The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1924-12-21
FIVE

suit, which was extremely becoming, and a
dark blue straw hat with a wreath of corn
flowers on it. Then she could not resist
dainty white blouse with lace about the neck
and pair of long white gloves like those
she had seen Miss Warren wear.
In the morning she had wanted to go back
to where she had left off. She had been
tired of spinning. Now she wanted to go
on.
As she dressed she was not worrying her
brain any more as to why she was being
shown so much attention, and all of the UNI
pleasant memories of that last strange day
were fading. The picture that smiled back
at her from the mirror was quite unlike that
she was accustomed to see down in Merry
vile, and as a final touch to her dress she
took from box in her trunk the miniature
of her little French grandmother and pinned
it in the lace at her throat
A messenger told her that a gentleman
was waiting in the parlor, and she went
down with a singing in her heart and the
expectation of seeing Carter Raines. She
showed childish surprise not unmiXed with
pleasure when she found herself smiling into
the eyes of the professor, who was apologlz-
ing and explaining and begging her not to
think him presumptuous. He was saying
that he had come in the place of Miss War
rem, and that he hoped she would be good
enough to waive ceremony and go with him
to dinner. There were some things he want
ed to explain to her-some things she did
not understand.
$50 you will go?" he said, searching the
sweet face under the cornflowers.
IF you wish me to- she said simply and
softly. Eyes"
street. They talked naturally and gayly of
the matinee and of a number of things.
Half an hour later they were looking across
a little table at each other, not in the Wal
dorf-Astoria, but in delightful little cafe
down town where there were not great
"Do you like it?'' he said. "It isn't the
Waldorf Astoria" and he leaned back and
laughed.
"I'm glad it isn't" she fastened to say.
"The glittering splendor of it tires my
spirit and my senses and my nerves. / did
not know that l was going there-I was
really there before | knew il"
81 was never so puzzled in my life" he
sad "to walk into the Waldorf Astoria like
that and to have Carter Raines, the office
him. And you-there was another mystery.
What were you doing there? 1 couldn't
place you, couldn't figure out how you got
into the play. Then they told me you were
from my dear Louisiana, and | knew when
looked at you that you were not feeling
just right about it all. l felt that somehow
you needed me-that you were not being
treated exactly fairly and though l did not
want to stay, could not 60 after you asked
me to stay. Since things have turned out
as they nave L am certainty glao ola
stay
Amelie was relieved that there was no
confusion and uncertainty and delay about
giving the order as there, had been on the
previous evening, bat while the professor
was consulting her helpfully and giving in
structions to the waiter she had time to
think. She was a little embarrassed and
afraid. What was it he had to tell her, to
explain?
"The whole thing is evidently chain Of
unusual circumstances linked together in a
strange, almost an unaccountable way" he
said musingly. "Of course, l am greatly
perplexed myself about some of these events
and how they managed to relate themselves
to each other"
"Well, you aren't half as perplexed as I
am" she said, and he saw troubled look
come over her face. II seem to have
plunged into mystery which does not con-
Germ me and in which l am not interested.
Please tell me how to get out" She
stretched her hands out toward him plead
ingly in pretty, Frenchy little gesture,
and the plaintiveness in her voice and the
half-laughing appeal in her lovely face
softened and delighted him.
after Miss Warren showed me this car
bon copy of your talk in the office" and he
took the sheets from his pocket, spread
them out so that she, too, could see, and
glanced hastily over them. II halfway
guessed the truth"