Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-01-19

her from running. And she cried out
to them, Let me so. Tommy will
catch me-" And an elephant. funny
lumpy, straddling elephant, told her in
a small voice: That's too bad. If
you'd made tigurines he couldn't have
caught YOU" And Tommy came up
and laughed at her.
Little lovely shadows came under
her eyes, like the ghosts of yiolets.
And Tommy saw the shadows and was
afraid!
Il will lose her. he cried to him
self bitterly She doesn't love me
and | will lose her."
The thought made him tremble.
And 1t made him ugly and grasping
What did love matter? Why was judy
such a fool about it? Let him once
cage her and she would see how much
more money mattered than love, But
how could he cage her. this laughing
fitting girl? He tried every art upon
her that he knew. He let no within OF
hers go ungratified. IL she looked at a
book he dropped into the book store
as soon as he left her and had the
book sent TO her. The beginning of
every outing was a stop at a florist s.
If he saw a queer little idol in an ORR
entail shop he bought It and gave ID
to her.
ooh, but Tommy. you mustn't.
can't accept all these things!
Don't you like them, judy"
"Of course l like them! I'm hui
man."
We'll. then. what's the idea?"
"But--but this is just playing
Tommy, I'm not going TO marry you"
"Oh, yes you wiil"'
Not unless | love you, Tommy
Tim going to make you love me-"
But in his heart he was not sure
And the less certain he was the more
he wanted her.
He bought her a necklace, a lovely
thing, with a single diamond SHIN
merng at the end of a wisp of golden
chain.
Judy's face whitened at sight of 1t
She put out her two small hands To
push 1t away.
Don't you like it, judy" he cried
Rnxiously.
II love IT,
"Wen?"
But / couldn't possibly take it"'
WHY not?"
Because can't take anything like
this from you. Tommy"
And If you please, my lady, why
not?"
"oh. if you would only try to under
stand"
II know I'm stupid. but I don,
understand. Not a bit in the world
Why won't you take this?''
Because this is playing, Tommy
Don't make me say 1t again. But
but it's not real and you're trying to
make 1t real
why shouldn't I? It's real to me
Take it, Judy"
- So IN
glance. II can't be in your debt this
way" she told him slowly. Please
Tommy" Then in a little burst, "A
debt Is the most binding thing in the
world to me. Tommy. It's a chain
can't escape from! You chain me wher
you try to make me take things like
this
Tommy's eyes narrowed thought
fully. He slipped the necklace back
into it's box. snapped 1t shut, dropped
1t in his pocket carelessly.
so that's it, is it," he said softly
Something in his eyes frightened
judy. She drew a swift, uneven
breath. i've hurt you" she cried.
NO"
Then what is it? There's some
thing in your face 1 don't under
stand
Tommy gave her one of his quick
flashing smiles. Mocked her with tbs
brilliancy of it, There are lot Of
things in my face you don't under
stand" he said And just as well
too
judy gave a little relieved laugh.
You sound like a real villain" she
told him.
His glance upon her was strange,
unreliable. II could be villain
to get what | want
Judy's first impulse was to cry a
denial. Charmingly selfish, careless,
but not villainous, Cruel perhaps,
but unconsciously so. She studied
him. Was he unconscious of his
cruel hardness? Was he only selfish
and careless? Or was it all some
thing deeper? Was it all part OF
a sad warp in his soul? If so. what
had warped him? Money? Did
money do that to people? Hateful!
Money and power. They were dread
full things, it seemed. And yet
there were people who had money
and who did beautiful things with
it, made beauty. gave beauty. Moth
ing could destroy beauty! If people
loved beauty enough nothing could
destroy them! But they must serve
beauty, not try TO master nor buy II.
She made a little prayer in her heart,
Let me serve beauty"
And with her eyes opened, she be-
gan to search for beauty. And she
found 1t every place. A pushcart
man Swarthv dirtv bending over