Evening star., 1923-04-22

And her eyes were lovely.
DO you know who wrote it?"
Nelson smiled at her-a smile
which, because 1t was defensive, was
almost patronizing. It wrote it my
self"
She looked at him, looked at the
piano, looked back at Nelson and
shook her head. "No-truly. Please
tell me-"
"What?" said Nelson. Don't you
believe me?"
why. Of course not. Not unless
your names Rachmaninoff or Nevin
or KreisleE and II 1t Is ." Her
eyes had little dancing lights in them.
mo, please-I really want to know
who did it,
'Tha's my story" said Nelson, land
I'm going to stick to 1t. Especially
now you've committed yourself"
She gave him the glance OF a child
who has been teased one degrees too
far; hesitated, turned toward the
door.
Well" she said, IT like it-any-
way"
She went out. and Nelson laughed,
absently. under his breath. He
couldn't blame her; for he was said
to be the coldest proposition in Wall
street. his fingers were stiff from
| lack OF practice. and he had written
that particular melody when he was
| eighteen.
| IT was another day before he met
i her formally. He had been sitting
| In the smoking room. reading. when
| some one coughed for his attention.
1t was a tall and bulky and extremely
| handsome young man who was the
| magnetic pole of the boat. and espe-
cially attractive to the fire opal.
Sorry to interrupt your devotions."
| said this young man genially. but
are you on any tug-of-war team yet"
Tug -of-war." said Nelson. "No."
The young man grinned. Then I
guess you're on mine. That's all
right. isn't it?'
Nelson put down his book. ITO tell
the truth. I'm not even sure I can
pull my own weight. So perhaps
you'd better leave me out of it,"
The young man shook his head
| knowingly. You've got a peach Of a
build, and we need you. And, be-
sides. 1 was tipped off you're a kid
der. anyway"
Nelson surveyed him blandly Far
be 1t from me to question your infor-
nation, but I'm curious to know just
where you got It,"
The young man laughed That's
all right. That's your reputation
Don't you want to come around and
| meet some OF our crowd? My name s
| Dexter"
Nelson got up and went.
He met, first, a prim and retiring
| chaperon. then seven boarding school
fappers and half. a dozen young men.
| and finally he found himself shaking
| hands with the fire opal
$50 glad to meet you, Mr.. Rubin
| stein." she said. I've heard your
Melody in F.. so often-on the phono-
graph"
Yesterday he had thought her
charming: today he thought her ador-
able. Il understand you've been libel
ing me-" he said. That's a serious
offense. And I ought to warn you
that. no matter how timid look, I'm
vindictive."
She laughed infectiously And
what else do you do in your spare
timer" she inquired, besides compose
masterpieces"
Nelson had an inspiration. We'll"
he said, II walk. In fact, you might
almost say that walking Is my chief
- yyeL
a demonstration interest you?"
why" she said. uncertainty. IT had
a sort of halfway understanding
with Freddie Dexter. ="
"Tll fight it out with Freddie Dex-
ter If necessary"
Her eyes were provocative. BE
careful. Freddie was on the Harvard
foot ball team Still, sup
pose you're a champion boxer among
other things, aren't you? So ver-
satile.'
You never heard Of Jack Twin
Sullivan, did you? Really?
him. That was when I was in COL
lege"
''Oh, come on, and walk" she said.
You're much more interesting than
Freddie, anyhow. Freddie's so truth
full"
MOST women thought that he was
lNl laughing at them; and. at first,
the fire opal was no exception.
And what else could she think?
She asked him a few questions about
himself-where he lived. what he did.
why he was coming abroad-and in
every response there was the flavor
Of repartee. instead OF straightfor-
wardness. She laughed. obligingly,
but she was more than a little pfqued,
because it seemed to her that Nelson
was discounting himself. He was
good-looking, well poised, metropoli-
tan; and he told her, with appropriate
epigrams. that he hadn't danced for
nineteen years, that he didn't play
bridge, that he couldn't distinguish
between one golf club and another.
He denied that he rode horses, read
novels, went to base ball games or
frequented the opera. He added,
gratuitously. that he didn't crochet,
knit, tat or embroider. either. How
could she know that. although he was
. master OF mon, he was woefully
shy among women? How could she
know that in telling her the truth
he was also trying to cover up the
sore spots in his biography?
Her eyes puzzled him. "of course
you know perfectly WELL" she said. II
don't believe single word you've told
me- And of course you didn't expect
mo to. Good-bye-only next time
won't you please change your act?