The Birmingham age-herald., 1923-04-15
MT Cray Fails to Play Role
By E. Phillips Oppenheim

the boys here. We had one or two to- gether. Sit down, gentlemen" MT. Cray continued, without waiting for any reply.
 My daughters chair, that but we'll get another when she arrives"
 q remember perfectly,"t Mr. Sinclair Smith acknowledged, shaking hands. "Per init me to introduce my friend, the Hon. Charles Frinton, Mr.-er-dear me, l had your name on the tip of my tongue just now"
 "Cray," was the prompt response "Jo- oseph B. Cray"
 You were on the water wagon, as l be- leve your countrymen call it, all during the war;" Sinclair Smith inquired.
 Mr. Cray was the epitone of stout and pontented virtue.
 Not drop passed my lips all the time I wore Uncle Sam's uniform, he declared.
 Mr. Sinclair Smith summoned waiter.
 "An appreciative Englishman," he de- clared,. lis going to offer you as much as you can drink of the best Scotch in Lon den.'
 As much as MT. Cray could drink was a pretty tall order, as MT. Sinclair Smith was presently to discover. The acquant- ance, however, proceeded by leaps and bounds, and when Sara presently returned, she found her father in his element. He rose to his feet with expansive pride.
 "Gentlemen, he said, "Fd have you shake hands with my daughter, Lady Sitting bourne-Mr. Sinclair Smith-the Hon. Charles Frinton."
 The little ceremony was pleasantly per formed MT. Frinton, as became his posi- 4ba
 "Any relation to Sir George Sittingbourne in the Blues?'
 My husband" Sara explained. "He was wounded you know and became military A. D. c. at Washington. He's over there now"
 Secure in his temporary absence, Frinton magnified his slight acquaintance with Sara's husband into an intimate friendship The little party soon became on the best of terms. Long after Sara's retirement for the night, they finished the evening in MT. Crays sitting room. When they parted, even the hard Frnton, and Sinclair Smith, past master in the art of avoiding drink, were incapable.
 See you morrow, old sport" Mr Erin ton declared, standing on one leg and bal ancing himself against the door as he shook hands with their host.
 We will meet here at 1 o'clock" MT. Sinclair said in one breath
 MT. Cray watched them on their tortuous way toward the lift, waved his hand in farewell and returned to his easy chair.
 Smart chaps, very, and good company" he ruminated; "but they take their liquor poorly for Englishmen."
 Luncheon that next day was gay and festive meal Sara was amiable and bril- liant. She spoke of the stock market with bated breath of an ignoramus, and was per fectly prepared to accept her two hosts as prototypes of it's genius. Once or twice the thought of what George would say if he were to see her in such company troubled her slightly but on the whole she reflected that he belonged to different side of her life, and she was really only indulging for a very brief period that unquenche6 love of adventure in which she had reveled during her younger days.
 'I wish Dad would do something in the city while he's over here," she observed with little sigh. '"Why don't you, Dad? You know you frequently indulge in what you call flyer in Wall street when you're home"
 'It's not so easy to get on to anything worth taking an interest in, on this side," he remarked. Besides, don't understand the English stock market
 The moment appeared to have arrived for which Mr. Sinclair Smith and the Hon. Charles Frinton had been marking time.
 Do you think your father would really like little flyer, Lady Sittingbourne?" MT.