Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-12-26

y spell,bound. OH
EVELYN had turned and was facing
-ben She wore a gold dress that
matched her hair. She wore the
;,earls which had been Jim Layoon
Wedding gift.
and Chris over there. Elizabeth. ola
YOU see them? Tommy, prepare to be
blighted. Evelyn's over there Win
Chris. What's the betting you can
cut him out of a dance!
Elizabeth's gay laugh rang out. her
color had risen. ,
Tommy. you can rely on me. III
make a dead set at Chris. He dances
better than any one else I know-yes.
Tommy. he does. If he didn't he'd ma
out that we all think him rather
bore. At present know he thinks we
love him for himself alone; and we
don't-it's for his dancing.
Some day l shall say to him.
Chris. darling'-thatll be to soften
the blow-Chris, darling, your dane
ing is a dream: but, you. you. my poor
Chris, are a washout.' Yes, she con-
,inued meditatively, Il think wasnout
Is the right word. because he does SO
remind me of sketching.
MY good Elizabeth This was
Tommy.
Elizabeth waved her hands.
We'll. YOU know, you make a
sketch. and then you wash it, and you
90 on washing it until the edges have
gone and everything is nice and wool
". That's what Chris reminds me OF.
by the way" said Marcia Lane In
her abrupt way, did / catch your
name. or didn't I? 1t is Laydon?"
Yes, it's Laydon."
Her couriously bright blue eyes
were rather difficult to meet.
Then are you a relation or Eve
1yr's? l know her rather well. but /
don't think she's ever mentioned you.
Are you a cousin or something"
Laydon laughed rather grimly.
I'm something" he said. Miss
Lane. Ask Evelyn what the exact con-
nection is next time you see her."
Marcia Lane looked puzzled. She
had been In Spain for the Winter. and
had only returned - hours before:
no echo Of the Laydon case had reach
ed her. But the ground under her feet
felt uncertain.
''Relationships are frightfuily COM
plicated things" she said, and turned
her attention to Elizabeth.
Elizabeth was enjoying herself wick.
ediy-Jobbies, on her left. pink with
embarrassment: Giles Mostly and his
wife. agog with curiosity: Marcia. sus-
picious. and Laydon taking the situa.
ton ironically. She was thrilled.
amused and excited.
81 know" she said. We'll get Chris
and Evelyn to Join US. That's Helen
Temperly with them. And the back
Of the other mans head is quite nice
shape. Angela, darling, he shall dance
with you"
Angela looked puzzled. Her at
tention was good deal taken up with
The entree. An enthusiastic amateur
cook, its composition intrigued her.
She did not quite see how she was
20 dance with the back OF any one's
mead; and besides. she had promised
all her dances to Maj. Thursley.
She said so in her placid. even voice;
and Jobbies became pinker than be
fore.
Elizabeth scrubbed rapidly on a
menu, held up the next course while
she explained TO a waiter exactly
which table she wished her message
20 be taken TO. apd then, as Tommy
said. neglected her perfectly good food
n order 10 indulge an indecent curios.
fty as 10 Just how cross Chris would
look when he got IL.
"F1end." said Elizabeth. "F'iend in
more or less human shape. He won't
oe cross at all: he'll love TO dance
with me. Any one wouid-~wouidn'
hey, Giles? There! He's got IL. Now
cts all watch
Chris ElIerslie took the menu card
turned IL this way and that, frowned
over it~-"That." explained Elizabeth
10 because he'E trying to disentangls
my signature from the peaches Melba
Bfx.k 49, Az F.gzf.
They saw his lips move, and thu
bend ~ Pyefyn'e head