Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-08-01

that is all Come, March,"
Squire" called the man.
At sound of the name. March quiv.
cred and turned about.
March" said Nesta softly
Instantly the collie wheeled and ran
to her, thrusting his nose into her
hand and wagging his great plume
of a tail.
You see," commented Nesta, as she
moved off.
II see" retorted the man holly. Il
see he recognized his kennel name
| when | spoke ii. He"
| You saw he answered to the name
of March" corrected the girl with
amused tolerance. IF he showed
| interest when you called him. it was
because you stepped forward as you
| spoke. ! really wouldn't advise your
coming any nearer. Mr.--Mr--''
my name Is Nanden,' supplement.
| ed the man, as she hesitated. I'm
acting in this for my cousin, Mr..
Derek Royce. This is his dog. And, "
| stubbornly, Il saw he recognized his
name of Squire Not that / needed
any more proof. ! suggest you give
| him TO me now and save trouble.
y y
NESTA did not reply. The last
part of Vandens speech had gone
| unheard Her attention had stopped
short and jarringly at Derek Royce s
name. She stared stupidity at the
stout man. He repeated more trucu-
lently:
II suggest you save yourself trouble
by giving him 10 me at once"
Certainly" retorted Nesta, gust
of rage sweeping her. Certainly,
If you want him, take him. March"
At the anger and appeal in her
voice the big collie stiffened Facing
Vanden, he crouched slightly, his lips
upturned from his white tusks, his
eyes ablaze, his mighty body tensed
as for spring. Nesta laughed in
nervous excitement.
If he's yours or your precious
cousin s." she tainted shrilly, take
him. If | give the word. he'll take
you. If you want him. take him.
This is the last time l shall give you
the chance to. And If you follow me
or try to get him, I'll say only one
more word to him. That word will
be enough Now, do you want him
or don't your
Vanden looked at the collie. March
had begun TO move stealthily toward
him in a sinuous motion that carried
world of menace.
call him back" said the man
| thickly.
Good" assented Nesta. Come,
March.
She walked away, March bounding
along beside her. Vanden turned
upon his chauffeur.
Drive me TO the post office" he
commanded. ''and then TO one or two
of the shops. 1t ought to be easy
to find out who she is and where she
lives. There can't be two women in
this suburb with such a dog Any
one ought to be able to tell me
who"
II can tell YOU sir" said the chauf-
feur and save you all that trouble.
She's Miss Ernesta Breen. Lives down
on the Wyckoff turnpike. about 2
miles south. Used to live up on Park
Terrace till her father died. Folks
thought her dad was worth all the
cash in the Treasury. But he died
| just about fiat broke. She and her
aunt went down 10 a bungalow of his
to live. They"
How in blazes d'you know all
that" asked Vanden in surprise.
Il knew II when I drove for Mr..
Royce" answered the chauffeur, be.
fore 1 came to work for you, last
Autumn. He used to be at her house
lot of times when she lived up on
the Terrace. l only drove him there
once after she moved down to the
Wyckoff pike. He
HIN" unused Vanden. his face
clearing. THAT ought TO make 1t
easier. Let him go there himself and
get his dog. It's past me. I'll tell
him about it when l go home"
NESTA was hurrying on with
March For the first time she
realized how dear the collie had be-
come to her and how much of her
lonely and loveless and embittered
life he had come to fill. She had no
doubt at all that Vanden had spoken
the truth about him. She knew, also,
| that Derek Royce would have no
trouble at all in proving possession.
March she said presently,
| March, they're going TO try to take
| you away from me. They shan't have
| you! They shan't have you, Do you
hear. March? You belong to me. /
gambled with death for you. and
you're the only friend who never went
back on me. Nobody's going to get
you away from me, March, Wen
| fight this out together"
Her words meant nothing to the
collie. save the frequent repetition of
his own name. But her voice told
him she was wretchedly unhappy.
Whin under his breath. he licked
her and laid his head against
1t, pee g up worriedly into her sor-
rowing face
They're not going to take you from
me, March," she repeated, this time
with a new hope. II don't know how
I'm going to prevent it. But am. 1t
would be bad enough if you were
going to a stranger. But you'li be
going to the most despicable man who
ever lived March. He made me think
he cared for me once. And he made
me think / cared fer him. We weren't
engaged, March. But l was sure we
were going to be. Then dad died, and
all the world fell down around my
head. And when l, crawled out of the
wreckage, March, I was in the bun
galow. with just enough to keep me
alive on.
He came to see me there. Just
once. That was all. He never came
again. | don't even know why he
came there that once, March, unless
it was to quarrel horribly with me and
make that an excuse for never coming
near me any more. But he let me see
he had no use for me, now that /
hadn't any money or any position or
any friends. He was just like all the
rest of the people had known. Only
they hadn't pretended to care for me,
and he had. No, March, you're not
going to him. I'd sooner shoot you.
Well fight this out. we two"
4
THE fight began sooner than Nesta
= feared. AS she and March were
walking through the rose garden
alongside the bungalow, after lunch. q
car stopped at the gate Nesta looked
up, nervous and apprehensive. Derek
| Royce was coming across the patch of
| lawn toward her. Already he had cut
| off her retreat to the house
Her hand on MARGINS ruff, she faced
him.
| How are your Royce greeted her.