Evening star., 1922-09-24
STEPHEN DOUGLAS d'ARTAGNAN y =

they don't pronounce it quite the
same?' She was leaning toward him
now and her face was very close to
his. stephen. does there need to
be q barrier?
1t wal. q long moment before he
answered, . moment In which they
both wondered what he would say.
Never before had he wanted 30 much
to tell her that he loved her; that
she was the reason he was going
away; that she had been the reason
for everything In his life ever since
that first day he had seen her.
There doesn't need to be q bar
rier." he said finally. "But there is"
Slowly she dreY away and her
hands fell listlessly in her lap. Then
there's nothing for my side. OF the
world to do but 60 on reading The
Three Musketeers'?" She lifted her
shoulders with a sort Of wistful irony.
Suddenly Stephen rose and came
over to her. "Constance-"
And the door to the library opened.
1t was Seena, the cook. "Mr. Sar-
gents here" she said sharply. pity
you couldn't hear the beil."' The an
nouncing of callers was. determin-
edly, not one Of Seena's responsible
ties.
"HE weeks n Kansas City would
always remain to Stephen q night
mare. He haa never met before the
type of person who is a promoter.
It was a fantastic world in which
they lived. Stephen admitted they
were clever. He had never discover
ed them to be deliberately dishonest.
Each month they paid him HIS salary,
and each month he took 1t with a
curious sense Of distrust. He wrote
sometimes to Hepzibah and some
times to Lily. It became increas-
ingly dihicult to write to Constance.
Finally there came this bit Of news
from Lily: ITS . small world. old
dear" she said. Anyway, we've got
. case against your precious Dia-
mond OH concern. Seems they don't
declare dividends as often rs some
Of the folks who bought stock in it
were led to believe they would.
Maybe our clients are a grasping lot.
but, onhand, should say they were
q simple bunch Of farmers. hog>sied
and hamstrung. a. believe you aSri-
culturists put IT."
Stephen reread the letter. The dis
agreeable conviction came homo to
him that Judge Truman seldom took
4 case he couldn't win, and he seldom
took . case he didn't believe ought
to be won. Stephen knew the Dia-
mond Oil concern was overcapitaliEed.
He knew he didn't like the sort of
nsckties Its officers wore, buk he
wouldn't let himself believe the hrm
was crooked
Suddenly the idea came to him that
he might be expected to defend the
company against the attacks of Judge
Truman. The irony Of the situation
struck him and he dismissed the no
ton as absurd because Of its very ap-
propriateness.
And then he was appointed to han
die the case!
Had he protested he might have
science, distorted now and Quixotic.
made him believe he could ask. no
special dispensations. He was pri-
vate in an army, the rightaess of
whose cause he distrusted. He had
not even the consolation OF having
been drafted. He was q volunteer.
On Thursday he left Kansas City.
Friday morning he met Lily Sedel-
meyer on the steps Of the courthouse.
It was q hot August morning. dusty
and cheerless. Eddies Of dust twisted
up from the street, powdering their
clothes and singing their eyes. Sud
denly all the resentment in Lily died
out. He looked 30 young. at once.
and haggard.
"Hulio." she said. little homing
pigeon"
Stephen smiled. "Hullo. yourself"
For another long moment they
looked at each other. "Stevie," she
said finally. "come on back"
He shook his head and his eyes
looked out over the city. II can't.
Besides which, the Judge wouldn't
haye me-" Then he looked at her
again and smiled. 81 don't believe
even you could maneuver that"
A slow fiush crept down Lilys
cheek mot that you deserve to be
let back" she said finally. Lilly took
q step toward the building, then she
stopped and looked down at the young
man beside her. 'Stevie," she said. Il
don't suppose I've got any business
to tell you, but I'm going to. Among
those who got stuck buying Diamond
Oil certificates appears to be one
Hezekiah Preston. They must have
got a census list Of the county" she
went on. Anyway. there weren't
many that got loft out" She stopped
again, embarrassed and unwilling to
hurt him. Maybe this wasn't news
to you, after all"
He looked very much older sud
denly than twenty-six. Yes" he
said finally, "it 10 nsws. I'm grate-
full to you for telling me-" Then he
lifted his cap to her and she strained