Evening star., 1923-12-02

The music stopped and Marie had
time for good look. The crowd was
clapping for an encore, but Marie
pushed through them, Gus close be-
hind her.
How did you get .here?" she de-
manded bluntly.
Martha turned careiessly.- "Oh,
hello. Marie! Hello, Gus, How jolly
to see you. Isn't the music nice"
GIVE me the next dance" Gus
asked eagerly.
"No, but the one after that"
Martha smiled at him, provocatively.
The music began again and she drift
ed away with Alec.
But where did she get that dress?'
Marie asked Gus piteoeusly. She
she didn't have it yesterday. i don't
believe mother knew she was COM
ing"
"Oh, wake up" remarked Gus cava-
lierly. "Martha's of age. She sure
looks like a queen tonight I always
thought Martha would be good look
ing If she'd only get the piumage.
There's something peppy about her
those eyes Of hers"
Marie grew rigid with anger. Gus
raving about Martha. And Martha
dancing past her debonairly was fur
ther offense.
You're getting on all right" Low
den assured Martha. wait till the
end Of this dance. You'll be the CEN
ter of a raging mob"
II hope So" said Martha. It's fun,
isn't it?"
= kaleidoscope is turned, the rose
and blue and white and maize and
emerald. frocks moved, Intervening,
toward the chairs against the wall or
the long windows that gave on the
veranda. simultaneously the black
coats took a pattern of their own,
largely converging on the point of
fame that was Martha.
1.-The next, Martha. Jaw, look,
Gus, / spoke first" Give me
the two after that" Miss Gle
burne. please, let me make you up a
program" .. Cut tive agreed
there'd be no programs at these
dances. First come, f1rst-''
Martha. And the one after that is
Mr.. Lowden'. I'm not going to
promise more than two ahead" She
rightly gauged the value Of ~uncer-
tainty. Gus carried heron in tri-
umph. Marie sat abandoned and for
lorn. in spite of the peachbloom taf-
feta. Alec dropped down beside her.
Give me the next, won't you?" he
asked good-humoredly.
"All right" agreed Marie drearily.
Then, turning to him, for, after all, he
was like one of the family, she COM
planned: II don't know what to make
Of Martha. And where did she ever
get such a loud dress? And she's
painted-Martha-pa
"The men seem to like it," Lowden
pointed out to her gently. after all,
she's not made up any more than
you. for instance"
but that's different" She was
naive in her self1shness. TMartha's
not-not-" Her slow mind fumbled
for words.
"Come along, the music's starting"
Lowden, said. and Marie rose. She did
not talk while they danced. but kept
looking after Gus and Martha.
Martha came back to Alec, trium-
phant. Gus wants to take me out in
his car tomorrow night" she confided.
He upbraids me for never letting him
know what sort OF girl really am.
What sort of girl am I, Alec, do you
think?"
'Tf you asked the girls here tonight
they'd say you are a designing little
cat. If you asked the men they'd say
Some peach"
And which would you say?"
"Fifty-ffty. Martha--are you flirt-
ing with me-"
"rd fiirt with old Mr.. Pentz tonight.
Me for the primrose path after this.
And by the way, do you want to
dance with me again? If SO. speak
up quick"
"Concstt@ No; I'll resign in favor
Of youth. Give me the last dance
and Til be satisfied"
"The question is-will I be-"
Martha. you are trying to f1irt
with me. Listen, you rapacious in
FAINT. I'll sit on the side lines and
cheer for you. I'll leap in and claim
the dance. How is thatT,
Every noble. Incited, imagine, be-
cause you're getting winded from un-
usual exercise. Alec isn't Marie
one wild woman?" 4
wild Is right"
/. "rve been thinking things out. Last
night / had one idea--well. now I've
two. I'm going to spring the latest
when 1 get home"
A squad of pleading youths swept
her away from him. True to his
promise, he dropped into dim COR
ner and watched her gayety. She was
radiant, illumined-but not for mo-
ment did she lose her head. :
Charm" thought Lowden, observ-
ing her, "is woman's sword and shield
also, sometimes her greatest self
intoxicant. I wonder .A~"
4 X y
LIE drifted back to tho days when
II he, too. had youth and needless
ness and irresponsibility. and pro-
~vfk -