Evening star., 1923-12-30

agreed. land to such a beob He is
| interesting, though"
| How can a married man be inter-
esting" Laurian, demanded, indig-
nahtiy.
Father" Patty answered her sister,
obliquely. I want to ask you one
question. And don't spare me. Is II
silly as Laurian?"
| 1T always makes me Wild" Lau-
rian went sfnoothls on, "for mar
ried man to ask me to dance. It's
Just dance wasted. It."
But I'm very impartial. father
| Patty went on. talking through Lau-
rian's treble, 'I've tried every kind;
bachelors. husbands, widowers. If
they're married. they're misunder-
| stood and IL they're single there's
nothing TO understand about them.
''I tell you whom I'm perfectly mad
| over" Laurian Interrupted. .It's Arr
thur Raeburn!'
arthur Raeburn" Patty exciaim-
| ed. Arthur Raeburn."
Had she been boxer, you woufd
have said that the look she turned
on Laufan was her fighting face
| so black was the flood that colored
1t. so violent her thick scowl. "Where
| did you meet Arthur Raeburn?" she
demanded, peremptorily.
| 81 haven't met him yet--but I'm
dying to. Ali the gifts are. He's got
the most wonderful eyes-grey with
long black lashes and they have the
4 tx,za -
naughty and commanding and con.
temptuous and yet kind of inscrut-
able, too. He's been taking care Of
Joyce saterlee's measles. Joyse says
he commands her SO, it's just too
thrilling for words. Daisy Cady and
| Milly Darlington drive to the post.
office an hour and a. half late every
day SOS they can meet him. making
his morning call on Joyce
You are not to meet Arthur Rae
burn. Laurian,' Patty ordered, crisp
ly, cor II you find 1t unavoidable, you
are not to invite him to the house."
81 don't see why" Laurian was
beginning Indignantly, when "Be-
cause 1 say So" Patty came down
| crushingly on her. t.I have never
! liked Arthur Raeburn." Patty con-
tinued, I'll hate him. 1 despise
l him.
81 don't see why you should de-
spise him, Patty" her father inter-
fered gently. Hes a splendid sur
geon. HIS record in the war proves
that. And that hospital he's estab-
fishing in North Belaize is going to
be a wonder. He'll be a matrimonial
4 hn a
you're bound to meet him a lot
! socially"
81 despise him because he was a
sissy" Patty went on relentlessly,
that strange darkness still on her
brow, that strange sternness still on
her lips.
WELL" Laurian said, my letters
done. How 1 hate to write bread
and-butter letter!" She arose and
moved toward the door. ."Then. I
hope 1 meet Arthur Raeburn in
other peoples houses" she flung a
vast defiance over her shoulder, as
she fed through the hall. I'm
simply crasy about him."
| 4
pETwEEN Patty and Judge Dade
! ensued a tiny interval Of silence.
Then his voice lowered little. '1t
wasn't Monty vielle, was 1t. Patty?"
her father asked. l
| mo! OF course that's what every
body thinks. And I'll admit that
! when we got the news Of Monty's
! death-hew long ago that seems!
The day after the armistice, wasn't
| :t?-I was young enough not to mind
I saapnipp n hn hraE n
or course, did feel rotten Poor
old Monty! :. He was the handsom-
! est thing In his aviator Uniform that
I ever saw in my life. !. No, father.
I really suppose I've never been IN
love-that is to Say honest and truly
blackly -and .bluely knock me down.
and-cut- -rfie-in-twoiy in love in all
my life"
''Then why do you fiirt--'
"Oh. just love of conquest" his
daughter interrupted. "and because
I've nothing else to do-sometime to
discipline them-and sometimes to
show fresh young fappers--or proud
newly engaged girls--or fatuous,
oyerconfident brides where they get
! off, and to keep my hand in---and to
prove to myself that L haven't lost
my knack-Sand to show knockers and
crepe-hangers that am still doing
it--oh, a lot of high spiritual motives
like that"
''wretched girl! You need Petru-
chiop'
"Petruchio! Don't you know old
dear. I'd have q Petruchfo tanned In
two minutes?"
Her father gazed at her.
! Don't underestimate Raeburn-----"
There came second thunderous
darkening OF Patty's face. But she
curbed all expression OF that sinister
emotion: what are you 80 anxious
ito get rid OF me fort" she demanded,
lightly. You'll lose out by II, you
know. Haven't always treated you
with the most improper respect
Laurian won't indulge you the way /
] do. You know perfectly well what
she'll give you to eat; all the things
she likes--nessy, sweet fruit salads
| and sherbets with nasty nuts on 1t
and cake that's all icing. Do you
i expect she'll ever feed you liver on
the sly--arid trips-and boiled dinner
and spareribs and lowbrow truck
like that7"
,'If only she doesn't cook It her.
SELF" Judge Dade observed, griuily,
Il may manage to surviv4.S