Evening star., 1926-04-25
NO LUCK RICHARD rasz,,n, sz CHILD
Really Out o. Luck Couldn't He Recognize 1t?

"Heaven bless YOU" Baron eX
claimed. There's no one like you er
the whole world! Who ever wouic
have thought Of that way to choose q
| lodging for the night?'
THEY were coming into Baltimore
Every one knows the railroad ap
proach to Baltimore. Street after
street and block after block and house
after house. They look alike-brick
with white stone trimmings and steps
bits of grass plot. The glow of the
late, mild afternoon covered the city
with an aura of romance.
/ "Gadr' exclaimed Appleby. ut is
good to be young. How about that
Mona Lisa?'
There was something SO helpless
| and dependent about her. She fol
lowed him as he carried the two bags
| from the station to a taxi, and did not
even look up when he gave the rooms
| torrent advertisement to the driver
and said, That's the place" Baron's S
| heart throbbed at her faith in him.
When after a long bouncing ride
| they came to a stop. the driver con
| suited the advertisement again and
| pointed with his thumb TO one of the
uniform flights of three white steps
which graced the entrances of these
| houses.
The narrow ground-glass door of the
! little house in the middle of the block
was opened in answer to the push
button ring by a girl of 20. Baron
remembered little of his first impress
sion of her. except that she was small
Lpk a.
tracted by her eyes, which were a deer
blue and full of a marked frankness
and simplicity
Il saw your advertisement" he said
| ''Rooms-a room for
| Olga plucked his elbow as if she
thought 1t not quite good taste tC
give her name.
"A room-for-my friend" he said
and nodded toward the Countess.
"Oh, I'm afraid began the
| other in a voice noticeably pleasant
| and tinged with the suggestion of vel
bred Southerners.
It's quite all right" Baron has
tened to say. II am not looking fol
accommodations for myself"
But that isn't it," the girl ex
| planned. It's because l am all alone
| here. l hardly know how to tell you
| you standing there"
She showed the way into tiny par
lor almost painfully clean. But Baror
could see that humble as it was it haG
the flavor Of a family Of quality. A
steel engraving of a Confederate Off
GER. with his hand thrust under one
| edge of his greatcoat overlooked the
room from above the black-marble
clock on the mantel and filled the
place with his noble. calm stare
| There were haircloth rocking chairs
and q colonial sofa with tides anG
| the faint aroma of lavender.
II am Miss Alice Featherday," sale
the girl.
And my name is Appleby," he re
piled, bowling. And this is the
Countess Abelardi. She wanted to be
quiet: she does not care for hotels. ;
"Oh" said Miss Featherday. smil
/ ing. and then suddenly the look Of
doubt came back into her face.
You see l live with my grand
mother--my mothers mother" she ex
| planned. I'VE just moved here from
| the South. We are rather poor ant
suggested that advertisement be
cause we never use the front room
| just above this and it's really a pretty
room. But yesterday, Jennie-Jennie'.
our maid. we brought up from Vir
| ginia last Fall-began to have dizzy
spells and all we could do would moi
persuade her from going back to Win
| chester to her folks and, of course
grandmother had to go with her. Sc
you see.''
"Certainlee," said Olga. What a
pity! But nevertheless, what can
do? Here iss my luggage. Ze tax
have gone. lis gentleman have beer
vera-vera kind. Maybe-you, too
will be SO kind"
Miss Featherday bit her lip. why
I really know so little about 1t. We
never rented a room before. If my
grandmother were here, she would
know"
For a moment the Southern girl
looked at the Russian, still hesitan,.
still feeling some question about this
brilliant European product. She look
ed at her as a modest song bird might
regard a bird of paradise.
We'll, then" she said at last. Il
will show you the room. And IL you
want it by the day you can fix the
price yourself" She laughed. Il
reckon I'm not much of a business
woman"
The room, like the parlor below, was
as neat as a pin. Miss Featherday
however, was embarrassed. She said
''I'll just go downstairs and let you
talk about it with-with MIR. Appleby
Perhaps you will not like it,"
"Oh, eet iss lovely" protested Olga
but when she was alone with Baron
she shrugged her shoulders.
II will stay here, my friend" she
said to him. 81 will wait here for
you. eh?"
"Wait?"
Eyes, you-have l not tell you-you
moost go to re hotel. You moost look
on re book-Ze register-for ze name
of Leone di Abelardi-zis terrible
brother-in-law."
II could telephone.
There iss no telephone here" said
Olga. But beside, Leone moost not
know we are asking for heem.
moost know II he iss here. And
then"
"Yes-and then"