The Washington times., 1922-09-24

of your senses! You-oh,
good heavens, Fancy! Can't You
see that the whole thing is out Of
the question--quite impossible?"
It was a day and half later,
Lady Denning and Fancy Revell
had solitary possession Of the
small, luxurious, untidily comfort
able room which was the formers
special sanctum. II was full of
shadows now, for outside the short
Winter day was already dying and
the freight made pleasant, cosy
glow, lighting up the faces of the
two women and an open letter in
Lady Denning's lap.
Fancy, stretched at full length
among the variously colored cush-
ions of allow. comfortable couch,
cigarette between her lips and her
hands clasped behind her head,
raised her brows, shrugged one.
shoulder and reaching out lazily
possessed herself of the letter.
As she did so the fireglow
caught the CLEAN of flashing dia-
mond ring in an antique setting
of black enamel and gold that
shone newly upon her third finger.
She watched the CLINT of it with
critical appreciation as she drew
it back. -.
"Mr. William Fanshawe," she
observed, "does not lack good
taste. Fate is considerate of my
susceptibilities. I should have
found it quite trying to contem-
plate existence in an atmosphere
of overwhelming opulence, how
ever great the compensation. As
f'Fancy! Don't joke! It's bad
enough to have entered into this
mad engagement of yours-with
man YOU had known not much more
than half an hour! But to pretend
to contemplate anything seriously,
anything more binding, such as
that letter suggests, is-is-
Fancy flicked her cigarette ash
delicately into a big low bowl OF
chrysanthemums and prodded
cushion into place with one round
elbow.
But" she asserted with soft de-
cision, 81 am not pretending! l do
contemplate decidedly more last
ing and possibly irksome bondage
than this"-she waved her left
hand-"stands for. In fact, I'm
very much in earnest about it.
Nearly as much in earnest as IS
friend William himself! Dear
Lady Denning, is not that letter
convincing?
Lady Denning's kindly brown,
rather protruding eyes fastened
themselves upon the smooth cream
pages. There was CONSERVATION
and bewilderment in her whole
good-natured countenance. And,
at the sight of it, Fancy broke into
sudden amused laughter, whereat
her hostess found her voice again.
"I can't believe that you are seri-
ous" she declared, with as near
an approach to sharpness as was
possible in one of her amiably
placid nature. "The mere idea is,
to me, almost grotesque. Had Mr..
Fanshawe been a man in your own
set it would have been incompre-
hensible enough, but to take part
in such a practical joke with one
whose social standing Isis"
"Nil" Fancy interrupted coolly;
then, with a little move she flung
the cigarette from her, regardless
of where it went, and sitting up
among the cushions hugged her
knees, regarding Lady Denning
from between narrowed black
lashes.
"Be honestr' she cried. BILLY
Fanshawe is a nobody. And, in
spite of his wealth and the fact
that he has aspired successfully to
an alliance with Revell of Revell,
he probably always will be! It
depends how much interest take
in his social well-being after that
alliance has become an accom-
plished fact"
She spoke airily, but there was
Just the slightest note of hardness
in her voice that made Lady Den
ming look at her more closely.
Then she leaned impulsively for