Evening star., 1923-03-15


MRS MoagS .ss who d s's ts successfully e"''''''-
BOB MoHUN. SON, is typtcaliy reckless
GE0RGE soqai iYcETT. elderly chorus. philoso'
rhizine as the story develops. r.x
JOHN cHiCHEsTER. whom Mrs. Mohun
would like TO call son-in-law.
e her own dinner was an
" nounced, Alicia Mohun went
down and sat at the taoie
alone. She never expected her
husband until she saw him, so MS
absence was not unusual, and Bob, OF
course, was never to be depenoea
upon. She went through the lot
mxlity of pretending to eat whiie sne
listened for the sound OF Cherry b
y6ce IN the hall, but at last, having
nc annette. she left the table ana
want upstairs, after telling the butter
4tat when Miss Cherry came In she
was to go at once to her mothef
room.
All the JOY of her triumph OF the
arsernoon was gone. She was very
mach disturb ID. for, with the recoi-
,os,iop of Cherry's words and the
manner in which she had said lneliis
AHcia Mohun no longer thought OIL
thS possibility of an accloent.
Cherry was staying from nome vel Well
posely to spend the the etsaihs ssa man a her
msther so much disliked. 1t was IN
credible, and yet what else couiu i,@I
mother believe? Further telepnorrine rnr
revealed nothingLeven sho TO caIIed sng up
With white lie, announcing he'
SaSehter's sudden indisposition.
there was nothing for 1t is,n9 ous 70
wait. so she got into a dress,ns
gown. turned on her table i1snt Rn, she
ccs1d pss1u not concentrate her thoughs,,
npbn the printed page, ana lay lss
az the time, listening tntently, croS
ing a dozen times to the neaS oi vas v
snrrW hurt and a little startled, too,
ate the thought of the possssau,s
lengths to which her oaugniet
friendship with Bruce Co"an mis sha
have gone. for this wouia o,ha1s rso Man Ian
coksummation of her mothei po,
extremely difficult. ~. ,,o h,a
1t was curious, too that sne nr 10
not heard from her huspaha: LOT
wren he did not come nome No te he.
She would have liked to talk with
him tonight about Cherry-ano aooul
Bob. too. For she had heard from
Cherry that Bob was drlnkine mo.e
nsmbsred rather clearly now con-
xeEsations with her husband when
she had deprecated the idea tnat
ANYTHING was wrong with elthef ot
70 admit that perhaps she had been
mistaken, a large concession, indeed
from one of Alicia Mohuns convlc
tions Why didn't Jim come nome.
Never that she could remember IN
recent wears had she so much wanted
Eo talk with him.
Fhe silence of the house oppressed
her, and yet there was nothing 70
dosbut wait. She resented the @ gayeey 1ey
clock which daintily struck the hours
fns ccession--ten. eleven, twelve.
But she had dismissed her maid and
resolutely remained awake with the
determination not to undress or to
Cos to bed until Cherry returned.
Cherry should reckon with her for
thfs The girl must be severely
talked with. disciplined. If necessary.
bys her father. Too much depended
Enchanted with her thoughts
Alicia Mohun dropped of to sleep.
She did not know at what hour she
awoke. but she started ted -nu's uprigSnt, INT
side her. All the lights were ablaze
ana she saw that It was her son.
Bob she =, gasped. How you
frightened me-"
SDid I. Muzzy? Sorry
She was wide awake in a moment,
hee delicate nostrils aware OF his
Bob she gasped again as she
sAw'fiy sorry woke you. Muxz. Saw
ligntsh, came in. Fact is Muzzy, I've
got to have some money"
She was staring at him. but he
passed her and threw himself into a
chair. Bob had always repected the
sa6ctity of her room too much to
show himself before her in this con-
Money, Bob?" she said with a quiet
note OF reprobation.
'foh, s'pose you think Tn drunk:
Alright. Just Ill party, Muzzy. Need
a hundred or so-'vance on lowance."
Bob! You're drunk. Please go out
'!Oh, 1 say. Muzzy. Not fair. say'm
drunk when IN sober. Sobers judge,
hottest. Wouldn't come here thish
room drunk. Now would !. Mu1zy?
Too much respec'. Just need hum
Vesy nice peep. Never 60 with any
body but nicesh peep. Always do
wlnt'n told. Never go with anybody
but nicesh peep"
dismay and disgust. all the faculties
wluch she usually employed in avoid
ing the unpleasant, in eliminating
the disagreeable, at a loss in, this
sitpation which was new to her.
sprawled in her pretty chair. but q
strange young man whom she had
never seen before. 1t was with q
sheck that had in it some of the ele-
ments Of retribution that she awoke
to the fact that she had seen very
little of him lately-never at break
fast. which she took upstairs: never
at luncheon. because she usually took
luncheon elsewhere or else had quests
Ixy Ncf~ .ahx ak
dinner. when he was frequently
mofose or uncommunicative. or when
he acame to beg like this for money.
Bob" she Rasped in a voice that
seemed little like her own, '1eave my
room"
sWhy. Muzzy-"
sI-I have no money to give you.
Coz please"
~why--wh-what have I done?"
asRed the boy. STRENGTHENING little
ATuzzy. No reason to turn gains a
fellow like that"
this conditionS" @ She walked to the
door and pointed outside.
gus q hundred Muzsy. and I'll
He had gotten to his feet and was
already fumbling at the shopping bag
which she kept hanging from the
= swivel Of her cheval glass.
Bob. ] forbid YOU ,.. She s.;ss crSsssd q
from the contact. Don't touch It!
Louder than she had ever raised her
voice before. 1t startled tho boy rs
m,fch as it did herself. for he turned.
ans looked at her in stupid ama's-
Muzzy! You're angry"
.iYou shan't take it. You shan.t,"