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

THE AIR.
met about what a brilliant girl Mar
tie Craig was and how splendid her
fathers wine cellar was, and last
shush-they had . cook, specially
imported for the purpose. who was q
wiz at making home brew. He fully
intended going out to see Martie and
sampling some Of the cooks achieve
msnts, but he had q sudden attack Of
acute indigestion, and the doctor or
dered him to Hot Springs. So he re-
moved himself from the scene. all I'M
knowing what he had done.
He did not know, for example. that
when he retailed Martie's CONVERSE
ton to old Mai. Paxton on the train
the man in the seat ahead and the
man in the seat behind had listened
to every word and had no difficulty
in hearing, because Paxton's deaf
ness made it necessary for Percy to
speak loudly and distinctly. His
voice even carried across the aisle to
a quiet man with = blue serge SUIT
and a heavy suitcase.
Nor did he know when he repeated
the story in the lounge later that one
Of the listeners was Roddy Gallivan'
whose normal condition is, as current
phraseology has ii. "whimed ana al
most blotto." and who. therefore, Is
apt to confuse everything he hears
into something quite different
Now, news Of liquor is \ curious
thing. 1t has a pervasive quality that
Is only comparable to the odor OF
gasoline.
And there is another curious thing
about news of liquor. Those who
hear of it, If they have any active in
terest in it, act on it at once. they
lose no time-on the theory, doubt
less. that if they don't some one else
will get there hrst. So all of those
who had listened in to Percy's story
at once began to converge their d.
rections, with the Craig house as a
focus.
MARTIE. meanwhile was feeling
AI rather pleased with herself
when she wasn't dreadfully unhappy.
Most of the time Lowell had been
such q darling; some one else would
surely snatch him up; some little
clinging creature who wouldn't OBJ
ject to his autocratic tendencies. And
he had looked at her SO eagerly at
Emmy's party, and SO hopefully. 1t
was the first time she had been close
to him since the engagement was
broken. He was, certainly thinner.
Martie sought the bathroom
scales She had lost four pounds her
self.
Two or three days later her best
friend. Frieda Herschel, came out for
luncheon and golf at the country club,
and she seized the opportunity to rub
salt in Martie's wounds.
you're perfect IDIOT" she said
with that frankness which charac-
terizes the complete friend. ito let a
man like Lowell Edwards get away
from you because he wants to be
sure that you're safe. I never thought
you could be so obstinate and one
ideaed. You two were simply made
for each other, and yet you throw
him over because he's solicitous about
you. II you'd done it because he
wasn't, that would have been some
reason. And the way you behaved
to him at Emmy wilkens' dinner was
little short of brutal"
What do you expect" demanded
Martie. THAT I should go on my
knees to Lowell and beg him to take
me back? Perhaps I was a little
hasty-and. oh. Frieda. how miss
him.
"Of course you do-and you're like
ly to miss him forever if you keep on
in this ridiculous way. An attractive
man like Lowell is going to be snap
ped up by some one without delay
saw him walking up the avenue
with Jean Desborough only yester-
day, and I'd hate to have any man I
cared about get into jeans claws. Be
sensible, Martie, and tell him you
were in the wrong. You were, you
know"
Martie sighed. IF I do that he'd
always remember it, and it would be
such a strategic triumph for him."
Don't make fancy phrases when
it's a question Of being square with
the man you really love. You do love
him, and know it,
"Oh, do, do"
Then you're a ninny to act this
way. It won't hurt you to eat piece
of humble pie"
After Frieda had gone, Martie pur-
sued q very thoughtful way home
ward. It had not been pleasant to see
herself in the mirror of her. friends
words, yet she had to admit it was q
truthful reflection. Tears came to
Martie's eyes when she thought of
Jean walking up the avenue with
Lowell, tears of mingled rage and
self pity. She began to wonder how
1t would be II, after all, she should
close UP the house and 60 in town
and let Lowell hear Of it Indirectly.
It was at least something to ponder
over.
She pondered over it during her
solitary dinner and later while she
sat In front Of the library Are. II
only he hadn't taken back the ring
20 readily when she handed it to him.
II only he had made q determined
effort at that wretched Wilkens din