Evening star., 1926-05-02

shoulders that might indicate mirth.
He did not frame the hope, but il
both of them had suffered tragic
death by drowning In the waters of
the lake he would have endured II
bravely.
Somebody ought to speak to
EloiSe'S mother. He hated to think
of the sort of woman Eloise would
grow up to be. She had no appreci-
alton: she was so darned conceited
about herself and how smart she
was that ii any one else tried TO 90
anything she made fun of them.
Then, slowly. dignity came TO ms
aid. After all. she was only child.
AS for Jimmy-well. Jimmy's jeal-
ousy had been too much for him to
overcome. He would dismiss these
unworthy people from his thoughts,
and turn to contemplation OF higher
and nobler things.
X X x
AT his home he viewed with dis
n taste the wide expanse of lawn.
1t was wonder to him that his father
wouldn't hire a man to perform the
meniaI duties of the estate. 1t was
thus, estate" that he liked to refer
to the large, rambling, old-fashioned
house that increasing prosperity had
enabled Mr.. Dory to buy few years
ago. But Mr. Dory's ideas had not
kept pace with his income. lie be-
lieved that the modern youth was be.
ing ruined by too much pampering;
he himself had left school at the age
of 16 and gone to work.
He realized the benefits of edu-
cation and was anxious for Roderick
to go to college. But he had no use
e.. y,
believed that Roderick would enjoy
things more If he earned them.
Wherefore, the unkempt grass of the
lawn. Despite his luck at matching
dimes, the eXchequer of Roderick was
not in very fiourishing condition.
The 81 that he would receive for
cutting the grass would come in very
handily. With Il sigh he walked to
the barn in the rear of the house
and pulled out the lawn mower. And
now a natural interest in mechanical
things asserted itself. He took the
lawn mower apart. oiled and polished
1t until it was q thing of beauty and
ran almost noiselessly. He pushed it
out upon the lawn. He had COM
pleted perhaps a fifth of his task when
his attention was attracted by an auto
mobile that stopped directly in front
of the Dory house. Suddenly he
realized that the driver OF the car
that had paused nearby was calling
to him. He walked to the fence.
Would you mind helping me crank
the carr" asked the driver.
For a moment he could not reply.
For the driver was u woman. and, un-
less the study of scores of photo
was that glorious woman of genius.
Mildred Darrell. She was as beautiful
as her pictures. She wore a trim
suit and the breeze caressed her blond
curls. There were dmples in her
cheeks. and if her lips were made up
Roderick did not know it. He vaufted
the fence and approached her. De
lighted. Miss Darrell" he said.
The actress smiled at him. You
know me?'
who in the world does note" he
retorted.
Her smile was caress. You're
fiattering."
THE truth is never flattering," said
Rodericl1.
She laughed now. and he saw that
her teeth were the perfect pearls that
her photographs had indicated. And
he, Roderick Dory, was exchanging
sprightly badinage with this glorious
creature. Suddenly he blushed at his
own presumption and daring in speak
ing familiarly to her. He walked to
the car and began to examine it. The
difficulty was slight, a broken wire of
the battery. III you have tools in
the car / can fix it, he told her.
would your" She asked. There
was something thrilling in her tones.
He would and did. When, oil-stained
and smeared with grease. he had fin
ished, she said to him, IF you'll tell
me your name I'd be glad to leave
tickets for you for the opening night
of my new play" He told her; he
hardly believed that the incident had
really happened when she drove away.
He left the lawn mower where it
lay, walked into the house and up to
his own bedroom. From bureau
drawer, where it lay carefully hidden
beneath some shirts. he drew out
photograph Of his divinity. 1t was in
scribed, "Affectionately yours. Mildred
Darrell"
He had bought it at photogra-
piers in the city. The inscription
was not done in ink, but was photo
graphed. 1t was an tmpersonal in
scription, but his new acquaintance
with her made it personal. Who knew
but that, some day in the future, she
might, with her own delicate hands,
inscribe a picture to him? Suddenly
he pressed the photograph against his
lips. At last he knew what true love
meant.
X X
LIE was pushing the lawn mower
over the grass later that eve.
ming when Jimmy Herman came to see
him. Mr.. Dory had arrived home and
made matters almost unendurable
through the course of the evening
meal. II his son had any ambition
he'd have cut that grass a week ago.
There were times when Mr.. Dory
doubted that the money that he was
expending on rearing his son and
daughter was being we'll spent. All
they thought Of was clothes and good
times. That grass must be cut to-