The Washington times., 1928-12-24

But the look was gone in flash
and the mocking smile had taken
its place.
Don't worry about Iris. sister.
She knows her way around" And
now his aplomb was such that ne
might have added, "She belongs
to me, doesn't she? Well, them
"Oh, you!" Mary scoided after
he had gone. Cant you see be-
yond the end of your noses, any
Of your"
She went in search of her cousin
and found Iris engaged in her
favorite occupation OF doing three
things at once. reading a novel,
smoking a cigarette and eating
chocolate. The pale head rested
on q pillow of indigo satin and
chiffon negligee. blue as the
bright. September sky and edged
with marabout like bits OF fleecy
clouds clung to her slenderness.
She looked, altogether. like some
old masters portrait of an angel,
soft and delicate and ethereal.
Mary glanced at her own reflec-
tion in the mirror-the firm lines,
sleek, brown braids at her ears,
olive skin flushed with health and
good.humor-all robust depend.
abfIity--and her heart softensd to-
ward her cousin. One must be
gentle with anything so beautiful
as Iris.
''eDar," she began, did you ever
stop TO think that Cosmo loves
you? He does. awfully. ! saw, it
i'm his face Just now"
Don't be sentimental. Has he
gone? Because IL he has III get
Aren't you a little rough with
him?"
"Oh. lord, Mary He'd think I'd
gone mad il / started to cling.
Cosmos all right. Just ring for
Fiji. will you?"
The two girls; alone in the
house, were having tea In the
drawing room when Junior
brought home the Burleighs,
young married couple with whom
Iris maintained the sort of armed
neutrality which passed for In
timacy in her set.
Ethel Burleigh was a sleeked'
back, vivacious creature given to
long earrings and cocktails. She
addressed her husband as Bur"
and paid no more attention TO
him than he paid to her. She
flirted with Junior in a bold, tri-
urnphant manner which evidently
annoyed Iris for she insisted upon
taking Mrs. Burleigh and Mary
upstairs to see some new gowns.
When they came back Junior
bridge and Junior with a ha-
rassed expression, was writing out
an 1. o. u.
II told him Jim played a
crooked game" Iris spoke up dis.
agreeably. And you'd better not
let Del see any cards around
here. | heard what he said to
you the other night"
The Burleighs laughed and Jun.
ior flushed. 1t was while every
one except Iris felt awkward and
embarrassed that she suggested
going out. We've found a stun.
ming new place. Ethel. You'll be
wild about it,"
''Oh. His. you wouldn't"' Mary
put her hand up in shocked,
anxious protest, Y her eyes dark
with worry. why, that would
be terrible thing to do
The others overruled her with
shouts of laughter. And so. in
the end. she was drawn into
second visit to the Emerald Cafe.
1t was early and the resort
had not yet put aside the rem.
nants of its daytime Iethargy.
! However, Mrs. Burleigh greeted
everything with squeals of de-
light and declared the shoddy
place just too priceless. Junior
drank very little, keeping rather
close to the sleeked-back woman
and watching her husband. Mary
wondered If he were attracted by
this Ethel. and feared her hus-
| band would find it out.
The red-haired burglar was not
there. Iris sent searching look
about and Mary knew she was
seeking him; she sensed her cou-
sims disappointment. And pres
emily the light was dimmed and
the girls who had come to their
table the night hefore-Nell IN
| wilted green chiffon-sang her
/ grooming little Irish songs. Very
sweet tha1 were, poignant some