Evening star., 1922-07-16
By Fannie Kilbourne


been working on picture and had
become very well acquainted with
him. He was going to call on her as
soon rs he came back to town. Cousin
Rosina knew everybody worth while
| on the stage and the screen; she, Bes
herself had met . great many of
Them and fully intended to meet
more. 30 she Chartered on, Tipping
| through the Ihagazine pages. She
saw that she was making an impress
sion on Bob and became more casual
with each new celebrity she claimed.
"Oh. that's Bobby Shumaker. an
awfully nice chap. but q rotten
| dancer" Or: Cousin Rcsina knows
her awfully well, and she says she
never pays her dressmaker's bills"
| She had passed the rotagravure Sec
tion and was skimming past the de-
partment Of the Man About Town
when Janice raised wide and innocent
eyes.
You haven't happened to meet Mr..
Flint. have you. Miss Pertwee?"
Miss Pertwee hesitated.
| Lawrence Ballard Flint" Janice
further explained in a tone to suggest
that even Miss Pertwee could hardly
aspire to such a distinction. Bea
| glanced down At the familiar depart
ment.
Let me see-I believe we did
There were SO many new people there.
He's"
Tall and dark" Janice queried
promptly.
Yes, he is" Bea met Janice's guile
less, admiring eyes. "Oh, yes. 1 re-
member now. I danced with him sew
eral times one night" She read a
line or two of his department. Hes
terribly attractive" she explained
patronizingly to Janice.
YES" said Janice, "he is. very"
| "Oh, have you seen him?" Bea wa.
taken aback.
Janice 10 assistant editor of the
Footlight," Bob explained. Flint
takes Janice to the theater a good
deal" he added proudly.
| Bea, suddenly finding herself be-
yond her depth. repeated. Yes. he's
really quite decent" in a bored tone.
and laid the magazine down.
During a brief wait for the entree
Bob picked up the Footlight and be-
gan to read aloud Lawrence Ballard
Flints department In the opening
sentence came the shock,
las Janice, my one consolation for
J New York in August, was saying this
Afternoon
Bob stopped short in surprise. 1t
was not exactly pleased surprise.
Janice instantly knew. but after a
brief moment he decided to treat the
matter as joke.
My one consolation for New York
in August he repeated in tones of
exaggerated suspicion. Janice what
Is the meaning of this? Are you
ldouble-crossing me? Have you another
fiance on the Salt Lake line? How
dare Lawrence Ballard Flint refer to
you as his consolation"
Janice only laughed. At the arrival
of the entree-a Rensselaer, special.
aromatic with chervil. garnished with
tarragon-Bob dropped the subject.
4 but through the rest OF the dinner
Janice felt its presence. 1t might not
have been evident to less sensitive
eyes. but she saw a decided shade of
preoccupation as he talked with Bea.
caught one or two quickly averted
glances at herself. and knew that
Bob was thinking unpleasantly of
Lawrence Ballard Flint. She thought
once or twice a shade uneasily about
the flowers she knew were waiting at
this kind SO easily.
when the dinner was at last over
aud they all rose to leave. Bea turned
to Janice.
Cant you have tea with me some
afternoon" she asked.
Her tone was indifferent; her man
ner indicated that this was the most
casual afterthought: but Janice. be-
ing a woman, easily translated the
occurred surprisingly to Bea that
Janice might possibly prove a person
tYorth cultivating.
Then she and Bob rode home. to find
Lawrence Ballard Fiint's flowers.
4
NE were Oh the tdDle IN tue Tdll
beside the elevator, a huge white
box tied with gold-tissue ribbon.
"Whee." Bob whistled through his
teeth. Somebody draws some mil
Hon dollar fowers!"
Carelessly, Janice looked at the ad-
dress.
why, it's for me,'
And there. in a nest of snowy tissue,
was a gray lacquered basket filled
with little yellow roses. So unex-
pectedly lovely were they that for a
moment Janice almost forgot that
she had sent them herself. She looked
at the engraved card.
From Mr.. Flint! Isn't that nice of
him! And to have remembered my
birthdayw
She glanced up at Bob. The quick
side glimpse was enough to show her
that he was displeased. He followed
} her into the elevator in grim silence.
1t was not 1e yet, and fortunately
. Betty had not come in. Humming a
gay. careless little tune, Janice
switched on the low light and set her
flower basket on the living-room ta-
BILE. She stood back to admire it.
Aren't they SWEET"
There was a heavy, portentous ST.
lence.
"why-whx. Bob, what's the mat
ter?"
Il want you to drop this Flint
right now" he said In Il level tone. II