Evening star., 1924-10-12

=. OTTO BROWN. leaned for
a n ward on the dir2n and per-
fSj mitted a bellboy to hold q
i match to his cigarette. Then.
dropping a quarter into the
beIlboy's ready hand, he settled back
with the sigh of a gentleman, who
has just enjoyed an excellent din
ner, and blew puff of smoke cell
ingward. a moment later another
bellboy FASTENED toward him.
Chicago evening papers. Mr..
Brown"
Thank you," nodded the young
man, not too languidly, and dropped
a quarter into this bellboy'S hand.
If there was one thing Mr.. Brown
like it was Service--and at French
Springs the entire staff Of the Co
roma Hotel seemed to make a heroic
effort to give it to him.
It must be admitted that Mr.. Brown
rs he lounged on the great diyan, in
tent upon the Chicago evening papers.
presented a somewhat pleasing ap-
pearauce. There was no guest at
French Springs who looked SO exceed
ingly well in a dinner coat, and his
sleek black hair and regular fea-
lures caused many a lady passing in
the lobby to look upon him admir-
ingly
Had one of these by chance peered
over his shoulder, she would have
seen that the young mans gray eyes
were scanning only the society"
columns of the sheaf of newspapers
on his knee. AS he opened each in
turn he turned at once to the chron-
1cled doing of Chicago society. And
vnen he had finished the last of
them, bland expression. something
akin TO satisfaction, might have been
observed to settle over his counte-
nance. With a careless lift Of the
eyebrows he summoned another bell
boy, dropped quarter into his prac-
ticed hand, and allowed him to carry
away the armful of crumpied papers.
Then Mr.. Brown bestowed his at
tention on the passing groups of
guests. Most Of these were known
II him, and not infreQuently was he
the recipient of a sweet smile from
some overdressed mama with a mar
riageable daughter, or some lam
gushing lady who had been married
too long to the same husband. And
{" each the young man bowed. with
a smile that was uniformity imper-
sonal. He seemed to be looking for
some one.
Behind a clump Of palms Of the
grand staircase, Mrs. Bumble, wife of
the Indianapolis bean king. paused
and clutched the arm of her daugh-
ter. Annabelle.
There's dance tonight isn't
there?" quered Mrs. Bundle. who
was a large woman with henna-ed
hair and fat. powdered arms.
'Th-huh." Annabelle. the f1apper,
nodded
Why don't you ask Mr.. Brown If
he doesn't want to go with us?'
''oh. now, Mamma
Listen. Everybody says he's a
catch. You know what your fathers
theory is: when you want thing
go get it,
But. Momma, you can see your
self that he's crazy about Gloria
Lee"
See here. when he finds out who
We are in Indianapolis perhaps he'll
change his mind
But she has money, too. She's
supposed to be the wealthiest girl in
Virginia"
Who said so?" demanded Mrs.
Eumble militantly. "A lot of hotel
r"ssips. l just wish 1 knew some
body in Richmond"
T. said Annabelle. like Gloria
Lee. ] think she's very beautiful"
"Humph.' snorted her mother.
At that very moment the object of
Mrs. BUNDLES concern was reading a
not. which had just come down to
him from Miss Lees room. will you
meet me-" said the fashionable
scrawl in the note. "out under the
Trees at o'clock &C. L."
With smile, young Mr. Brown
FOLDED the note and carefully tucked
1t away in pocket of his dinner
jacket. Then he glanced at his watch
It lacked 20 minutes of o'clock
Picking his cigarette into a conven-
lent ash receiver, he rose, sauntered
leisurely across the lobby and made
Il graceful exit. Numerous feminine
eyes followed him, and blond young
man, sitting alone in a corner be-
hind some palms, Elared after him
jealousy.
The night was warm with the soft,
fragrant air of late April. Over the
scragGly top of an elm tree the thin
rim of new moon hung poised, and
TO the young man pacing the dewy
lawn and glancing from time to time