Evening star., 1926-10-21
The Siren.

A LICE SHAW knew that the
~ girl must he siren. this girl
~ who had So engaged her sons
4 affections that he no longer
had any thought apart from
her She had never dreamed that any
woman could so sweep her splendid
William off his feet
The girls she had picked out for
him he would not have There was
June Westervelt, tall. dark. athletic.
perfect type Of w manhood. the
kind that makes the hest mothers.
And Sylvia Isham with her money.
although that was not her chief
charm And Sarah Thompson, her
old friends daughter. whom he had
known always and with whom he had
always been on the friendliest terms.
ANY of these would have suited Alice.
but it had taken this little, unknown
Peckvile creature to win Williams s
fancy.
Cons1elo de Rose. Alice shivered
every time she recalled the name. 1t
expressed artificiality. staginess.
thousa nd things that Alice Shaw had
been taught to regard as opposed to
good breeding and well-being. She
pictured vividly the personality that
would fit such a name-f1uffy blond
ness. hobbed hair possibly, too high
tint of rouge. a silly slip-shod habit OF
speech and clothes that would reveal
frankly what might better be con-
cealed.
And vet how had such a preposter-
Gus little being captured her son!
She could not understand. try as she
would. Nor would William help her
to do so. He only laughed when she
asked him questions and turned her
off. And he had no pictures OF the
girl to show her. Il don't know why
I care SO much for her but l do.
was all she could get him to say.
Alice was so troubled in her mlnd
that nothing else in the world seemed
70 matter. She lost interest in her
home, her housework. her clothes, her
club. she was a gently energetic per
son. who enjoyed the small engage
r1ents Of her daily life and loved ner
son. and let these two things MI her
life. William was wonderful; hne,
strong. plain fellow. who had taken
the very small business his father had
left him and was turning 1t into
good pa wing one, that could easily
support three persons or more. VI
course. Williams wife would have to
live with his mother. but Alice had
not minded that so long as she had
believed that his choice would be
Sarah or Sylvia or the delightful
Jane. But a girl named Consuelo de
Rose. who went in for powder ana
strong scent and chocolates and hec-
tic reading. To think of living with
such a creature, to say nothlns OF
having to present her to ones friends
1t was after "A sleepless night that
Alice decided to bring matters to
focus, to see this secret love or IL
liams whether he would or not. II
he would not bring her to his mother,
his mother would go to her. Peck
Vile was thirty miles away. Alice
decided to go there, get her lunch at
some good place. and call upon Miss
de Rose afterward.
The noon whistles were blowing as
she entered PeCkVille, large, strag
Cling town of factories. AS she walked
down the main street she saw res
taurant that looked clean and invit-
ing, and she went in for a cup of tea
and sandwich.
The place was crowded and she was
obliged to take a seat at table which
was already occupied. Alice's head
was aching furiously and 1t was two
minutes at least before she took no
tice of the girl on the other side OF
the table. Instantly she thought:
What a nice-looking young girl.
The girl was nice looking in
quiet, unadorned way. She was
dressed with singularly good taste In
dark blue She, too, had ordered tea
and sandwiches. but she did no more
than nibble them. Alice was sorry
for her. but her own head was hurt
ing her so that she could think OF
nothing else.
Il am afraid YOU are not feeling
well?" The girl herself had spoken
She leaned forward gently.
Alice explained about her head, and
they entered into conversation.
MY head" Alice thought, probably
aches less than her heart, yet she can
take time to he sympathetic
Presently the girl went away and
left her there alone, and Alice felt
almost as if she had seen a friend
depart AfterWard she went out and
walked up and down the street. IT
was vet too early to call on Miss de
Rose. She had a sense Of loneliness
in the strange town which she had
not visited before in years, and was
halfway ready to withdraw from her
purpose when. looking into window,
she saw the girl of the restaurant.
She was sitting at a table at work
and she was alone in the room. The