The Washington times., 1924-01-01

warm and constantly manifested
enthusiasm OF HIS friends had
kept his spirits from suffering
any natural reaction. Their de-
mand for his con1panionship was
almost peremptory, and his
thoughts turned to them as he
stood on his balcony looking
down on the waning thongs; the
great stone buildings were hum.
ming like hives, and figures wers
passing busily to and fro behind
the open windows. It astonished
him a little. True, it was his
first play and be was very popu-
lar. But he had q vague uneasy
idea they were OVERRIDING It.
They talked Of nothing else; his
play, his brilliant future. his sure
place in the crack regiment III
he hung on; ana they insisted
that he must also express himself
at least once through the med
ium OF the novel The great New
York novel had yet to be written.
They fairly dinned his gifts into
his ears, until he was almost sick
Of them, and wondered II Mary
were not also. she had seen .
good deal of tho Sophisticatea
lately, and from what she had
let drop he inferred that even
when he had not been present
they had talked Of little else.
They had by no means waited for
his play to be finished ana read
10 a select few. Hogarth and
Scores had assured them long be-
! FORE II was finished that it would
be p great play.
Once or twice there was a rus
ting in the back Of his mind.
They were not given to wild en-
thusiasms Of this sort. They
thought too highly Of themselves.
He realized how genuinely fond
they were OF him, but he had
not hoped for more than critical
appreciation. from the men, at
least. Could 1t be possible. ="
But he was still in the first
flush Of his triumph, his brain
huElmed with pleasant memories
If those hours at Cora Dwight's,
three nights ago. He had cleared
the base Of the pedestal on
whose narrow and unaccommo-
dating top he was soon to have
his foothold, and 1t was not in
human nature, at this stage OF
his progress, to suspect the sin
certify of the adulation so gener-
ously poured at his feet.
And Mary, during this past
fortnight when he had been pres
ent, at least, had seemed to bask
contentedly in reflected glory, and
smiled sympathetically while they
talked of the many Clavering first
nights they would attend in the
sure anticipation of that class Of
entertainment up to which the Lit
tie Theaters and the Theater Guild
were striving to educate the pub
lie. They took it as a matter of
course that he was to abide in
the stimulating atmosphere Of
New York TO- the rest of his
days. And they invariably IN
sisted that Madame Zattiany'
must always sit in a stage box
and be a part OF the entertain
ment. They were too we'll bred
land too astute) to hint at the en-
gagement they were positive ex.
listed, but hoped she would be
willing to add to the prestige of
one who was now as much her
friend as theirs. 1t was a curious
position in which to place a wom-
an like Mary Zattiany, but So
phisticate New York was not dip
lomatic Europe, and he thought
ne saw her smile deepen into
kumor once or twice; no doubt
she was reflecting that she had
lived long enough to take people
as she found them.
The Message
His reverie was interrupted by
buzzing at the end Of his hall
and he went to the door quickly,
wondering who could have sent
him a special delivery letter or :,