Evening star., 1923-10-21

That's queer way to talk to q
bright girl! Didn't my own Aunt
Dasheen. she that was all the family
had till I ran of and took London
for one. tell me that I'd be the grand
est dancer that ever leaped, and
marry the finest gentleman that ever
walked. as big as a giant and black
as devil and handsome as a king ?
And she ought to know surely. what
with reading in tea and clear water
as quick as you and me in the Good
Book. 1t was the wicked. cunning
old thing she was, rest her SOUL
els she dead?"
'She is that" replied Aunt Dash
een's niece cheerfully. ''Or I'd never
be here to tell II. She kept tight
hold of me as IL were a bit of gold,
for all that she sorrowed and sang
how l was more trouble to her than
any monkey from Egypt. II Tim
Murphy and his brothers hadn't been
coming to show the Londoners how
TO juggle glass balls and brought me
along to hold the things, I'd be in the
wee room tending the fire and the
kitten this minute. instead Of stand
ing under a light in silver dress
with my heart In my hands"
81 wish I could thank her." said the
duke.
It's little enough you have to
thank her for" replied his Biddy
blithely. "She was crosser than most
and cooler than any. If she hadn't
seen the bit about me In the tea.
she'd have dropped me straight out
Of the window. But there waJ my
grand gentleman and the rest OF 1t
to give her patience. WED at seven
| teen, dead at" She caught back
the words deftly. death to your
dancing she'd keep saying. You
could thank her for that. maybe-or
perhaps twas because I danced you
me to leave OFF,"
"Biddy, it's true, then-you're only
seventeen" His voice was touched
with a strange pain and wonder.
Hear him, now--only, indeed! I'm
seventeen the day"
'iAnd / past forty-two!"
"Are you no more than that?" she
asked softly. However in all the
world could you get so great and
grand and fine in that little while?'
oh" he cried. 'iDoes laughter take
the sting from all that's ugly? Laugh
again, then; there's worse still.
Heaven help US. darling-I'm a duke"
"Is that all?" she inquired regret
fully. I'D have thought king at
the least. Well, come. there's no
lhelping tits not all OF us get our
deserts in this wicked world"
''Biddy," he begged. Laugh at this.
too, will you? Try. try. dear. before
it hurts us. have three sons. Biddy.
I've been married before"
She put her other hand to her heart
at that, but she kept her lips curved.
ITS small wonder" she said.
why wouldn't you have been? I'm
the shameless one to say 1t. but IL
I'd been ten girls instead Of one, it's
ten times you'd have been married"
X
IHE put his arms about her then.
l. l. and something broke in his
Iheart-something cold and hard and
bitter. He wanted to tell her that,
but he could find no words. But the
small shining creature in his arms
had words enough for two.
Were you thinking of wedding
lagain. maybe?"
"Oh, Biddy." he cried. let's hurry"
"If you're asking me-" she said, "Td
say we were hurrying fast and free.
1 can hear the air whistlin' in my
ears I can that. Was she a fine lady.
darling?"
"Who?" he asked-and remembered
land forgot her for all time. ''Oh.
she was a very fine lady, and good.
and gentle, too. She died long ago"
Did she, poor thing?" whispered
the future Duchess Of Bolingham
softly, the cloud in the blue. blue eyes
gone forever. And me no good at
all. 1 wonder at you! Are they little
young things, your sons?"
THE smallest's big enough to put
you in his pocket" he said. 'Biddy
let's hurry. know an archbishop
that we could have fix It tonight
know two, If 1t comes to that"
We'll, you could know six, and
'twould be all the good It would do
YOU" commented his Biddy serenely.
Il know one old priest and his
names Father Leary, and twill be a
bitter grief to him, but he may do it,
since he's one OF the saints them
SELVES anu AOiN Va q Ddu . IL IL
Archbishop, indeed"
Lets And him, then, and tell him.
Ill-'
We'll not, then. He's a poor old
man that needs his sleep. See the
stars, darlin': they're the cool little
things. We must do nothing in haste.
except leave this door. maybe. Where
ever can we go?"
I'VE can go and get married" said
the Duke of Bolingham. "I'll GET
You might get a hansom-'
Biddy danced in rapture on the tips
of her toes. ''You might get that one
there, and we could ride a hundred
miles or so. and watch how cool the
stars are. I never was long enough
in one In my life to get over feeling
sad that soon It would stop. Would
you get one-would your"
The duke raised his hand to the
hanson, and 1t crawled toward them
obviously. The small dancing crea-
ture on the pavement looked frankly
A11.D vt