Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-08-27

fences and then reread them with
changes.
Leila's cheeks were very pink as he
turned to her significantly. and she
shook her head quickly, as though to
beg him not to speak, but he ignored
her.
(which do you like-the first OF
second?" he asked Of the crowd.
The second is much better" Myra
known short-story writer. who had
just published her first novel. Leila
admired her intensely.
II agree" said some one else.
THE second was my secretary's
suggestion" Emerson said, with a
flourish toward Leila, who was GOV.
cred with confusion. She's a Won
der. I think I'll give her half my
royalties"
Things like this were what made
life so pleasant for Leila. At last she
was among the people who We're her
own kind. They spoke her language.
Her own work. too. was important in
its way. She was helping some one
write book that would reach thou
sands Of people. She was being use
ful. and yet what a good time she was
having: how full life would be If only
she could forget Richard Kingsley.
She had tried to make herself be-
lieve that as time passed he would
grow hazier in her thoughts, but this
was not SO. Because Of him she could
not interest herself in other men. She
liked them. but that was all. Several
of Emersons friends had taken her
out, and she had gone because she
wanted to forget Richard. but the ex-
perimentS were not successful. They
interested her mentally. but emotion
ally not at all. Sometimes she Won
dered if she had ever experienced love-
1t had been SO short-lived and was so
remote from her now. But she had
only to remember that last day in the
library, the look in his eyes like
caresS. the pressure of his lips on her
hand. to have her pulses stir and her
heart leap in her breast.
Six months passed months in
which Leila seemed to develop. AL
though she was so young, there was a
certain cool dignity about her. She
had the poiSe, too. of a much older
woman. and the way she handled men
and cleverly nipped in the bud any
lncipient interest amused and delighted
Eva Phelps. although Il sometimes
made her impatient. She could not
understand why girl so young would
resent the idea Of love. and yet be-
S''S was oS SOoi6 thShC Wdo
plenty of time.
1t usually took Emerson Phelps
about year to complete a novel, and
when the book was half finished he
decided to go abroad in search of
material for the latter part of the
story. They sailed week after he
had made up his mind and were gone
two months. Emerson did little actual
work. save for taking copious notes.
so that all three had a pleasant. leis-
urely time sightseeing and shopping.
Leila bought some clothes in Paris.
1t delighted her to be able to dress as
she liked once more. Her tastes were
not eXtravagant. but. girl-like, she
loved pretty things.
On the first night of their return
trip she decided to wear little dance
frock that Eva had insisted upon pre-
senting to her. She had fallen in love
with it at sight. but hadn't been able
TO afford 1t. Later Eva had bought it
and had il delivered to the hotel. 1t
was Of heavy white satin. with a hem
and girdle of gold. 1t turned Leila
into a medieval princess. and as she
looked at herself in the glass a queer
little feeling of excitement stirred in
her as though something were about
to happen.
Copyright. 1926,
Continued In tomorrow's Starr