Evening star., 1922-02-26

RANDOLPH WENT ONE D.
| the quiescent fever that lay in his
soul. Not until dark did he come
| home again. the fever burned out.
She would be here in a week!
X y
lTTPoN the following day a chance
- remark of his friend the librarian
decided him that he had better get
busy. He engaged a typist and be-
gan to dictate what he knew about
China and its worst aspects: he was
| not engaged with the iniquities of
the Chinese, but rather Of the for
eign settlements. Randolph under
took the work in an ironical mood.
merely to have something to show in
case he were called upon to show any
| thing.
He knew his subject-knew it
down to the ground: he could cry
Magma pars full" with all truth.
He knew it SO thoroughly that after
two days his typist decided that this
was no work for lady and threw
up her job Randolph only laughed,
engaged a student typist Of the male
sex, and let himself go the limit on
his dictation. He found himself en-
joying it, in a grim way. and 1t was
certain that his typist was kept in
terested.
Randolph took some of his COM
pleted work to the librarian. who
delved into 1t with fierce avidity
and directed him to a certain pro-
fessor of English. the author Of many
text books on writing and construc-
ton, who himself had never been
able to write an acceptable story. The
professor OF English was keenly in
trigued by Randolph's pages. called
them utterly hopeless as a manu-
script. yet gave him directions as to
publishers All this was thoroughly
enjoyable to Randolph, who chuckled
many and many a time over the game
he was playing with these gentry of
| the college world.
One afternoon he was engaged in
a rubber of bridge at the club. and
DR.. Murray cut in. Randolph casually
mentioned Elsie Shannon.
shes not here yet. I understand"
said one of the other men.
NO" said Murray. with keen
glance which, despite its kindliness.
suddenly alarmed Randolph. NO.
Her mother is very i'll, and she has
been given leave of absence for a
little while. Do you know. that girl
always reminds me of a bit of old
| French verse b, Felix Arvers-
"Ah,' said the professor of French.
who was dealing. True, true! Pour
ellie, quoique Dieu Tait faite douce ct
tendre'-'so pure, so quiet and aus
tere'-well said. Murray. we'll said! An
angel, that girl, if ever one lived!
But did you ever notice, gentle men.
, that in all the sacfed writings we
invariably hear of the angels as
beings of the male sex? There's
queer thing for you to ponder.
Mr.. Randolph. Put it in a book
some time
Thanks; perhaps I SHALL" said
Randolph, glancing at his hand from
beneath lowered lids. "You pass?
Two hearts"
another odd thing" observed Muir
ray during the next deal. "is that it
is Just such a woman as Miss Shan
non who seems to attract the most
brutal and debased men in the world.
You're not fictionist. Randolph?
Well, it's often struck me that there
the fctionists hit the nail Of human
nature squarely on the head. The at
traction Of opposites. I presume"
"All nonsense" said the professor
of French, rufiing up his spade beard
and watching Randolph deal. "A
girl like Miss Shannon can't be fooled.
That type. my friends. look through
to the spirit Of man. Externals do
not matter"
Randolph wondered that the cards
did not tremble in his hands. He
was thinking Of the day, we'll over
the years, when Elsie Shannon had
looked into his soul and turned away
shivering.
!0NE day Randolph was talking to
~ the librarian, who suddenly
broke OF and glanced from the door
Of his ONCE.
"wait q minute, Randolph, there's
a chap here you ought to meet! Per-
haps you can make him useful, too.
He was here last year and has re-
turned to finish his course; very
bright young fellow. Indeed
The librarian darted out and pres
entity returned. Accompanying him
was a smiling young man with yell