Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-12-27


dance She began by telling him
L that he was really frighfully
clever. and then Immediately said
How did YOU get on With Barbara
she's the best dancer in the room. and
Giles is about the worst. l always give
him something at the very end. SO thar
II he does stamp all over my feet. II
doesn't SO much matter. Hes frlcht'
fully good sort. He and Barbara have
only been married a month-Jusi back
from their honeymoon.
I,svdon fei, a good deal Of pity for
Giles. Elizaheth's gay talk flowed on
II hope you like Marcia. She's one
Of the very best. She's A friend OF
Evelyn's. too. oh. isn't this ripping
floor"
Later on. when they were sitting
out. she said quite suddenly:
DO you know I vas at school with
Evelyn"
I-aydon was rather taken aback, n
fact which obviously delighted her.
II was. You needn't look so in
credulous. We've only met about
twice since. because / was out in
Egypt during the war. and I've only
Just come back 10 town. Yes. we were
al school together. And / was the
awful warning and she was the good
example. You know-Just like tract.
LaNGon looked angry.
I'm sure she wasn't priG. She
81 never said she was"
''Thats what you meant.
Eliza beth laughed.
MY Aunt Elizabeth, the one / m
called after, always said that the end
of my tongue wanted shipping. / ex.
pect she was right. Do you really want
me TO talk discreetiy about nothing at
all? / will IL you like
1t might he dun"
1T would be dull-ditch-water dull.
But I'll do il If you like. / can do IL
beautifully. OF course" she added.
I'D rather not. Indiscretion is really
the only thing that's the least bit IN
teresting-isn't it,
Quite suddenly she allowed a soft.
ness TO veil the lively mockery OF her
glance. Elizabeth. pensive. was really
lovely enough TO melt even the savage
that I-aydon had proclaimed himself.
I'm going 10 he indiscreet." she
said. why do you just stand and
look on
DO -"
You know you do Why do you do
81. Why don't you just plunge in and
lei Yourself CO.,
There was a long pause. Then he
said
I'm sorry ] seem to--warch."
Eiizabeth's color rose brightly.
But / didn't mean that at all. No,
! 6idnt-really. my tongue does
want shipping. you know. only
mes nt--'' She tripped over her own
words and came 10 q standstill
The sleet Of ice which Laydon felt
between himself and all the world
thinned for a moment. Elizabeth's
warm color. her shaken voice. her real
distress, touched him huma
''Mrs Thursley." he said. please
don't. ! don't mind. Please don't
think that / do"
Yes. but you ought 10" said Eliza
beth. You ought 10 mind frightfully.
That's what ! meant. You ought 10
nnind-and yon don't
Layion nodded.
"N hy don't YOU"
lie felt at once the impulse toward
confidence and the complete impossi'
biliiy o. giving way 10 IL. An icy lone
illness fiat sheltered behind indifer-
enee: the esnEe 81 irreparable loss. Of
unnatural aioofneSs the dreamlike
quality Of all the relationship over
which - empty years had passed
these were things not TO be put into
words.
He dd not resent Elizabeth'E touch;
and Kind. and IL was meant for him.
the Laydon of today. and not for some
hslf-remembercd shadow Of long ago.
The music ~ the next dance bi3 red
out racing violently from one discord
10 another. LaHdon STOOD Up and held
out his arm. They passed into IN"
ballroom. and came face 20 face with
Tommy ard Evelyn.
.Eiiz8 beth. stlil n little tremulous.
breke into food ~ teasing nonsense
Il won ( have my dance cut. Tommy
- give YOU fair warning mot for
any one. I've got perfectly fright
fiIl bore ~ pick with YOU. and I'm
going 30 pjct IL without stopping 'ilI
the ne1i 1anne begins. This crash.
bang thing they're playing IL most
appropriate " IL isn't called The
Dentists Drill. IL ought 10 be.
None IT The bert dentists nse drills
that efsxi1 and hang. NJ dear girl,
vino % sou 20 tor
Tp,nmY swept her into the circle Of
dancers ana LayGpn found himself
standing "iib Evelyn, lie had not
meant 80 sp>aK - her. lie certainly
i|G no. meant ~ Gsnef @1th her. bilt
vfhcu' n Nnfd being rpnFen he founG
himself holding her. nloeiGe VAN her
oyer tne sn9Dpth. polished fioDF tn"
sfflG"sFt Strains Df the best )azL band
H. i1ps3don sDftened into Il sudden
Renaissance ~ u GrieR fnei1dy.
The astonishing irony ~ the stu
atm brought II D)'i4t Smile ~ t.ay
fpH's hps. Attef ali The years, - bold
JEe3yn "a he afHE again. nor IN IL
ggtel > tn.bfaet but ia tils liYfi cGG
sentpnai clasp az ~ had juEt held
&sfcIa Ea rls8Fa- Jljzabeth.
j5e flpsed nIfil hef, not ia n lover ;
sp3gl Jds bli ~ this bI3ijiaHt thfouglnp
LsGHd under glare of nghis
TIE Gfaeg nle l3Gy IB,lsted him witt
3as erha - streams and trees and
birds through u )azz nightingale
uttered bTaasg, Fsnsopated triH.
yh"t made ihF sDuud ~ the room
once Btd neither Lad spoken y slngis
wprG. Evelyn had ~ ilstle INTENDED Il
Galee with iIa don az Ia ydpn had in
TENED ~ dance with her.
since hls return he had touched hsi
fWlee once she had given hlin hel
hand and be had taken il ~ au,
etat9.f so}plt have taken H.
Dnce BE- had caught her wrist IL
sHPef.
hoW hln arm was about her, az,
memory drove ti4e touch of u deep in'l
ner consciousness. She did not speak
Leta ase SHE co1id noi pl,suk
Tier feet HnoHed 10 tho rhythm .
fhe danee. 500 lie iasapD she !el
IN glare - lights IT, the kpideh room
tie noise The undesirable pressure q
eli THESE lisoIie.
Then sttddgniH ths strange fhini
ppsHea. h has happened befpre. il