of each
others presence when they CHANGED
to see each other at the country club
or at the houses Of their friends.
All Of these friends left them alone
all, that is. except stupid, blunder-
She conceived the bright notion of
seating them side by side at her last
big dinner OF the season.
Martie had come late and was
rushed out to her place in a weller Of
chattering guests, and not until she
was in her clair did she discover that
Lowell Edwards was beside her.
Martie was, as I say, modern. She
nodded casually to Lowell and said
good evening" and then turned her
attention to the man on her right.
She beheld that he was more than
plump and Of cherubic cast Of counte-
nance. He bulGed and beloved in his
dress suit, and he was already hap
PLY busy with the hors d'oeuvers.
By craning her neck she became
aware that the name on his place card
WAS Percy Beeston, and she recalled
that he was a distant cousin Of EN-
ny's, and that she had met him years
ago.
With enthusiastic reminiscent pleas
urs (and her back to LOVELY. there
fore, did she greet Percy, her long.
lost childhood friend. She talked
away to him gayly, but by the time
the soup was brought she began to
realize that Emmy had wished on her
not only the heaviest weight physi-
cally, but also the heaviest weight
mentally in the whole party.
1t was a palpable plot to force her
to talk to Lowell Edwards. And she
wasn't going to do 1t. Never. She
looked at Percy searchingly.
Surely there must me something
the creature responds to-" she told
herself.
His persistent and consistent stok-
ing gave Martie her tip. She began
to talk to him about food.
Now for the first time did Percy
look at her. registering interest.
Now for the first time did he begin
to make coherent response.
50 they exchanged views on how
long game should hang, whether gar.
lie should be rubbed on the bowl or
gently macerated in the dressing.
where was the only place in town to
eat lobster Albert and which head
waiter could make cafe brule at for
old John w. Epicure himself. Percy
now could have qualified for mono
logue artist, and Martie smiled when
she saw how chagrined Emmy looked.
Martie searched her mind to think
Of gastronomic- items that would keep
Percy animated and attentive, but It
was not her favorite line OF converse.
and she was rather put to 1t. Just
as her brilIiancy was languishing the
butler poured some excellent Cham
bertin, and Percy did xloat over it.
Immediately Martie began to talk
to Percy. about liquor.
She did not know much about liquor
from personal experience. because she
did not herself touch 1t, and her father
and mother. were as abstemious as she.
But Percy told her all about the
proper temperature for claret and
what vintages to avoid and what to
look for and why and how to make