The Washington times., 1922-10-01

Billy Fanshawe. For once she
found herself utterly at a loss.
She looked helplessly from one
man to the other; and a sudden,
rather strained silence fell upon
the stirring, whispering group. All
eyes had suddenly flown from the
gaunt young giant with his wealth
er-beaten, handsome face and reck-
less, restless eyes to the substan-
tial, unimposing, ruddy little man
behind Fancy Revell's chair.
The contrast between them was
almost violent. Lucy Denning,
aware of it, was conscious of a
swift, overwhelming rush of COM
passion for Fanshawe. Impulsive-
ly she spoke his name.
"Billyw
But she got no further. Fancy,
reaching back slightly, touched
Fanshawe's sleeve. Her eyes were
fixed levelly upon Dan.
This is Billy Fanshawe," she
announced. She spoke rather
breathlessly, but without hesita-
ton. "He is from America, you
know-a great friend of Gerry's"
She let her glance drop from
Dams and looked back over her
shoulder into Billy's face. The
expression in her eyes bewildered
him. It was at once challenging
and desperately commanding. Yet
her voice was smooth, untroubled.
"You have, perhaps, heard of
my cousin, Dan Revell"
Fanshawe, blinking a trife,
murmured some utterly meaning
less reply; then, with a queer
sense of shock, he found his plump
hand gripped for moment in Re-
vell's bony fingers, was aware of
the latter's quick, singularly daz-
zling smile, and of his easy, lazy
drawl:
"Glad to meet you. Gerry's pals
are, or were, generally mine"
AS their hands fell away Fancy
rose. She stood between them, her
face rather white, but with her
customary Pickering smile at the
corners Of her lips. She did not
look at Dan, and her hand went
out toward Billy in a gesture of
unmistakable dismissal.
But We mustn't keep you any
longer" she declared. GAS it is
you'll miss your train unless Gerry
INDUCES in a little more of his
reckless driving. And / think
you've had about enough shocks
for one night! Hurry up, Gerryw
She began to move forward as
she spoke, her hand on Fanshawe's
arm again, impellingN him forward
toward the doorway. She allowed
him no time for speech; he found
himself bundling into his coat and
gathering up his cap and muffler
in dumb obedience to the impera-
tive insistence of her voice.
But, with half the width Of the
hall between them and the group
surrounding Dan Revell before the
fire, he half halted, blinking at her
almost appealingly.
But, l say, you know" he be-
gan in low-toned protest, 81 can't
60 off like this, you know. I mean
-you-I-this is going to alter
everything"
He stopped. In spite of himself,
his desperate endeavor to speak
naturally, even easily, his voice
shook a trife. His lips were
twitching, he was strangely, un-
usually pale.
Fancy met his glance, raising in
terrogative brows. Her hand had
fallen from his sleeve, she faced
him in an unwavering calm of
which he was bitterly envious.
How" she inquired quietly;
and Fanshawe, twisting his cap
about between his nervous fingers,
felt the blood come racing back to
his face again.
"But surely" he began, stam-
meringly. And then under his
breath, but with an unaccustomed
violence which startled himself:
Good Heaven! How! Do you
suppose | don't realize that this,
your cousins return, must utterly
change everything, nullify the
pledge that exists between u.s."
Fancy's steady glance flickered
momentarily. For a passing in
slant there was very curious ex-
preston at the back of her eyes.
The pallor Of her face seemed to
intensity and he saw her hands
lock together suddenly. Then she
spoke. ..
"Do you mean," she said "that
it is your wish that such should
be so?"
"My wish?"
Unexpectedly Billy's mild eyes
blazed. His face was white again