Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-12-23

the third time on the door which
IL faced her.
IAN right" said a voice from
within. There was a soft thuddinc
Of stockinged feet, and as the door
opened a lively smell Of cheap seen,
rushed out and mingled with the smell
Of cooking on the stair: onions, patcn'
ouli, cabbage and Irish stew met IT
a horrible blend.
The open door disclosed MISS rains
er in what she called neghgee. II
had been pink once. Its SATIN loius
were unimaginahly creased and faded
and the wisps Of chiffon which chung
TO il here and there resembled. both IN
color and limpness. the cobwebs winch
festoon a neglected room.
"Oh come in. ] can't see VINO you
are, but come in just the same III
sure you're welcome.
Evelyn stepped into a room whose
unfidiness fairly took her breatn
away. An eiderdown. pair OF stays
and a hot-water bottle were the nrs'
objects that met her eyes. They were
an on the floor. while the rest OF MISS
pailiser's wardrobe appeared 10 DE
heaped upon the six chairs ana the
sofa bed. The table held the remains
Of a meal. a pile of fashion papers,
yowtler huff and a pot OF rouge.
Miss PaIliser whisked pair OF torn
purple satin pa jamas off the nearest
chair and said:
do sit down. won't you? m all
INSIDE down But what's the use oil
worrying? II you're caught in mess
you're caught and there's an end or IL.
Noboly's going TO believe you II you
swear yourself black in the face that
you were as tidy as pie Yesterday, and
will he again tomorrow.
She laughed a fat. jolly laugh
kicked the stays under the eiderdoWh
with rather a deft twirl of the foot.
and subsidized on tn a chair which al.
ready supported pair of fiame-coiored
tights and the remains OF an opera
cloak.
EVELYN looked al her with intense
interest. Ten years ago she must
have been awfully pretty. The large
dark eyes; the masses of curly dark
hair; the white. even teeth-these were
still beautiful
Rrt pearl PaIliser was beautiful no
longer she was a very pink pearl m
deed, and there was far. far too mucn
az her. Stout, fiorid. untidy and GOOD
natured. she sat beaming at Evelyn
and waiting to hear her business.
IL was very HlltiEAN " o|Eh'-
"You must be wondering who am.
said Evelyn.
well" said Miss Palliser. ito be
frank. I am wondering a bit You see.
GEAR when / heard your knock l
thought YOU were the wardrobe dealer
1ha. / was eXpecting-a new one thas
I haven't done business with before
P,,, as soon az you came In out of
that t,eastly dark passage j began 10
think / had made mistake. You've
vo, got the business look about you.
50 10 speak.
I'm Mrs. Laydon," said Evelyn
"Mrs. Jim Layton"
Mss PaIiiser regarded her with un'
disguised curiosity.
well. IL that doesn't beat the
hs,d"' she said. Mrs. Jim Laydon
s~s YOU? Well. did think there was
something about your face that ]
r,,1n. IN know But after all. 10
yssrs is 10 years. and ] only saw you
orce. and then when alFs said and
dome there's a lot OF difference be
tween what you've got on now and
-z,hs. YOU had on then. Orange bios
snyns and a white veil In one thing
sn1 a plain black felt's another well.
there. isn't it,
when did you ever see, me-" Eve
Iyn felt rather bewiIdered.
ION. / saw you married-set my
heart on IL. ! had reasons u my own
you see :.
she stopped short and threw quick
look az Evelyn.
Peasons Of her own. Yes. IL she
b.H really married Jack Layton. she
might very well have had reasons of
nsT own for wanting 10 see the CIR
.,ehocn Jack-~Evelyn's thought broke
~ She hoped that her face had
shown nothing.
II stood in the crowd. and ] "a A"
.so,, 20 in, and ] saw you come ou,,
LA Miss Pailiscr. Il might have
cen In the church, and pretty high
ia TOO. but was never one 10 pusf
,,'wself to make unp!eass ntnesE. II
I'm not wanted. I'm not wanted, and
STAY away. ] never think pushing 4
ynrth syiniie--6o your
EVELYN made an effort. II onis
,asye were not such q smell VI scent
in the room,
Miss PsIliser." she said. why did
.,.,, come TO my wedding Uon'i
,t,nk me 3nauisitive; bat ] really came
,ers 10 see If you could help me.
Rink you must guess v nat mean