Evening star., 1924-02-10

lntO the dIIIlS VI Il SuTpEiSSN
halI-boy, who had stepped out CT the
apartment house to have r loek Al
the weather. The young man
stumbled for two very good reasons
firstly. he was incuinbered with suit
case, a violin case, and half open
Umbrella; secondly, he was short
sighted. and his glasses, filmed witt
mist, betrayed him at the curb.
lis this number one hundred and
twenty" he asked the hal!-boy, who
assured him that 1t was.
Upon this he paid the taxicab and
rolinquished the suit case and the
umbrella to the hall-boy. but clung tc
the violin.
'I am Mr.. stickney." he said ab-
ruptIy to the pompous doorman. ''My
sister lives here, I Think
YES. sir; sure She does. Second
floor, William"
Arrived at the second floor. william
nung open the door of the car. lifted
out tho suit case and offered the UNI.
orella, which AR Stickney seized
awkwardIy in a hand now incum-
bered with a key attached to a large
glasses. he tried. stu grasping the
umbrella, to insert the key ia the
lock close at his right hand, but the
lock appeared to have no connection
with it, and his embarrassment made
poor Job Of it.
Want me to try?" William sug-
gested, but Mr.. Stickney shook his
head obstinately.
TITS not that door," he asked in
his abrupt, doubtful way, wagging
his head at the door to his left.
tits this door all right-those
keys is the limit. Why'n't you put
down your umbrella?' William coun-
seled
ITS my giasses-coming in from
the rainbow ridiculous."
But Mr.. Stickney was determined
and pushed away angrily at the
crooked little slit.
'Why'n't You ring? hear the
pianner." William offered.
For heavens sake" Mr. Stickney
7nuttered irritably, flushing crimson.
1erked out the key. and pushed the
electric button. The piano. which,
sciousiy following for some few sec
onds, ceased, and quick steps were
heard in the apartment. The door
began to open.
I'guess you're all right now," said
William and slammed himself into
his elevator. The door of the apart
ment opened u little: then little
wider. 4 womanS head appeared in
the opening.
who is it," said a woman's voice,
low and a little husky.
Hello. Mary"' It's mer Mr.
Stickney replied. humping through
the opening with his violin case and
ducking his head forward with the
abrupt gesture of the shortsighted.
But the door held firmly against
him and his violin; the head escaped
his salute.
"afarys not here. Who are your
the husky voice demanded briefly
He blushed again.
"Oh, good heavens, I'm sorry-I'm
Will. her brother. Where is she?"
he blurted nervously. Didn't she ex-
pect me? She wrote for me to come
tonight. I've got the letter here"
He fumbled in his right-hand
pocket, dropped the umbrella with q
ciatter, lost his hold Of the violin.
Look out for the fiddle! Here,
give 1t to me! Gosh. but isn't that
Mary for you! Oh, never mind the
letter! I suppose you'd better come
in." said the husky voice disgustedly.
I've got It, all right. Take the suit
case. won't you?"
He picked up the suit case. STUN
bled over 1t, hit his head against some
object and knocked off his glasses.
They crashed splinteringly ON the
marble floor behind him.
"There!' he cried despairingly,
now they're gone too" and groped
hts way into the room.
IT was all 81 blur to him, even when
the girl turned on the lights and
sA0tioned him to a seat on the large
davenport In ,-ont of the fireplace.
The big Steinway Aunt Mary had
given them stood out in the corner,
and tho gate-legged table smacked
OF home; but he remembered nothing
olse. The girl in front of him was a
dark creature with bobbed hair and
broad shoulders. She wore an odd.
square kind of shirt, all bright red
and blue, over a short, scant skirt,
like a child's. In her hand was a
long black cigarette holder, from
tho end Of which a long cigar
cite sent up slow spirais of smoke.
He was instantly dispieased What
girl for Mary's friend! Mary was
was 1t thirty, now?
and OF course she could choose her
own acquaintances; but she had not
been used to choose such as this.
''Will Mary be-"
Don't ask me-" the dark girl in
terrupted rudely. 'How should I
know anything about Mary? / didn't
EVEN know she had brother!"
well, she has," he answered
tt,flY. He felt at q great disadvan-
tage without his glasses, and his
third and last ones were packed In
the middle Of the suit case. Slender.
blond, and obstinate, he gave the i'm.
preston Of blunt mastery Of events
which was in reality far from his
feelings; like many. perhaps most.
abrupt people. ne was very shy.
$50 it seems" the girl retorted with
a short laugh. "Tou say she knew
you were c2mlng?"
"She asked me to. come; there'd be
nobody here, she said. but she'd be
back"
"Mary's the limit" the girl inter-
rupted again; "she asked me too! OF
course that's what makes me sore. II
the burglars want to burgle. you
know, they -r1ll. whether I'm here or
not. At least, that's the way I look