Evening star., 1926-04-18

him a little curiously, he thought,
then out at the swooping. wheeling
landscape. which was now lighted,
though somewhat uncertainty, by the
timid young moon.
Her profile toward him, she said
slowly.
II haven't any other gown with
me-"
Touching the satchel with the tip Of
her shoe, and without turning her
head. she said further:
IAN / have with me is in there"
Padraic was utterly disconnected.
He felt that it was trivial, ridiculous,
almost base of him to be laying such
stress on things so unimportant as
clothes and hair, when the woman he
loved was at last his, yet he couldn't
help it. He simply couldn't bear the
thought of showing Celia to Molly for
the first time in that orange gown
and without her marvellous tresses.
He recalled the line, Beauty when
unadorned is then adorned the most"
to reproach him, but then this was
not true as applied to his Celia. He
recalled many apt sayings, and called
himself many hard names, but the
fact remained; he was completely mis-
cradle at the thought of Molly and
Molly's expression when she first
glinpsed Celia in that gown and
couture.
It jumped at him that he hadn't yet
seen the hat she wore with her orange
costume. He leaned toward her, and
touching her hand caressingly said:
do let me see you with your hat
on. dearest"
He was really terrified lest 1t, too,
should be orange, and gave Il deep
sigh of relief, which the noise of the
train covered, when she drew the
black velvet beret from under the
squirrel stole and adjusted it gravely
for his inspection.
Charming" he cried: quite de-
lightful! It's most awfully becoming"
He lifted her hand and kissed it
over and over in his enthusiasm of re-
lief. Now, if they could only manage
to do little shopping in Montreal be-
fore Molly came to the hotel where
he had wired for her he would take
Celia
But I do think. dearest he went
on, that the hat is much too pretty
for the gown. Frankly, l don't think
the gown becomes you. A black gown
or a dark blue one would go with
your charming hat ever so much bet
ter. You don't mind my suggesting
it, do vou?'
mot at ALL" said Celia. II am used.
YOU see, to having my clothes chosen
for me-"
TIe tried hard to make out the ex-
preston Of her face, over which the
admired hat cast a shadow.
cit will be rather fun. l think. do.
ing our first shopping together" he
ventured, little uncertainty.
''Oh. great fun" assented Celia.
This encouraged him SO much, and
he was so consoled by thinking of her
In black velvet or velveteen-surely
they could find a coat and skirt in
that material quite easily-that he
ventured further.
Tell me, you queer darling" he
smiled, what did you do with the
lovely hair you cut OFF,
He was sure that Montreal held
hairdresser skil1ful enough to prepare
her severed locks so that she might
wear them until the hair that re.
manned on her head grew long again.
Molly could see to that, he knew.
Celia's answer upset him consider
ably.
"I threw it away" she said.
She was beginning to find lying as
easily as Hamlet held 1t to be. This
was a new sensation to her, as hereto
fore she had always avoided the least
untruth. 1t made her so very uncom-
Portable to tell falSehoods. Now, on
the contrary. she seemed to derive a
strange pleasure from doing so. She
thought it odd. but didn't bother
about the wherefore of it.
You threw it away" Padraic was
eXclaiming in voice of mingled re-
proach and distress. You threw
away what l loved so dearly?"
Yes" said Celia, and enjoyed this
yves"
But, dearest, don't you know
didn't you think how I would have
treasured it?"
NO" said Celia, and enjoyed even
more this no"
You are the Queerest darling"
cried Padraic, who felt quite cross
with her at the moment, and so disap-
pointed in regard to his scheme for
adapting her lost hair to her provok-
ing little head that he could have
sworn with pleasure. ~
"I hope you threw II where no one
else can find it," he said, rather
stiffiy.
"I threw it into some water" said
Celia. mo one else will find it,
1t amused her to think that one of
his feet was against the satchel where
in it really lay. adorned like bride,
with white satin.
Padraic was looking out of the win
dow in his turn and thinking hard.
shes really like child in lots of,
ways" ran his thoughts. Perhaps