Evening star., 1926-03-04

arrival. He still employed odd mo-
ments agreeably in designing her
gowns and headdresses.
Mrs. Hilary Fraser has a genius
for dress" some would say, and her
gowns always seem a part of her"
Yes, the best part of her., others
less kindly would agree.
One evening Celia was sitting near
the door Of small reception room,
waiting for her motor to be an
nounced Hilary had gone abroad url-
expectedly to look up data regard
ing his book, and she had been forced
to keep their social engagements
without him.
AS she sat there, two women on
cassone just outside the door began
talking about her. She did not realize
at first whom they were speaking of,
but when she did she continued to
listen more out Of laziness than curl
osity. She felt no compunction at all.
"On dit" remarked the first woman,
que c. est un marriage blanc"
"On a raison?" returned the other.
"Of course it's a white marriage!
What man Gould really embrace a
jeweled image as q wife,
The other Uttered.
"'Jeweled image! She's far more
like a jeweled fish-a queer fish,
How too unkind of you! At least
call her q mermaid"'
We'll, isn't a mermaid a queer
fish,"
Then they both Uttered.
why on earth do you suppose he
did it," the first speaker went on.
PITY, my dear. I've known Hilary
Fraser all my life. He's an awfully
good sort, but high-fiown rather and
mad about art. This girls father was
a protege of his-a genius, he says,
though the world doesn't seem to
agree with him. Well, this Gibbs,
the girls father, dumped her on
Hilary as a ward. without penny!
I'oor Laura took her off his hands as
long as she lived, but when she died
there he was, Plante, with this
milestone round his neck. He couldn't
get any. one else to marry her-and of
course he couldn't let her starve
II he'd set up alone, they d
have said she was his mistress"
But why not?" asked the other.
THAT would have been much the
most sensible thing to do"
MY dear. you don't know Hilary.
He's just the sort to choose the Quix-
otic way out of a mess"
But some one told me the girl had
money of her own?"
Some one told you wrong then.
Maudie Grey -Mannering, Hilary's
niece. told me last Spring that Gibbs
didn't leave farthing. She said that
Hilary had made up some story to
save the girls feelings and that the
allowance he gave her before he mar
ried her was out of his own pocket.
He called II an advance on Gibbs
paintings. Poor Laura let it slip out
10 nj 1oIiAin'Q q xNfIIllY Shorn
you know. Naturally she's furious
over Hilary's marriage, because his
fortune would have gone by rights to
her and her children. Now | suppose
most of it will go to the queer fish
in case he dies first"
II wonder if the Gibbs girl guessed
she hadn't anything from her father"
Good heavens What a question!
Think of those greeny Chinese eyes.
Are they the eyes Of credulous inno-
cence? OF course, she knew it. She
schemed to marry him from the very
frst you may he sure"
well, pity is closer kin to con-
tempt than 1t is to love-" observed the
other thoughtfully. Il shouldn't care
to he in her shoes"
"I shouldn't care TO he in his! l
can't endure her. can you?
NO She gives me the creeps.
Here a footman came to tell them
their car was waiting and they went
away.
That night Celia lay awake long
| time. and she found this very un-
pleasant, as she was used to falling
asleep as soon as her head touched the
| pillow. Had her thoughts been agree
| able she might have felt differently.
but they were most disagreeable. and
so after a while she took up the ivory
| cup and ball from her bedside table
] and. rising, went over to the window
She drew back the curtains and sal
wrapped in her dressing gown, play
ing with the quaint toy and gazing
out over the park. She liked to watch
the stars and electric lights through
the Winter branches. For some rea'
son she drew fantastic pleasure
from this mingling Of artificial glitter
with the austere radiance of tbs
| heavens.
She sat there now, staring out al
them, trying to change the mo-