Evening star., 1923-03-24
BY GEORGE GIBBS
lTlEEINEEaHFEla9IlEIElN IElNIlIENENENNl9IILIERN
Copyright. 1872, D. Appls.e, 4 Go.

ual occupant perhaps OF chair en-
dowed somewhere by a contrite and
| illiterate millionaire who believed
ethnology to be, perhaps. some sort
of pietistic panacea which would aid
the cause of his own redemption.
David Sangree took off his coat and
hat and slowly prepared himself for
the hour of relaxation beside the
evening lamp. He was still in his
own bachelor apartment. the lease
of which did not expire until the
following summer when. as he we'll
foresaw. he would be obliged to move
into one room somewhere further up
town in accordance with the exigen-
cies of his reduced income. Having
| made himself comfortable, he sat fill
ing his pipe deliberately. and then,
putting solemnly, gaZed at the Whist
Ter etchingS on the wall in the OBJ
security beyond the cone of illumi
nation. 1t was very reStful here in
this sanctuary, conducive tonight TO
reverie rather than to reconnoitering
along the backgrounds Of cotem-
porary investigation. Little the
dreamer by nature, he found himself
engaged In retrospect of his few
months of pilgrimage into the golden
age OF youth which the remarkable
| Cherry Mohun had renewed. 1t was
| by contrast to this period of his re-
CrudeSccnce that the years before
him seemed suddenly to have grown
have mattered nearly so much If he
had lost his money before he had
learner to appreciate its value in a
orld which had recently attained
for him certain novel and rather
pleasing attributes. He had never been
definitely aware Of the potentialities
of his inheritance until the present
moment when he had lost II. Money in
itself had never meant anything TO
Sangree except as Il means by which
: O q
; plished. His needs were simple, his
/ habits frugal. And eliminating his
! long cherished plans for the future,
/ he would find ii quite easy to get
along on the small salary from his
new post and the thousand or SO a
: year which rema ined OF his lost for
/ tune.
| But he was not content. He would
| have liked 10 help Cherry in her
/ trouble: at least he would have liked
! to be able TO offer help. 1t would
) have made him very happy to place
! himself and his money at her dis
! posal. Even at this moment he was
not convinced that such an oHer or
! assistance was Il necessary conconit-
! ant Of an offer of marriage. He
would as soon have thought Of pro-
| posing totheFallS OF Niagara as to
! Cherry. And the warnings which she
/ had given him. c"uched in the jargon
! OF good-fellowShip had been enough
| 10 place him rigidly on his guard
| against the display of any but the
| most platoniC of expressions OF good
| will
! t:heu, This kind Of thinking wasn't
| leading anywhere. except into mazes
| of hopeless mental discomfort. 1t
/ wouldn't do AT all. What drtveling
! idiocy fellow could get into II he
! let his fancieS run away with him
| unpleasant than any other ii was
the mtddle-aged sentimentalist'
! Ssugree reached toward his library
! table and took down a book with a
| paper jacket in gay colors. the latest
| mystery and adventure story, \ type
! OF literature. if il may he so called,
! designed particularly for the men
! tally jaded wise and the worldly
! jaded foolish. \ book 0! this sort
| was always to be found on David
expressed himself TO Cherry in an
| execrable pun, 'if not the attic salt,
at least the pepper of the best
! cellars The volume was called The
/ Purple Cabriolet. and in moment,
! with a freshly filled pipe, he was
! lost in its intricacies.
A light tap at the door. This was
! unusual. and he stared for moment
blaI KY. He expected no visitors in
; his rooms. for the building, dedicated
/ entirely to bachelors or to those who
/ pt. ssed as such. housed few acquaint-
! ances Of his. and he could think OF no
one who would seek him out at this
| hour. The knock was repeated less
! timidly. so Sangree rose impatiently
and opened the door just far enough
! to enable him to peer into the dim
mer shades outside. He was inhos-
! pitable perhaps, but prudent, for
! his costume consisted Of nothing
more elaborate than pajamas. dress
| ing gown and carpet slippers.
That his prudence was justified
| was Immediately made manifest. for
| the figure outside the door was
/ feminine in contour and presently
/ emitted tense sibilant sounds.
! 'RameseS." if said sis that y"u"''
Sangree stariIcd back almost clos
ing he door in his diemaT.
Cherry Good Lord. What are
! YOU doing here" he gaspcd.
! standing in a chilly entry. Aren' t
! you going 10 let me in""
"Oh-of course. That is-oh. say.
| Cherry. can YOU wait minute
"Ive already waited several.
! Therell he a scandal in high life If
you don't do something.
| "Oh, yes, OF course. But I'm IN
dressing gown and-er-pajamas."
'T don't mind-if you don't, she
| insisted. 1--WE got to see you"
"Oh. all right II you think it's
quite prudent. Just give mo time
| to slip into the next room and then
come in. Or il you like I'll join you
| on the street IN jiffy."
mo, no." cried the voice in an
agonized whisper. Some one is COM
{ ing. Hurry please"