Evening star., 1923-11-18

one side with grounds stretching far
| in the opposite direction was
thronged.
1t was just after the luncheon
h ur. Many in the crowd were gay
in attire and spirits, prepared for
sports. Young men and women Were
pairing for tennis, and older men,.
bI onzed and vigorous, would invade
the links. Others moved toward
launches and motor boats. and yachts
swell Of the sea. Motors were parked
in line, awaiting orders.
| Two chairs on the piazza designed
to solace laziness and placed advan-
tageously for observation were oc-
cupfed by two women who apparent
ly had settled to survey, estimate
and comment upon those In view.
These women were of an age that
detaches impulse from activity and
increases the sex's love for gossip
They talked in confidential tones
about the dress. or the appearance, or
| the social position of persons who
passed. with now and then a whis-
pered touch of scandal relating to
/
Gus of this impertinent attention.
A woman who might have been fifty
years of age appeared. She had been
very handsome. and her grooming
which would embarrass casual
guess as to her years. made her still
| attractive. She stepped buoyantly
down to a waiting sport car and was
assisted in by a handsome man of
perhaps thirty, who took the wheel
| His manner was both intimate and
! deferential. Apparently insulted
mentally as to the gaze of others,
the woman smiled fondly upon him as
he took a seat by her side.
THE two women on the piazza had
i watched the episode breathlessly
For the moment they seemed dumb.
Mrs. yelling! Did you see her?"
asked one.
'Is 1t really Mrs. yelling? wasn't
certain. I was wondering" the other
replied.
"Of course il is Mrs. yelling. She
recognized me with her eyes as she
passed"
But she didn't bow"
"She must have sensed my aston
ishment. She was embarrassed"
But she didn't seem embarrassed
Her poise was perfect"
You know what I mean. dear.
She is too we'll balanced. Isn't 1t
wonderful-her appearance? And the
change in her, When last saw her
In town she was in mourning"
| And Wellington has been dead at
least five years."
And she looked actually trump
ish"
II haven't seen her in a year. !
heard she was a recluse, living as
! quietly-alone in that great house
on the avenue in town-as though in
a convent"
Who would have imagined It? She
looks ten years younger. Even her
| figure. And did you note her hair? =?
Wonderful! She must have a Golf
feuse among her servants here"
"She has money enough to buy
youth itself"
you mean her own youth again?"
The speakers laugh was envious.
| almost that, even. And more than
enough to buy youth in another"
| They laughed together, and the
sound was not mellow.
But that may be just what 1t
means! What else-whom else-can
that comparatively young man be?
And isn't he good looking!"
HER companion gossip sat alb
L i stractedly thinking. "His face
is familiar. Wait. And after an
| other moment: II used to know that
| man. I mean I used to see him. He
lived In an apartment near us. Had
| a very handsome wife, who was in
clined to be gay. They didn't seem
to get along together, or to have
much money. He was a superintend-
ent of something downtown-on SAL
ary."
! do you remember the name?"
Stuart"
"Why, saw something last week
| in a newspaper. 1t may not mean
| anything. There are probably many
/ persons named Stuart. This was a
note to the effect that Mr.. Reginald
Stuart had just returned from Reno,
where he had been divorced. I al
| ways devour such news, even when
| don't know the persons"
"Ah! Can there be SO many Stu
arts named Reginald? That was his
name, remember. Maybe he is Mrs
Welling's chauffeur. He may shave
| lost his position while out in Nevada"
/ "But would Mrs. yelling smile on
a chauffeur as she smiled upon him?"
Gwen younger women do that"
They laughed together again graf
| ingly.
1--WE must find out about this"
! The speaker rose and looked down
at her companion silently but sig
nifcantly.
The other rose as though conscious
that they were in collusion as to
something mean.
They went to the hotel desk to-
gether. It Is no longer possible for
! the vulgarly curious to null over a
hotel register in a place OF note. The
| two women set about an inquiry ap-
parently innocent They piled the
clerk with subtle questions. Finally
, he treated them as meddlers, but in
a way that left no room for COM
| plant.
'T know of no Mrs. yelling stop
ping here" he said.
| "Eut we saw her Just a moment
| ago-the lady who drove of in a
| green sport car"
"a green sport car. chr" responded
the clerk, looking hard ut them.
] 'arhat was Mr.. and Mrs. Stuart"
Copyright. 1929