Evening star., 1923-01-28

IF I asked you to withdraw with
me from this festive scene and go to
a wild and romantic locality upon a
moonlight hunt for buried treasure.
what would you say?"
Id say-done with you."
You will need warm cloak"
Are We going far?"
we shall be gone about three hours
1t Is now midnight. When we return
the dance will be at it's best"
Who else is going?"
No one but US. Miss Gardner"
She looked doubtful.
There is no South CarolinIan pres-
ent, said Chiffon a little stifiy. "to
whose chivalry and propriety you
could not with perfect safety confde
yourself for the balance of your life.
Our protracted absence upon this
quest may occasion smiles, but not
gossip. II you fear chaff-if you fear
smiles"
The only thing I'm afraid Of" said
MISS Gardner. confidentially, "fs that
we aren't going to find any treasure /"
Chiffon laughed merrily.
Ihat is my fear also" he said "but
at ieast. Miss Gardner, the ride in the
moonlight-the haunted house by the
riVer-the delight of hoping-tbese
'hlngs' as have heard you northern.
ars say, will be pure velvet"
il" Zen minutes later, Chiffon had
cfanked DR.. Mulholland's car and the
two adventurers were bumpine mn
Meeting street toward the open conn.
try.
Where is your coat?" asked Miss
Gardner.
The night was still, moonltt and
sharply cold.
II left it at my uncle's," said Chill
ton demurely.
She leaned a little toward him and
studied his bold, clean-cut profile.
when you say your uncle" she
said. do you mean your uncle or your
-Uncle?
He answered her with verses. saw
ing:
Il will make you brooches and toys
for your delight,
"Of bird-song at morning, and star.
shine at night.
Il will build palace for you and me
"Of green days in forest. and blue
days at sea-"
For the first time in her knowledge
of him, there was in his voice a lit
tie OF that pathos which goes hand
in hand with the poverty that is
bravely borne. But she did not daro
to offer sympathy. So she mimicked
his voice. and his somewhat formal
ordering OF words. and said, drawing
a little:
when we have discovered the
treasure, let US proceed directly to
your uncle's."
Chiffon laughed like a boy.
HE doesn't open till o'clock in the
morning"
Tell me-" she said presently. fs
Mr.. Ravenel a cousin of yoursP"
He was" said Chiffon. until he
danced with you for the third time"
They turned into an avenue Of live
oaks, but It was more like a tunnel.
for the huge twisted trees. meeting
overhead. rooted the weed-grown
roadway and kept out the moonlight.
And then the air. damp and motions
less. added to the subterranean effect.
what are you laughing at?"
Il was laughing at the gray moss"
said Miss Gardner cheerfully. Hun
dreds Of desperate ladies having
jumped overheard in their night
gowns, have been rescued and hung
on these trees to dry. You must be
frozenw
'T am very happy" said Chiffon.
Ths going was very bad indeed and
he drove the doctors little car at a
crawl. "It isn't far now to the treas
ure. All the gay dancers are wonder
ing what has become Of US. Are you
sure you aren't cold? You won't be
angry II there's no treasure DR.. Null
holland is always putting up jokes on
people. think this is one. But I'm
not sure. Indeed. I'm so uncertain
that Pm exciting myself"
They came out Of the outrageous
tunnel into full moonlight, and saw
uCAOEo thLhA SAO" u WdFellh6 us
ing Of the land. a dark house buried
to the waist IN shrubs and creepers:
beyond they could see loop Of the
river, like q great horseshoe of silver.
In their nostrils was a strong smell
of box.
X 4 x r
CARRYING one OF the cars oil
~ lamps. Chiffon led the way into
the house and through 1t. For it had
no doors, and was only she'll Of a
house, kept from falling to pieces by
It's two brick chimneys and the strong
arms OF its empowering vines.
They descended into what had once
been formal garden. But its box
sdsings, unclipped had grown here
and there TO the height Of man. And