Evening star., 1927-11-20

would misinterpret his motive-or.
worse yet, they would grasp it. And
they would be shamed and insulted.
OF course, they would. Didn't he
know their kind? Hadn't he been
born among people just like that?
| Whatever else happened, he surely
didn't want to hurt their feelings.
That meant that he must stay in
character. They must never know. or
even suspect, the truth. The. simplest
thing to do was to pretend some other
engagement and go and lurk in the
foyer. In that case, the girl would
probably consent to leave in few
minutes. Hadn't she clearly implied
that her decision rested on his book
ing?"
"Sit down, mister" said the man.
IT got another idea"
| Trowbridge sat down.
| "Well, it's kind of like this, we're
liable to miss Monte Carlo tomorrow
because / got to see this dentist
again, and this boat sails tomorrow
before supper time. So what If you
| gave Posy, my daughter, a couple
more turns. and then you showed us
in where they gamble? I'd like she
saw it, But / don't know the ropes,
so maybe you could guide us. And
we'd still get to bed by somewheres
about ha' past eleven. I'd make it
all right with you. What say?"
Trowbridge looked at the girl and
| then at his watch. He made another
survey of the room and still saw no
one whose opinion he courted. why,
yes" he said, slowly, that could be
arranged"
SAY" said the man. "You talk
| like an American"
! II am an American" said Trow'
| bridge. amused
NO! Honest? Well, that's a horse
on me. You're so dark completed
YOU could be most anything. But
how'd a bright young feller like you
get in this kind Of a game, anyway?
Been in it long,"
NO, not very long" said Trow-
bridge. "And it was really by acci-
dent"
Him! Shouldn't wonder il it was.
I mean, size up men pretty quick.
This don't look like your caliber.
What's the matter, couldn't you find
you a hejob?"
ooh, daddy" breathed the girl, re.
proachfully.
Keep still. Posy. I'm kind of in.
terested in this young feller. I don't
| QultS Iudko llIII OuL.
The orchestra, however, had re.
sumed, and Trowbridge stood up. If
mademoiselle would care to fox trot i?
! Mademoiselle did care to. Having
shed part of her first diffidence, she
talked. She asked a question or two,
and replied to others. Their name
was Moulton. And his name? Beg
pardon, she hadn't quite caught it.
| Why, they came from the Middle
West. They came from a place call.
| ed Cowan. Why. what made him so
surprised? Had he ever heard. of it?
Really? Most people hadn't But her
| father was in business there. and
| there was also a college. And it was
| funny. his name being Trowbridge,
| because. only about six or seven years
ago her father had bought out the
| l.. T. Trowbridge Co., and at about
the same time that same l.. r. Trow-
bridges son had been a wonderful
halfback at Cowan. Could it be any
relation?
We'll, everything's possible" said
Trowbridge, and held her closer, for
she was adorable. But he would have
given a great deal If he had only had
sufficient presence of mind to have
said that his name was Smith or
Schoenfuss or Simpkins or anything
else in the whole directory.
why. you're shivering," she said,
startled.
"No. I'm not. I'm not, really"
Suddenly she smiled into his eyes.
There's no use trying to fool me-"
| she said, because 1 remember you
perfectly. I didn't at the beginning,
but l do now. AS soon as l connect.
ed the name. l saw you play OIL
alumni field too often" They came
to a halt directly in front of her
father. Daddy" she said, don't you
recognize Beau Trowbridse from
Her father stared. "Are you Lew
Trowbridge's boy? Is that a fact?"
why" Even in his social
torture. he was too proud to deny
1t. "Why-yes."
"Why. of course, you arei Good
grief. man, it sticks out all over you!
How'd ever come to skip 1t? You're
his image! Well if this don't beat the
Dutch! But-but then what are you
doing here?"
"Why-I live her" said Trowbridge.
'Shake hands! Sit down! Well,
this beats me! didn't know your pa
so awful well-met him off and on
but I knew of him for 80 years. He
was a prince. Yes, sir, he was a.
prince. We bought it out when he
died. It's one of my branches; we
got II. Sit down.
Trowbridge sat down. "You-you
say you bought ,it?"
Didn't you know? Sure we did!
Paid forty thousand. And you're his
boy? My goodness, what are you in
had big money. Heired it off some
| relative or other-they said it was "a
lot. Blew it. did you? Tell me all
about it. Man, I'm your own people"
There isn't much to tell, Mr.
| Moulton. I'm here because / like it,"
Like it? Like this kind Of a job?
Lew'd spin in his grave! No. listen.
son, let's talk right out. Why, !
wouldn't have spoken to you, il 1
hadn't sized you up first. No, sir.
And then to find out your pa was Lew
Trowbridge! lit kind of takes my
breath away"
FOR an instant Trowbridge was in.
clined to enact the grand seigneur.
He was inclined to reveal his true
| status in society-without revealing
| his financial status-and claim that
he had recognized Mr.. Moulton, and
that the entire proceeding had been a
joke. But, on the other hand. there
might be some merit in strategy, for
there was no guessing. what the eve.
ming might hatch.
| He said blandly: "Well, have you
anything better to suggest. Mr..
Moulton?"
The man peered at him. "Well, I
| might. at that"
Really"
Couldn't be any worse. anyhow.
| You're busted, amt you? Well, why
don't you come back to America.
where you belong?"
"And do what?'
F., We'll. what can you do?"
| That's a different story"
| Moulton regarded him keenly. "Son