The Washington times., 1923-11-24

Sophisticates where the unknown
was discussed from cocktail to
cocktail. and where. forgetting his
arteries he had befuddIed himself
ct the generous fount, had guarded
his tongue. To Clavering he had
been unable to extend either hope
or information. Mrs. Oglethorpo
had turned bleak and rigid
countenance upon the friend OF
her youth when he had called with
an eager ear, and forbidden him
tartly ever to mention the sub
ject to her again.
Interview must have been
devilisf unpleasant to curile poor
old Jane like that" he had COM
mented. ''No doubt the girl
showed her the door. Cad! Jane!
But Mary's daughter could do It.
None better"
Disappointed
Clavering was deeply disap-
pointed. He turned q scowling
back on the gossips rending The
Topic to tatters. New York must
have a new Topic every season.
This girl had arrived In q season
Of dearth. And unless she were
discovered to DO living in abso.
Lutte flagrancy. they would throw
down the carpet. Some went
even further. After all, what
But there seemed to be not the
remotest prospect Of meeting her,
nor even OF solving the mystery.
She had been seen striding round
the reservoir in q short skirt and
high laced boots Of soft pale
leather. One triumphant woman
had stood next to her at q glove
counter and overheard her observe
to the clerk In sweet and rather
deep voice with an ineluctably re-
fined and foreign-accent that
gloves were cheaper IN New York
than In Paris. She had been
passed several times In her smart
little car, and once she had been
seem going into the Public Ii
brary. Evidently she was no
hermit. Several Of the sophisti-
Gates had friends In society and
questioned them eagerly, but
were rewarded only by questions
as eager In return.
On the sixth Of these first
nights, when the unknown slip.
ped quietly from her seat at the
end Of the last act, she saw the
aisle in front OF her blocked. One
after another the rows Of seats
were hurriedly deserted. Clavar-
ing, az usual, was directly be-
hind her. but Mr.. Dinwfddie.
forced from his chair many aisles
back, was swept out with the
crowd.
When she reached the foyer she
found herself surrounded by men
and. women whose frank interest
was Of the same weIl-bred but
artless essence as that afforded
q famous actress or prima donna
exhibiting herself before the
footlights. It was evident that
| she had q sense Of humor, for a.
she made her way slowly toward
the entrance q smile twitched her
mouth more than once. Claver-
ing thought that she was on the
point Of laughing outright. But
he fumed. Damn them? They'll
scare her of. Shell never come
again"
One or two women had vowed
they'd speak 20 her. After q
first-night with . club Of sorts.
But their courage failed them.
The crowd made way for her and
she CROSSED the pavement 70 wait
for her car. Clavering, always
hoping that some drunken brute
would give him the opportunity
TO succor her, followed and stood
a. close 40 he dared. Her car
drove up and she entered. An
It started she turned her head
and looked straight at him. And
then Clavering was sure that she
laughed outright.
He started reclziessly after the
car, plunging between automobiles
going in four different directions
and jumping on the running board
Of a taxi, told the man to drive
like hell toward Park avenue
There was amused recognition IN
that glancei She had. must have
noticed him before tonight!
And then he had his chance
TO the brave belong the fair.
VII.
He dismissed the taxi at the cor.
ner Of her street and walked randi.
q