The Washington times., 1922-09-10
Grains of Dust BY Anthony Carlyle
CONTINUED from Page 14)

why I'm so fatP'
Lucky youp
Miss Revell's voice was frankly
envious. She was tinkling her
finger nails against her empty
glass, and her glance roved over
him with new interest.
N"Not because you're fat" she
added. "But because of the
money"
Billy swallowed the last piece of
sandwich and looked up.
"Do you regard the possession
of money as so desirable, then?"
he asked, and the girl gave him a
rather hard little laugh.
'Tt's the only really desirable
thing in life" she returned. Then
she leaned forward and pushed
her glass toward him. "Will you
get me some more wine," she
asked, land see if they've begun
to play cards YETI"
Billy arose without alacrity; and
as he carried away her glass there
was a little puzzled frown in his
eyes. 1t was evident that Miss Re-
vell's interest in him had evap-
Grated as rapidly as it had arisen.
She was yawning when he came
back to her, with her hand over
her eyes. She stretched out her
hand for the wine without looking
up, and for the second time drain
ed it as a man might have done.
Then she sighed, let her arms fall,
and turned around.
They're playing?" she asked,
and there was a new note of eager
ness in her voice. Billy Fanshawe
nodded.
"All the tables were full" he
told her, and she began to tao
with an impatient foot against the
fender.
"Did you notice my brother?
He's like me, only big, and his
hairs dark-black."
Billy Fanshawe let his eyes
dwell upon her for a moment. They
were unwontedly grave. He had
noticed her BROTHER long, lean
youngster, with nervous hands and
the same black-lashed, changeful
eyes. There could be no mistaking
the relationship; but Fanshawe
had left the cardroom door,
shocked and disturbed by the hag-
gard intensity of the white young
face bent over the cards, and the
grim line about the sensitive
mouth.
EYES," he said now. 81 think
SO. He was playing with Mr.. Aus
tin Knowles"
He saw the girl start and bring
her brows sharply together. Then,
with all her langour seemingly
flown, she swung swiftly to her
feet, turning toward the door.
There was a look of intense anx-
iety and uneasiness on her small
face-almost of distress. But
even as she took step toward
the door it swung inward.
Upon the threshold, blinking,
swaying and with limp hands
hanging either side of him, Bonny
Revell stood.
Fan" he whispered, yet with
such distinctness that Fanshawe
heard quite plainly, "I'm broke
cleaned out-done"
T've lostw Bonny Revell made
the announcement harshly, delib-
erately. "Lost everything-every-
thing, do you understand-every-
thing"
Fanshawe heard the girl gasp,
saw her hands flash out and grip
the boys wrists as she took a step
nearer the table. There was a
dread, almost horror in her eyes
a piteous unbelief.
"Bonny. What do you mean
everything? Not-not'-
She stopped suddenly as though
she was choking. The boys eyes
met hers, bleak, hopeless. After a
moment he began to tumble in his
pocket, and drew out little suede
wallet. He flung it, open and
empty, on the polished surface of
the table before her.
For one long moment she stood
motionless, her hands still upon
his wrists, staring at it. Then she
caught the back of one hand up
against her mouth.
"My God!" she whispered, in a
stif1ed, shuddering cry. "Oh-my
God! My God"
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