Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1926-01-14


" derneath the rug and held
Hargrave's for "A moment.
He returned the pressure OF
, her fingers. hut q moment later with
drew his 10 search for his cigarette
case.
There is something I want TO tell
YOU, child, he said. about my visit
10 Nice this morning. To a certain
extent it was on your account and on
your brothers,
Sir Harsrave." she exclaimed
What do YOU mean"
Although YOU affect to ignore the
fact. he continued. II am. as n mat
ter Of fact. an ancient person com
pared TO either of YOU
IF YOU say that again" she threat
ened. "Ill--''
lie turned his head.
What will YOU do?'
Her eyes shone with provocative
light.
She lea ned over and kissed him on
the temple.
There" she said. that's nothing
That's only to show YOU what | am
capable Of"
Don't disturb my pa1erhal atti-
tude.' he begged. What l wanted 10
tell YOU was this: | don't want YOU to
have the remainder Of your holiday
spoiled by any undue fears for the
future. While l am here. of course.
7 shall keep my word. but in ca Sc any
thing should happen, I've executed a
codicil to my will at my lawyers this
morning. I've left YOU a little more
than will bring in as much s you're
likely to earn, and I've left something
for your brother. too. That's all. I
don't want any thanks. please. You
can tell Your brother some time. 1t
may make A difference TO him. As
for you he went on, m afra id
you're one of those nice people who
don't think about themselves at all"
Il shouldn't want anything that
came from YOU when you weren't
here" she declared. almost under her
breath
That dear. is sweet but unreason-
a able he said.
But why should you leave money!
she demanded, with a sudden and en-
tirely unexpected note of passion in
her tone. I've done nothing for you,
/ can give you nothing. | can make
YOU no happier. I've nothing. nothing.
nothing in the world TO offer. and all
these other women have so much. |
won't accept anything"
Violet he exclaimed.
He would have held her hand. but
she suddenly withdrew herself
Why do you do these things" she
persisted. Leave Robert out. I'm
not even a plaything. The hours you
give to me are given out of kindness.
You know 1t makes me happy if you
notice me. so you notice me. We live
here wonderfully. 1t is like the dream
of my life come true. and it all comes
from you. And there is nothing
YOU want that I can give-nothing.
am ashamed
She was sobbing pitifully. He
thrust his arm through hers. stirred
by An infinite compassion.
Violet" he pleaded. nothing that
YOU say is true. You are absolutely
morbid in your eXaggera tons. | have
many friends here. AS you know. I
have too many. | have been happier
with you than any of them. You are
my refuge. | come to you. and
am rested. I come TO you, and | am
a $ nearly happy as | ever am. You
have brought many things to me. just
now in life. when | need them. Your
stay at the villa-my thought for you
in Nice this morning-are utterly in
adequate returns for the joy | have
had with you. and that is the truth.
You know. don't you. that with all
my faults | am man who speaks
the truth
The sobs had ceased. She turned
and looked al him, half ashamed. The
tears had done nothing to detract
from her beauty. She reminded him
of a very beautiful passing flower
after April rain.
NO one but you could have said
that" she declared. Il don't mind
whether YOU mean it or not, I'm going
to believe it. / will believe it,.
81, l.; al
and passion which he could never have
down once more in her place.
You have made me happy she
whispered. You have made me very
happy indeed
philin Gorse. the least clerical look
ing being on earth in his f1annelS and
gray IIomburg hat. slipped his mixed
vermouth meditatively and breathed a
sigh of deep content. The few days
Immediately after his arrival had been
given ungrudginGly to his mother.
who owned a small villa on the out
skirts of Mentone. This was his first
escape for time to the rarer atmos-
phere of Monte Carlo.
Let no one speak to me of the
paganism of this place. he insisted.
Il have never seen so many happy
faces for years. After all, you know.
Hargrave, happiness is a gift com
plete in itself. wherever it comes from,
and if it's real happiness, there's the
real stuff underneath
The two men were seated outside
the cafe de Paris. There had been a
gray day or two by way of contra st.
but this morning the sky was flaw
lessly blue, the sunshine dazzling, the
music from the Gypsy band in pictur-
eSQue uniform seductive yet stirring.
Every table was occupied by little
groups engaged in pleasant CONVERSE
ton. and the ceaseless stream of prom
enaders completed the Summer effect
of the day. the men mostly in flannels,
the women, obeying the most wisely
ordained fashion of recent years. in
short and diaphanous frocks of many
colors. here and there a sprinkling of
the more athletic in white tennis
clothes with racquets. All the time a
little crowd flowed in and out of the
, Casino whose stuccolike splendor
seemed to add a fantastic note to the
gay scene.
Thank God you are not one of
those preachers. Philip. who find this
place den of iniquity," Hargrave
exclaimed.
II should become a sinner myself,
if | did What time are you expect
ing Johnnie Marston?"
ANY moment. He came by the
l,lo,, ovid nI1pct1Ial for nncp