The Washington times., 1922-09-10
CONTINUED from First Page)

self litterateur-which fancy he
has contrived the less cultivated
reading world shall share-dabbles
in art, and does not hesitate at
intervals to inflict so-called poetry
upon his long-suffering admirers.
In all of these things he 6 It's his
effect with the palette knife rather
than with the. brush-if you know
what | mean?"
Billy Fanshawe passed a plump,
well-kept hand over his smooth
bald head, and modestly Thought"
that he did. If there was a sub
dued twinkle in his eye his COM
panion did not see it; and if she
had she very probably would not
have understood it.
Billy Fanshawe was just Will
liam Fanshawe of "Fanshawe's
Fertilizer" fame and the fortunate
recipient of the yearly profits
thereof. 1t was not to be expected
that he should d'have any sense of
subtleties, hence the faint con-
descension of her final question.
She proceeded with some slight
acidity family noticeable beneath
the lazy suavity\ of her pretty
voice.
"He is a man of varied tastes,
especially where women are con-
cerned; and he is, at present, wor-
shipping at the shrine of the girl
who is dancing with him. There
are those who suggest that he has
discarded his role of phhanderer,
and is, for the first time in his ex-
istence, in earnest in his wooing. |
do not know; nor do | particularly
care. But | am quite certain |
should prefer Austin Knowles as
partner in a mild filtration rather
than as a lover with serious inten-
tions!
"It has struck me that he might
be quite unpleasant-if treated
with coldness or Indifference. Any
way, shouldn't like to be the
woman to lead him on, and then,
to adopt the jargon of to-day, turn
him down."
Billy Fanshawe followed the two
buoyant figures of the dancers
under discussion with seemingly
mild interest. His rather round,
rosy face was amiably interroga-
tive in expression.
"And is the little lady indulging
in that somewhat dangerous pas
time, them"
His pleasant, rather throaty
voice was lazy, half indifferent.
His glance was no longer upon the
dancing couple, and Mrs. Waring
met it with shrug of her shapely
white shoulders.
"She has been. 1t is," she
laughed, and there was an indie
scribable quality in the little sound
that brought a passing furrow to
Billy Fanshawe's brow, lone of her
many bad habits-leading men on,
mean. Very charitably inclined
people declare she can't help it,
that Irritation is in her blood, like
gambling! suppose it is. THE
Revells are all alike, and always
have been.
There's a kink in their char
acters which makes it impossible
for them to leave members of the
opposite sex, like the card tables
and horses, alone! The brothers
just the same-he'd flirt with his
great-grandmother, back a rank
outsider with the last shilling he
had in his pocket, and-throw dice
with the devil! They're incor-
rigible, both of them, all of them"
"Revell?" =.
Billy Fanshawe's brows lifted.
his eyes strayed briefly to the but
terfy figure, swaying white and
warm and iridescent in her COM
panion's arms. Mrs. Waring
nodded.
That's her name, Fancy Re-
veil. She's an attractive imp, isn't
she?"
Her rather fine brown eyes dwelt
upon Mr.. Fanshawe's ruddy, pleas
ant face searchingly. He brought
his own back to them with little
smile.
Quite" he agreed. Rather an
unusual type. Spanish eyes, and
hair that looks, in the distance, as
though it had been powdered. Odd
effect rather, it catches the eye"
Mrs. Waring laughed.
"Of course. Her eyes aren't
Spanish really-they look darker
from here. They are not brown at
all. And I expect her hair is really
sandy. She probably bleaches it.
Her brother is as black as ink.
So was poor Dan Revell. You
know the type, rather rare, blue
black hair, blue-black lashes, and.
eyes the color of a turqoise.
Fancy's of course, are more violet,
which gives them the appearance
Of being very dark"
"You know her-them-well?" ?"
Fanshawe spoke idly, not at all