Evening star., 1925-11-23

Any Of her boys fumbled dreadfully
when they attempted deft galantres.
Il believe you could look into any
woman's eyes and say L love YOU,
with free conscience and without "A
CULVER" she challenged him.
He laughed softly. You will find
few men, in your new career who will
hesitate with such a VOW" he replied.
And | fancy. you will not he long
learning how TO meet all such ener.
gencies.''
Il shant fear the men," she agreed.
ITS the women. | wonder how l can
bring myself to measure up. You see
l realize that l shall have to learn a
lot of new-well, learn a lot"
I'D give most anything if you
would finish your phrase-a lot of
what?"
Tricks" she confessed, laughing to
him. "I could hold my own with
Georgie-shes been rather a chum,
you know-or with any Of the rest. If
they had anybody I wanted I usually
landed them if l tried, and they had
to start early to get anyone away from
me-but now. well, I'm in for new
competition now
A woman young woman. whose
smooth black hair Clung to a beauti-
fully formed head. woman with
somber black eyes that suggested twin
flowers of might. hoNered close to the
ia hle and paused. An observer would
have thought that she had stopped,
and was about To speak To one or the
other OF the pair at the table. But
she moved on. her slender hand f1ut
tering at her escort G sleeve. Only one
who observed very closely would have
detected the almost imperCeptible sig
nal that Brandon passed TO her with
gesture Of his cigarette. Joanna was
not even conscious OF the little tahleau
OF an instant. Brandon kept her at
tention.
You think. then. that your prob
lens will have 10 do mostly with
what YOU are calling competition from
your own sex? That implies that your
plans, when they've formed, will be
conquest of mem"
Joanna's brow wrinkled. That
sounds as if I'd admitted something
I shouldn't. Won't YOU tell me WHAT"
But you haven't he protested, ear
nestly. What else should there be
for you to plan-but to bring the
moths to your Cradle-fame. Could
there be anything more interesting for
a girl so lovely, and so free from
care?"
Joanna smiled into his eyes, bright:
ly. There really isn't anything else
, to do, is there? For a. while l shall be
just buying things. No one will tell
me Of any thing else to do with the
money. And there are so many things
to buy. I hardly know where to start
in. 1 shall have to find someone, too.
to help me- George has been my
best girl friend. but she's too much
like I am. All she can do Is to squeal.
That's trick she developed until it's
become second nature to her. | i'm
CINE men like you, for example, re.
ouire more efforts on the parts OF
girl than we could think Of behind the
silk counter.
Brandon smiled with her You
mustn't class me as so different from
the rest of your boys, as you call
them. You have succeeded admirably
in captivating me without added W1les.
And YOU can't put me down as plain
fortune-hunter, can you? You see, l.
have a famous banker is dotlns
uncle, and I've heaps of stocks and
bonds and such things. SO you are
not to consider me a s having set
trap for your millions.
"There-thats what | mean Jo-
anna flung at him. Il shall have to
learn how TO meet you and your Kind
when YOU say things like that. Ihe
best sort of talk I've ever had for
man who went right down into deep
water was. Come in out OF the Wet
or something like that. John has been
the only one l could ever allow to talk
seriously to me about-well, about
my ever being married, you know"
Brandon caught the wistfulness in
her voice-the wistfulness that came
into it at every mention of John. His
lips curled again ever so slightly.
You will have to listen to great
many men who will talk of marriage"
he said Il think 1t is better for you
that you had your little smash last
night before you had plunged too far.
John will be waiting when you are
ready to call him-if you really want
him."
deep flush warmed Joanna's face.
Her eyes hardened. Brandon saw, but
he had been deliberate. He met her
eyes coolly. Before she could make
her attack he disarAed her.