Evening star., 1923-03-01

tho hour that Of the approach to the
nineteenth hole, in which the elect
conspired by devious ways to defeat
the aspirations Of the eighteenth
amendment.
II the girls Of the party were not
all strictly beautiful. nature had en-
lowed them graciously enough, and
what nature had neglected art had
supplied and was even at the very
moment In the act Of supplying, for
vanity case and mirror were constant
ly in evidence. Pouting lips were
Being tinted daintily and small noses
dabbed from time to time with tiny
white objects which emerged and dis
appeared into mysterious recesses OF
S3ilken sweaters or silk waists These
were merely feminine gestures and
meant nothing more depraved than
an intense Vitality. seeking express
said. II am lovely. But if 1 am not
lovely enough, behold! Let me please
you more" Careless gestures If YOU
like but at once a challenge and
other sex who amusedly watched the
proceeding.
TWO men sat at table nearby.
Just finishing an atrocfous mixture
OF sarsapariila and lime juice. The
older man, with more hunor than
ielicacy. had averred that 1t tasted
like tho old family toothbrush" But
the afternoon had been warm and
-heir thirst had been impelling, SO
that George Lycett composed himseir
70 q cigar. his blithe optimism tri-
umphant over his enforced absten-
tion. Lycett was of the banker type
bald, affable and highly colored, or
the age which young people cali old
and old people call young.
To set tho age of his younger COM
oanion is q more difficult matter, for.
though certainly under thirty, his tor.
toise-shell spectacles gave Dr.. Davlo
~f
which went strangely with his boy
ish smile. His eager eyes were at
present scanning the party OF young
people, which he found both colorfui
and informing. Neither of these men
spoke. Indeed. had they been In the
mood for conversation the riot OF
laughter at the adjoining table would
have made thought impossible.
The center of interest in the merry
group was young girl in crimson
sweater. She was fine creature, too
gorgeous to be called pretty and TOO
alluring to be called handsome. She
was tall and we'll made. but the hne
proportions of her youthful figure
we're somewhat marred by the slouch-
ing position In which she held her
body.
Her hair was a ruddy brown, bobbed
well below the ears, over which her
broad -brimmed hat sat at a rakish
angle almost concealfng one eye. But
her omniscience seemed to have lost
nothing by this handicap. for, II Argus
boasted Of a. hundred eyes. Cherry
Mohun looked a hundred ways with
one eye and a half. Like her sisters,
she was daintily tinted, but her nose
was just a trif1e straighter, her lips
more delicately chiseled, her laughter
more pleasing. David Sangree caught
the blue flash of her eye for a second
IN one of her Argus glances which
passed on to the young man by her
aide, whose entire happiness, It SEEM
ed was hanging on her smile. And,
as the visitor still looked, the girl
crossed her knees, carelessly. reveal
,ngs were rolled down, Boy Scout
fashion, from her knees.
Sangree stared, while Cherry Monun
tapped her cigarette on the back OF
her hand and lighted It carelessly
from the match her companion held
for her.
1T seems" said DR.. sangree. 'that
some water has gone under the
bridge since was last in America"
Lycett smiled. "Quite 20. Much
water. And it's not even the same
bridge. You remind me. somehow.
Sangree. Of Macaulay's New Zealand
er gazing on the ruins Of London"
George Lycett was satisfied with
the aptness Of his figure of speech.
AoI DdSAu GohSiC hdo Dcch ouL VI
America for nearly six years and
was, to all intents and purposes. the
visitor from Mars.
The younger mans gaze was still
turned toward the young person who
had attracted his attention.
Rather splendid ruins. Mr.. Lycett."
he said with a laugh. 'Who Is she?
I mean" he added. "the one with the
crimson sweater and the big hat"
"Oh, that's Cherry Mohun." said
Iycett. daughter Of Jim Mohun."
"oh. you don't mean the Mohun
Precisely. Jim Mohun's daughter"
"H-m. Debutante2"
typical. I should say. and quite up
70 the minute" replied Sangree dryly.
you mean the cigarette-the i'm
modesty-"
"I didn't wish to infer"
my dear David, when every ones
!mmodest, no ones immodest. Modesty
was an early Victorian convention
which exaggerated the importance Of
the unrevealed. When the hidden is
put In evidence It ceases to be inter-
esting. Hence calves Of legs instead
Of pantalets; hence the breast, in
stead Of the cuirass Of steel and bone
sometimes known as the corset"
David Sangree mused as he listened
to fragments OF speech from tho ad-
Joining table. 1T doesn't seem a.
though their conversation canae In
pantalets either" he said.
And yet you can't help admiring
IT'S frankness."