The Washington herald., 1922-02-18

Now. shall we go in TO the others?"
Vera bit her lip, but followed
Jeanne from the room in silence.
Disappointment.
Barstowe and Candy were hav-
ing cocktails in the drawing-room
when the two girls entered.
Just in time" Candy signalled
the Jap bearing the tray of tiny
irridescent glasses. IT have sad
news for you, by the way. / hope
! haven't got you here under false
pretenses. Bonnicetti can't
come! His accompanist just phoned
to say that he had had an accident,
sprained his ankle or something.
back stage after this afternoons
concert"
Vera murmured her regret per-
functorily. but Jeanne's exclama-
ton Of sympathy was sincere. She
finitely more So for herself.
Now she would be unable to ask
him about the rubies-and Wednes-
day night was drawing closer,
bringing with 1t her mother-in-
laws dinner and the necessity for
appearing with the jewels.
She had lain awake at night won
dering IL she dared wear them, the
trophy which had fallen so mex
plicably into her hand. Suppose
the guest of whom Mrs. Barstowe
had spoken, the connoisseur of an
tique gems. should recognize in
them some famous necklace and
publicly ask where she had OBJ
tanned them? If she had not already
told her motner-in-law that they
were heirlOoms, she might tell the
truth about the little Borgia cab
met, though she could fairly visu-
alize the incredulous smiles and
shrugs.
who would believe that she had
discovered them by accident and
that they had not been Bonnicetti's
gift to her. a gift that was com
promising by its very magnificence?
II she could only see Bannicetti!
She wondered hopelessly how
long he would be laid up with his
sprained ankle. While he was con-
fined to his apartment at the hotel
he might as we'll be exiled in ST.
IBERIA. He was as Inaccessible to
her.
The Popular Bride.
Nice chap, Bonnicetti," Candy
was saying. downing his cocktail
with evident relish. Thought him
a frightful poseu rat first, but /
got to like him at your wedding,
Vic. He looked like a wistful, lost
dog. waiting for somebody to come
along and pat him on the head"
He was q bit sweet on Jeanne"
Barstowe smiled across at his young
wife. Seemed to take her mar
riage to heart"
Vera laughed maliciously.
Evidently the whole world has
been in love with your bride, Vic.
1t must be so interesting for you"
It's flattering to say the least"
he replied. And it keeps a chap
sort of on his toes to hold the re-
gard of a girl who has been SO OBJ
viously sought by Others"
Vera looked discounted.
isn't this a new picture, Dick?"
she asked, by way of changing the
subject.
Got it last week from my agent
in Paris" he nodded. You're
looking at it in the wrong light.
Come over here"
Candy was a clever tactician. He
contrived to draw Barstowe also
to that end of the long drawing
room on some fiimsy pretext 1t
left Jeanne sitting in a Venetian
throne chair at the opposite end,
slipping her cocktail and idly turn
ing the leaves of an ornately dec
GRATED volume.
Candy strolled back to her and
seated himself on a broad footrest
at her feet
Bet you don't know even the
title of that book-and it's had
past ten minutes
She looked down at him with a
smile.
There's something uncanny about
your power of divination. Is that
why you can always tell which way
the market is going?"
He shook his head.
Temptation
My insight applies only to wo-
men. And it's nothing to boast of
merely the result of experience.
I've known so many of them, and
I've watched them playing their
games in this big, remorseIess
town. I know when they're win
ming and I know when they're los
ing-as You are doing now"
She was startled.
>"What makes you say that?"
Shall I tell you?" he queried.
DO you want to admit it to any
one?
II would-to you, I think" she
answered slowly.
To Be Continued Tomorrow.