Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-06-27


she cried. stopping abruptly in the
middle of a two.step. Il know at least
l6 handsome youths who like to dance
with me. Three or four of them are
in the room now. If this exercise is
killing you, let's stop right now"
II am not aware of having ex-
pressed any Discrimination to dance
with you, Eloise." he said. She stared
at him. When she stated that at least
Is youths liked to dance with her, she
was guilty of no exaggeration. She
was tall, her eyes being on a level
with Roderick's mouth: they were
beautiful gray eyes. too: her figure
was slim and graceful. and her abil-
ity to play five sets of tennis after Is
holes of golf had not made her limbs
lose their lovely roundness. One had
to feel her forearm to realize that
such delicate flesh could be so mus
cular. Her hair. black and long. pos
sessed a natural wave that was the
envy of the girls of her acquaintance.
Her mouth may have been shade
too wide for exact conformation to the
measurements of beauty. but its mer-
ry curves. the redness of her lips and
the Wilderness Of her even teeth made
any man--save Roderick--forget the
possible blemish. 1t was such a gen,
erous mouth. mirthful. sweet. Her
nose was tilted the least bit and her
forehead was broad and not too high
for beauty. All in all, Eloise DENIM
son was a beauty, an enslaver Of men
Say, Rod. you haven't suddenly &C
quired a swell head, have your" she
asked. You talk as though you
thought you were at least five of the
seven judges on the Supreme Court.
II cf AfSS "a RI har q
your hand minute, don't think
you're unique"
THAT is a most insulting insinua-
tion," he told her severely.
"Dismount from that high horse
Rod" she ordered Don't forget that
I've known you for at least 81 of my
% years, and that I've seen you with
measles and scarlet fever and chicken
pox and that . can read your symp-
toms as | can my own"
Dignity fell away from him as one
discards cloak. Why on earth was
Eloise always included in every party
that he attended? Just because he'd
known the girl all his life was no rea-
son for people to think that he liked
her Yet here. at the Markham's was
Eloise, as she would be at every other
house party this Summer. at every
dance. at every dinner She made
him tired. She had always made him
tired. She always would make him
tired. He wished to goodness that his
sister Angela would quit cumming
with her Just because they were
neighbors was no reason that they
should be inflicted with each other all
their lives. II was bad enough having
family that thought il knew all
about you. without having gangling
gawk of a girl who was no relation
acting as though she possessed all in
formation.
Il can read your symptoms, too
he said sulkily. You're jealous be-
cause Mrs. Markham is prettier. All
you girls are. And l think it's ex-
tremely bad taste to discuss ones
about her. Considering that she s
probably one of the noblest WON.
Ell"
Eloise raised her hands and bent
Roderick's head forward. She kissed
him swiftly. II like you just as much
az though you really had sense" she
told him.
Tony Sweeney came up and claimed
Eloise. Not that l want to break
in on a charming little scene like this
but spooning Is not being done this
year in public. II you two must make
love, go out on the veranda. It's a
wonder you wouldn't announce your
engagement, anyway"
He swept Eloise away with him and
Roderick walked from the room. Out
on the veranda the cool breezes from
the water seemed to allay his fever
of wrath. After all. he must not per-
nit anger at Eloise to blast and utter
ly destroy moment so precious as
the one that had just passed. Never
theless, he wished that all his friends
would quit their calm assumption that
he was in love with Eloise. Every
one assumed it, commented on it.
joked about it, He had been too
chivalrous to deny it in the past; in
the future he would make 1t emphat-
icaIly clear that he didn't even like
her. She made him tired with her
idle, senseless conversation.
He was annoyed when the music
ceased and from the living room
poured forth the guests. Some one
had suggested a moonlight swim and
the suggestion had been hailed with
high approval. Roderick accepted
the invitation to join the others when
he discovered that Mrs. Markham was
going in.
n X X
THE Markham estate was a preten
tious place. There were acres OF
lawns and gardens, and on the beach
were deliberately equipped lighthouses
pleasant. But Roderick took no part
| of eli