Evening star., 1922-07-09


were open; dancing had already
started: they could hear the music as
they walked across the grass. Inside
the ballroom door Welkins paused te
review the animated spectacle
Masked soldiers. clowns coolies. cour'
beauties. bull-fghters. odalisques
woman jockies. geisha, harlequins
cowboys. Spanish senoritas. man.
darins. pirates. nymphs, Turks. va
music of the jazz band.
Looking them over as they circled
past he presently thought he recog-
nized hs wife. She was dressed-if.
indeed, ie was Eleanor-as a French
court lady. with patches, high, pow
dered wig and a panniered gown Of
lowered silk. and was dancing with
a Roman gladiator. He watched her
around the room. Her height. her
figure. her carriage were Eleanor's.
and the costume had a dignity char
acteristic of his wife's taste. When
she had passed several times he was
quite certain of her
DRESENTLY he became interested
in Cleopatra, who fox-trotted into
view with Napoleon. Eleanor would
have made a handsome Cleopatra, too,
but he felt sure she would never ap-
pear in public in such scant attire.
That Cleopatra woman was certain
ly attractive. though! He cut in on
her and. as they danced, talked in a
false voice, endeavoring to guess at
her identity. But the fair Egyptian
was popular. An Indian rajah soon
snatched her away. leaving King
Charles II free to seek out fascinat-
ing Columbine who, several times,
had passed near him in dance and
seemed responsive to his glances.
Presently. with a beau of the
colonial period. she came down the
Aoor. a sprightly figure in a short
black satin dress with a waist cut to
a deep V in back. springy little skirts.
thin openwork stockings and ballet
slippers. With her huge white ruff
and her black cooked hat pulled down
at a saucy angle over bobbed red
hair. She looked the incarnation OF
irresponsible gayety.
He cut in and found that her dane
ing confirmed his impression. How
light. how responsive she was!
I've been aiming to catch you" he
told her. Disgusting his voice by
pitching it low.
Ave you. monsieur" she chirped.
We'll. zen. we are sympathique. for I
too. ave look at you. you beeg, and
some man. The mink! She gave
his hand a squeeze. which he prompt
ly returned.
Are you French" he asked in his
assumed voice, "or are you putting on
that accent?'
Wat you sink. monsieur
Il think" he said. that if you're
putting it on you do it very we'll"
"An' you. you bad, weeked king!
'Ow is your Nell Gwyn?" she asked.
Never mind Nell Gwyn." he said.
Its you I'm interested in. Don't tell
me you're just a nice little married
woman in disguise-wife of some man
who commutes to business in New
York and drives a ball around these
links on Sundays" .-t
You 'ope I'm real naughty Franch
girl?" she asked. archly.
Indeed I do.''
We'll zen, follow me!' And with
that she disengaged herself and fit
ted swiftly through a French window
leading to the terrace.
Pursuing. he lost her momentarily.
for in the darkness her black dress
gave her an advantage; but as she
scampered down the steps toward the
lawn and the links he caught sight of
her white ruff, and sped after her.
AS she disappeared behind a large
syringa bush he heard a ripping
laugh. and running to the other side.
caught her in his arms. Then, as she
was painting and laughing. and as it
was dark. and they were masked, and
the syringas smelled so sweet, he
placed his hand beneath her chin,
tilted it up, bent over, and was about
to seize the fruits of victory, when
she eluded him and ran off laughing,
in the direction of the drive.
X \ X X
A PRISONER who escapes and is re-
captured pays an added penalty,
and when after another chase over
the silver-green of moonlight grass,
Charles II grasped the elusive Co.
lumbine, and exacted what he deemed
just tribute from her lips, he was
surprised and fiattered by the ap-
parent willingness with which she
paid.
Indeed, it was that Willingness
which made him confident that she
would not again become fugitive,
and he was holding her lightly when,
in a flash, she was off once more. this
time running toward the clubhouse.
Just at the doorway he caught up.
but his appeal to her to stay outside
was unavailing. \
NO." she said, firmly. you are
naughty boy: an ave foun' you out.
My 'usban' would not lilS."
Your husband does not need to
know" he urged. nor my wife, either.
That's what makes a party of this
kind such fun. husbands and wives
not knowing one another's costumes"
Yes" said she, but ave already
'ad fun enough. my king" And with
that she moved into the ballroom.
By the door they stood for a
moment watching the dancers.
"Lookw he exclaimed suddenly
There's another Columbine. She's
like you-exactly like you-even to
har an irs