Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-12-20

/ sympathy She felt her color rise and
her voice lift as she said:
Il do wish you'd tell me- what you've
come To say. If it's unpleasant 90
lets get it over
Mr.. Abbott looked reproachful His
little gray eyes and his tufted eye
hrovs registered a considerable degree
of reproach. What was the use OF
being delicate and making a tactful
approach To an unpleasant subject:
Tact and delicacy were entirely wasted
on the modern young woman. SophN
had said as much only yesterday-and
Sophy was always right Very well.
he would throw tact aside and be
! brutally frank.
Il believe''-his voice was stiff
that the-er-claiman paid YOU
visit here just before YOU went
abroad"
The who?" said Evelyn. There was
a sparkle of anger in her blue eyes.
4 "The-er-Claiman
"Do YOU mean Anthony Laydon?'
Il mean the-er-person who claims
10 be Jack or Jim Laydon. No, my
dear Evelyn. your warmth does not
offend me. But ! would wish you to
hear me before you indulge it, This
/ er-person-
mo. Cotty" said Evelyn. She sat
bolt upright. her blue eyes blazing in
what Cotty Abbott considered a most
unsuitable manner. Blue eyes should
he mild and gentle; Evelyn's were at
the moment brilliant with anger. No
! Cotty," she repeated. It's no use. If
you're coinc to talk to him in that
/ ridiculous way. | Shan't listen. You
can call him Laydon. or Anthony, or
Tony don't care which-and III
listen to anything you've got TO say
in reason. But | Just can't do with
claimants and persons. " She melted
| into a laugh and nodded at him. so
that's that. Cotty."
Cotty was considerably taken aback.
After his forbearance and tact, TO be
! treated like this. Modern manners.
modern young women-Sophy had no
opinions of them. He hemmed loudly
and held up protesting hand.
Really, my dear Evelyn, really"'
Yes, really. Cotty." Evelyn's anger
had passed. and her smile was dis
arming one. Let's get on. You were
saying that Anthony Laydon came
here to see me. What about it?''
II was not so much referring to his
coming here: though, as Sophy says
in your position"
/ Evelyn laughed.
Eyes. I know But we'd really fin
ished with my delicate position, hadn't
we? Couldn't we go on to something
else?"
II was about to say that I was not
so much concerned with-er-the
visit to you as with the subsequent
visits paid by Mr.-er-Laydon.
What on earth do you mean by
subsequent visits? And how do you
come to know anything about them?"
Cotty Abbott tapped his knee-Sir
Cotterell's gesture, little exagger-
ated.
II would like to make it quite clear
TO you, Evelyn. that / do not accept
| Mr.-er-Laydon asia member of the
Laydon family. I do not believe him
to he a Layton at ALL but very diff
ferent person. And this being my
| conviction, ] conceive it no less than
my duty TO inform myself as fully as
possible with regard to his move
| ments."
what do you mean"
81 mean that ! have placed the
affair IN the hands of thoroughly COM
petent private investigators. with the
result that | already feel abundantly
| justified in having taken these meas.
ures.
While Cotty was speaking. Evelyn
passed from anger to sort of chill
fear. What was coming next? She
could not find any word to ask
Cotty went on, well pleased with
his own acumen.
"Abundantly justified" he repeated.
For where. ask you, did this man
proceed after leaving your fat"
MY dear Cotty. why ask me-"
A look of annoyance crossed Cotty
Abbott's face-rhetorical questions
are not intended to be answered He
cleared his throat.
Upon leaving this fiat. he proceed
ed at once to the linton Street registry
office. where he inspected the records
of marriages for the year 19l314.
From the registry office he proceeded
20 391 Morningdale road where he in
auired whether Miss Pearl PalliseI
still lodged there, adding that it was
possible that she might be calling her
self Mrs. Field
Evelyn bit her lip. but not quickly
enough: little sharp sound betrayed
her surprise.
Eyes Mrs Field-Miss Pearl Palli-
ser or Mrs James Field-that was the
| form of his inquiry. 1t appeared that
| the lady had moved some years before,
but the people of the house were on
, friendly terms with her and knew
where she was staying. They furnish
ed Mr.-eT-Laydon with the address.
and he went straight on. On arrival
he repeated his inquiries. was told that
/ Miss Palliser was in. and went up to
| her room. where he remained for
nearly half an hour. When he had
| gone. the detective went up and
| knocked at the door He was, | believe.
primed with some excuse, but he had
no need to employ it. When Miss
! nDnnn1 dOnF nj
IL was evident that she had been weep
ing violently and was still in good
deal Of distress. She used some very
remarkable words As | said TO
| Sophy. Certainly remarkable. and
probably conclusive Cotty paused.
saVOrnc his triumph
What did she say" Evelyn tried
hard for level voice, but it shook.
She said. oh. for heavens sake
go away. I've just seen n ghost