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

IL her. Jessica fused over her
tartly asked great many
questions about things that did not
matter i'm the least. and dld not 50
much as mention I.aydon's name. 1t
was very restful To hear JeSsica rag
ing because there was cobweb on
her bedroom cornice. and to ne
brought hot soup. and to have her
suit case unpacked, and to be scolded
vehemently for the way she had
crushed teagown.
Jessica did everything vehemently.
She was a little peaked creature with
sharp. transparent features and short
tossed hair gone prematurely gray.
She had scolded Evelyn necessarily
for the last five years and loved her
with an intense devotion.
Evelyn fell asleep after her journey.
feeling that it was pleasant TO he AT
home again. In the morning, when
breakfast had been disposed of.
Jessica planted herself on the hearth
rug in a manly attitude, and said in
her quick staccato:
II suppose YOU know your heastly
cousin. Cotty Abbott. has been here
every single moment Of the day and
night, wanting to know when you
were coming back"
should l know" said Evelyn. Then
Sophy let him.
"Sophy's been around. too. When
Il wasn't one. il was the other-some-
times both. Now when the bell rings
] just say Damn and bolt-it's GER
tain to be one of them. and little of
your Cousin Cotty goes a long. long
way"
II don't want TO see Cotty. Why
see Cotty."
'Cotty wants TO see you" said Jes-
sica. grimly. You're in for it. my
child. He's sticker. Cotty is. What
the odds that's him now"
The bell rang its peal to the end,
and Jessica darted to the drawing
room door.
''Oh, Jess, stay" walled Evelyn.
Not L." Jessica whisked away as
the maid came into the hall. A mo-
ment later Evelyn was having her
hand pressed by Cotty Abbott, whose
tight handshake was one of the things
which endeared him to his relatives.
"Beastly feeling having your hand
held on to as If it were bone AMI
Cotty were a dog" Jack Laydon had
said once long ago"
Evelyn detached her fingers. re-
sisted the temptation to rub them, and
sat down. Cotty sat down. too. stiffiy
street. and rather on the edge of the
chair He was dressed with extreme
correctness, and wore a ceremonial
manner.
Il am very glad to find you here.
he observed. Cotty didn't say things,
he made observations and remarks.
Understanding will perhaps have
told YOU that I've called here several
times during your absence. She was
rather-er-indefinit as to the prob
able date of your return"
yes, she didn't know. You wanted
to see me?"
''Yes. I wanted to see you most par
ticuIarly-er-most particularly"
OF all the unconscionable hours to
want to see one most particularly.
The sound of Ponson clearing break.
fast could be heard from the next
room, and the sound of Jessica clat-
tering the fire-irons. thing she was
very prone to do when annoyed.
Cotty Abbott gaZed at Evelyn sol
EMMY. cleared his throat and re-
marked
Your position. my dear Evelyn, is.
II | may say so, one of great delicacy.'
He cleared his throat again. LAS l
said to Sophy only this morning. Eve
lyn's position in this matter is really
one of extreme delicacy.'
And what did SOphy say" Evelyn
looked down 10 hide an exasperated
twinkle.
"Sophy agreed with me-she agreed
with me fully. She said that she real
ly failed to recall situation of SINH
lar delicacy in her-in fact, in all her
wide social experience"
oh" said Evelyn. COtty made
her want to scream. And the worst
of being properly brought up is that
YOU can't scream when YOU want to-
LAS Sophy said TO me from the
very beginning: 1T is your undoubted
duty to speak to Evelyn. My I'M
pleasant duty / said. And Sophy
thereupon reminded me that ii was
not my habit to shirk any duty merely
because il was unpleasant. All the
Mendip-ffollintons hold very strong
views indeed on points like these-er-
very strong views indeed"
What did you want to say to me?"
Cotty drew himself a trihe more
erect.
MY dear Evelyn, it's not what l
want to say, but what | feel it my
duty to say. AS ! pointed out 10 the
children at a local gathering in the
schoolhouse the other day-a festive
occasion. in fact, treat very gener-
ously given by Sir John Upton but
was asked to say a few words. to--er-
I'm point of fact. address them-as |
said to the children: ''Duty-er-is-
er-at once the mainstay and the-er
sheet anchor of the British char
acter. In-er-duty our national in
stitutions have their root, their
growth, their-er-foliage -and their
fr,Iitage. Sophy considered that
had put it very happily"
Evelyn felt little bewildered-one
did with Cotty; he depressed so much
that one did not always know whether
one was listening TO quotations from
SONNY, or from "a speech, or to some
thing which Cotty really wanted to
say to you.
(which bit of that was what you
wa nted to say to me. Cotty?" she
asked with a charming smile.
"Cotty'' pursued his way:
mo, as Sophy said, l am not the
man to shirk an unpleasant duty. And
as said to Sophy, She ought to
know-Evelyn certainly ought 10
knew Tom Mendip-ffollinton thought
so. too.
mo what il Is that ] ought To know .
Tom Mendip-Ffollinton was very
strongly of the opinion that you
should be fully informed. all the Men
n.FfolIintons have very strong
oninions. He added that he consid
cred your position an extremely deli
cate one, and that you had his fullest
sympathy"
Evelyn felt a strange ingratitude
Ger Mr.. Thomas Mendip follinton 8