Evening star., 1922-11-19
BY
SOPHIE
KERR.


where did you hear 'em?' aske<
the dazed Jimmie. trying to bring
order out of this chaos OF statement.
Il was at the club this afternoon
and when / went down to the locker
room to put my clubs away-yot
know how dark II is-and I wal
around the corner part. you know
where the brickwork is-and they
came in. And she said: We've got tt
go tonight. I can't stand it any
longer. Every delay makes it more
trying And he said: I'll do what.
ever you wish And then they
planned. They're going to pretend te
go TO the dance and show up ou'
there for a little while. and thcr
they're going to motor over to Mid.
dletown, and, of course, that mean,
they'll take the train there, for that.
where the main line comes through
They must mean to catch that II
o'clock express. And she was almosi
crying. and she said: What If somt
one should find II out? And he wa:
trying to comfort her and said thai
no one could suspect. not even Tom
that's her husband, OF course. AND
she said 1t made her perfectly mlser.
able. And he said: But this is Nh,
only thing to do-you must know
that And she said: Yes, suppose
H. is And then some more people
came in and they stopped their talk.
ing and went out. and I cs:ne righ,
home and tried to get a chance te
telephone to you. but twice your line
was busy, and then father and mother
simply camped down in the hall right
beside the telephone"
Jimmie was gradually sorting ane
arranging his thoughts. "But-bui
look here" he said, what can we dc
about it?'
I'VE can follow them up and stop
them," declared Nan dramatically. y
will appeal to her as woman te
woman. / will beg her to see the
error of her way. and I will threaten
to telephone her husband and have
them arrested in Middletown unless
, they come back. I'm sure she can't
be all bad. And II Lieut.. Crary maker
any trouble-why, you can take care
Of him"
+ X
THAT was a pleasant thought that
i Nancy considered him capable Of
taking care Of" man two inches
taller and at least twenty pound:
heavier than himself. Jimmie swell.
ed with pride. You bet I'll do that"
he declared cockily. But say. why
don't you run around to the NAL
Lessons house and tell her you're or
before she starts? Then we could sc
to the dance just the same"
Nan shook her head. NO: I con-
sidered that" she declared. "and il
wouldn't have the same effect. Once
she's actually started, she'll begin to
feel that she's been rash and maybe
going too far, and she'll welcome a
| chance to be saved from her folly: but
| IL We don't let her start. shell
quite likely try again. That's the
psychology of a situation like this
| There was. of course, no gainsay
ing her when She shook her head and
looked so attractive and mentioned
psychology. Of which last Jimmie
knew nohing. He abandoned his plar
! Of stopping the .elopment before i,
started.
"All right" he said. Now, what do
you want me to do?"
Come for me u little earlier thar
We had planned" said Nan, "and well
go out to the club and hang around
until We see them come in and then
! keep an eye on them. and when ih,y
leave we'll leave, too, and follow
them. and when they've gone a good
! bit of the way we'll overtake them,
and then-leave it to me. And now
do hurry along, for I've got to dress
| Some forty minutes later they mel
again, but now Nan was fluffy in pink
ruffies that shimmered deliciously un-
der her gray Red Riding Hood cape
A pink rose was tucked into her curls
Jimmie surveyed her wistfully. YOU
look good enough to eat" he said. 81
wish we didn't have to go wild-goose
chasing like this. l could just dance
with you all night
"Oh, but it's such an adventure"
said Nan, now sitting demurely at his
side in the car. And then-jus,
think of what a noble thing to do,
Besides-I-I might-go to another
dance with you-if you asked me-
| and mother was willing"
DO you mean it?" cried Jimmie
quite enraptured by this admission
(maybe she did like him a little bit).
do you really mean it? Say-looA
here-promise me you'll let me take
you to every dance this summer that
your mother says you may go to-wiI
you?"
And she promised. Whereupon the
prosaic macadam became a golden
way, and the early moonlight. silver
and soft in the evening shadows. be-
came enchanting magic created just
for them. Glorious shyness fell on
them and they did not speak again
until the colored lanterns of the club
were plain before them.
''rll put the car way down at the
end where can get it quick" said Jim
mie. coming back to the matter in
hand
And I'll stay on the veranda and
wait for you. but I'll ask If they've
! come first" said Nan.
! 1t was done as they had planned
| They're not here yet" said Nan as
Jimmie reappeared after parking the
car.
Say, I've got a great idea," he re-
piled. I'll tell the doorman to let
me know when they do come, and
We'll go ahead and dance till then.
And say-if you don't mind. you
know-you'll have to dance all the