Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-12-25

By Patricia Wentworth
copyr,ght. 1897. by }. Lippencott Co.

my dear, forgive me--hut I've some
times wondered whether you had rec.
osnized him. May ask you that""
Evelyn went on looking at the fire.
| After Il moment she said,
Yes
II may ask"
Then do ask. You recognize
him""
Yes" said Evelyn again. She
spoke in n quiet. low tone. Her hands
were folded ON her lap.
She remained quite still for a mo.
ment. Then. before Sir Henry could
speak. she got mp and went to the
window. She pulled the curtain away
and stood looking out into the dark.
ness. Her fiat was high up on the
fourth floor Of the house. She
could see the black tops of trees just
moving like shadows in the quiet
square on her right. Below her street
lamps like bright beads on a dark
thread stretched away and away to
the left. She threw the window open,
and there came in buffet of icy air
and the distant sound Of the great
thorouEhfare beyond e.
size heard Sir Henry come up be.
hind her. and felt his large, gentle
hand on her shoulder.
My dear. that's too cold. Shut II.
She gave a little broken laugh and
pulled the window down: but she did
not turn.
Evelyn. my dear. am not to ask
you anything more"
He felt her culver under his hand.
"No-please."
There was short pause: Sir Henry's
hand fell 10 his side. ......
My dear. do you think 1t Is wise
TO withhold
Evelyn swung round.
I'm not thinking about being wise.
she said. and I'm not thinking about
Cotty. or the family. or even about
YOU. darling, 1'm-I'm only thinking
about him.
She leaned against the dark pane
and held the gold and apricot curtain
in one tightly clenched hand.
Evelyn Sir Henry was certainly
startled. Evelyn, what do you
mean"
Evelyn held her head high.
Il mean | won't rush him. and
won't help any one else TO rush him.
When he wants to say who he Is. he'll
say"
DO YOU think he knows? Evelyn
my dear
Evelyn laughed.
oh. darling" she said, "of course
he knows
About the time that Mrs. Cotty Alb
hott was having tea. Laydon was turn
ing out of St. James street into Pic
cadilly He was a good deal taken up
with his thoughts-and Piccadilly is
not really very good place to think
in.
He bumped into some one. heard a
voice that he knew say "Huilo." in
tones of protest. and found himself
shoulder 10 shoulder with Maj. Thurs
ley. the survivor OF that party of four
who had gone up on a November day
10 years ago--.Iim Field, the two Lay.
dons and Thursley. known Familiarity
as Jobbles.
Laydon laughed to himself at the
recollection of how Thursley had
looked when he trotted out the old
nickname at the war ONCE the other
day
''Hullo. Jobbles"' he said. How are
you9"
Thursley responded without any
marked enthusiasm.
He had developed into one of those
men TO whom correctness liz more than
a religion. and he had no desire to be
mixed up in what he feared might yet
become The Laydon Case"
He was about to pass on when the
very pretty woman on his other side
pinched his arm surreptitiousiy but sc
verely. Next moment he was introduc.
ing Layton TO my sister law. Mrs
Dick Thursiey.' and Mrs. Dick was
being, as the Disguised Thursley put IL
to her later. ''ail over the fellow"
They had quite brisk little quarrel
about IL.
And why shouldn't I. 1 think he's
frightfuIly attractive; and the whole
story lis simply just too romantic for
words
You don't want to get mixed up In
a story of any kind
Mrs. Dick laughed a light. sllvery
laugh.
My blessed Jobbies--wasn't that
what he called you? / think it's sim.
ply the divinist name. and I'm never
going 10 call you anything else
What was ! saying? ! mean what
did you say? Oh. know. You said
that. Of course. ! wouldn't want TO get
mixed up with a romantic story. And
| say that there's nothing in the world
that / should more absolutely adore.
There, Jobbies. dear"
Don't call me Jobbles." said Thurs.
ley stiffiy. And look here. Elizabeth.
even If YOU are all over the fellow, ]
] think YOU might draw the line as ask.
ing man you'd never set eyes on be.
fore TO dine and dance tonight"
'tDifums was:' said Mrs. Dick. "Tf
you're going To be cross you can 30
home all the way back 10 Farnbor.
ough. and then shall he man short
all over again. and my party'li be an
absolute frost and you won't care n
! bit. and some one else will dance all
the evening with Angela Meiklejohn. -
Thursiey permitted himself TO thaw
q little. He WAS man Of method, nd
! fully intended that carefully devoted
cDiirinalp should that evening cui
inmate in II proposal.
| He could not. therefore, afford Ia
! quarrel with Elizabeth at this juno.
! tur". lie reminded himself that she
had her good points. that she was poor
! Dick Il widow and that he depended on
! her good offices with Angela.
| He had reached this point. when
/ Elizabeth gripped him by the arm.
oh, J0bbles. surprising he can't
dance"
Nothing is more probable" said
, Elizabeth groaned aloud In Bond
street
Tell me the worst at once. Did ht
could he daDce~~a thousand years
ago. before the war. ] mean. wheT
even you Wefs gay young thing
could her
No one knows which he is
| could either Of themY Jobhies
DOM he q fiend. Put me out of my
agony. Could they dance? DID the,
dht1cef"
oh. they danced"
But how? How, J1bbtes?"
Elizabeth, / must really asl
yD1I---9-~-''
"HOW7' said Elizabeth firmly, ans
In large capitals.
'tDh. they we're rather star perform
ers. as matter Of fact" Thufsle!
made The admission FeItntantiy