Evening star., 1922-09-17

he smoked a brand of cigarettes
which she simply couldn't abide, and
| 1 had to bring in Betty's vanity bag
so that she might have some OF her
| own between courses. Next she asked
| Harold what sort of stone was in
| the odd ring he wore and she was
curious about an elks tooth in his
watch fob. She wanted to know
what fraternity that meant. And
| Harold. in turn, seemed surprised
| that she didn't drink black coffee.
Also their plans for the immediate
future appeared to be decidedly
vague. They were going somewhere.
but that's about as far as they had
outlined the affair And for the first
time certain details of the trip were
bothering Harold a little.
Say. Betty" 1 overheard him ask.
how about your folks?"
"Oh. they've quit worrying about
me-" says she. Probably think I've
run up to spend the weekend with
sister Mary. as she asked me to last
time she wrote mother. And Mary
and Phil doing nothing but sit
around and admire that baby >cf
theirs, Fat chance"
They'll miss the car, though" sug-
gests Harold.
Not unless dad goes poking out
to the garage, which he doesn't do
once a season." assures Betty. It's
my bus, you know. and no one ever
drives it but me. So that's that
M-m-m, Isn't this caramel cake
simply sluscious?"
"It isn't a marker to you, Betty"
I heard him whisper. "And you're a
corking good sport, too
Somehow after that I didn't care
for the way Harold looked at her
His brown eyes were too bright and
| bulgy. Also he had produced a silver
pocket flask. curved to fit the hip,
and he was pouring stuff into her
ginger ale glass when he thought
1 wasn't looking. In fact, he was
villain in the movie drama. The
climax came when they held this
whispered debate and Harold ended
it with a crisp reply.
But tell you well hunt one up
tomorrow" says he.
OF course, he might have meant a
garage man, or another hotel. or even
a route down to the Berkshires. But
that wasn't my guess. As they were
toying with a piece of Sairy's apple
pie 1 called Inez one side.
"Slip out to the shed with flash
light" says I. land get the license
number of their car
"Yon-you mean I should take 1t
ONT" says Inez. who can be amaz-
ingly dumb on occasions.
mo. thanks" says I. Just copy
it on a piece of paper"
T HAD already noticed that it was a
New Hampshire summer license,
with the clipped corners, and I knew
that Squire Sweat, down in the village,
had registration book giving the names
and addresses Of car owners. 1t was a
simple matter to call him up and dis
cover that Miss Elizabeth Wickes hailed
from that swell summer colony up at
Woodsboro. about forty miles north Of
u.s. Then I was ready to tackle the
/ problem. The pair had drifted into the
living room and were indulging in music
That is. they were trying to. Harold
was singing "Georgette." or some other
passionate jazz piece. and Betty was
making a stab at playing the accom-
paniment on the old piano. But we
don't guarantee the tune Of that ancient
grand. Hardly. It's relic I inherited
from Aunt Luella, and although Barry
Platt did attempt to do little first aid
on it with a monkey wrench and pair
Of pliers hardly think he improved its
playing qualities. Some Of the keys
still stick and some Of those that work
produce weird sounds. So Betty wasn't
! wholly to blame. Yet Harold was more
or less peeved when she threw him of
He had quite a voice, Harold. Anyway,
there was good deal Of 1t, and he
seemed more or less satisfied with the
quality. But Just as he'd get going
nicely on tho cnorus Betty's accompani-
ment would stumble and then every
thing was OF.
"oh. I say" Harold would protest
~ thought you knew this piece?'
" ~