Evening star., 1926-11-01
CHAPTER I.
Fiances.

AS ne watched Helena 'cross the
lobby toward him. John Henderson
realized that he was vaguely irritated.
He didn't know exactly why. Per
haDs 1t was because he knew her too
we'll There was no longer any mys-
terv about her. She moved with a
quiet placidity that annoyed him, and
she was growing just a little bit too
plump.
He was ashamed as the word bovine
crossed his mind. That wasn't far
Helena had a long way to go before
, that word could be applied to her
But she had put on too inuch weight
and at her age it was ridiculous. She
ought to he careful about regulating
her diet She ought to think OF him
and his feelings. No man can be ro-
Amantic over a woman who Is oVerfat
Now he was rising to his feet and
she was smiling up at him as she
always did when they met.
Hello, dear. | hope I haven't kept
you waiting"
AS matter of fact, that was an
other irritating thing about her. She
was very rarely late. John would have
preferred her to be less perfect and
more feminine. She never allowed his
maginatiOn any sway. He rather
liked to think of a woman primping
and prinking before her mirror. 1t
didn't hurt q man to wait few min
ntoS.
i5ut Helena was always or very near
" always on time. And then, too, she
was always so sure of herself and his
love for her. IF she had been jealous
enough to fly into passions when he
paid another woman any marked at
tention there would be at least some
excitement about It.
"As a matter Of fact. you're just
about one minute early" he said,
evenly.
Really" she laughted hack, that's
good"
1t seemed to John as they walked
toward the diningroom that her smile
was positively SNUG in its assurance.
He did wish that she had some faults.
SO that his dissatisfaction might at
least be reasonable. He wondered now
that he had ever fallen in love with
her. and yet he was ashamed Of him.
~a!f for all these thoughts
An orchestra was playing as they
entered the dining-room. Wailing vio-
Inns were strossing the "Valse Triste
Sibellius'! What lovely romantic
thing it was Romance. Why, if he
'"arried Helena he would be an old
'~'man in 10 years. 1t would be i'm
possible TO avoid it. They would settle
into n rut. OF course, she would make
him comfortable, but that was all
And didn't he deserve more? He was
only just starting out in life. He was
only 80 and Helena 20
You're quiet tonight" Helena re-
marked from across the table rs
anything wrong. dear?"
Just tired" he said, a tribe shortly
handing her the menu, and watching
her while she glanced down the list
What would she say if he told her
suddenly that he wasn't going to 90
through with It? That he couldn't
marry her? But he couldn't do a thing
IKE that. II was out of the question
hls was May and the wedding was
next month. Everything was an
planned, where they were to 90 for
their honeymoon and where they were
20 Ave when they returned lie would
be n cad If he did anything like thar
man without any sense of honor
gentleman simply didn't do things
IKE that. And yet Helena bored him
Was II fair that he should he hored
all his life when Just a few words
would release himp
think III have some consonlme.
dear, she was saying, land some
roast lamb. Are there vegetables with
that she asked the waiter. who
nodded briefly. And then. still smil
ing. she put down the menu and wait.
ed for John to make his choice.
There was something SavorinC of
NtciOusness in his selection CLANS on