Evening star., 1928-05-22

Observation-Disclosures
only q mass Of stained and twisted and
dirty satin, embroidery and tinsel.
Life Was All Joy.
But that was all part OF the fun.
Life was all Joy to Beatrice now.
The Palmer hciress had been the sur
prise ard the success OF the whole az
fair She had been given a solo dance,
and in a full skirt Of Armenian pink,
with embroidered apron and kerchiai.
she had danced it. superbly. Even to
Patricia she had seemed TO be newly
charming. simple, unspoiled and amu8-
ing. Happiness had worked its Ole
miracle in the girl
On the opening night Of the kermess
there had been dinner party for 20
persons at the Castle, and it had been
an amazing and successful dinner. And
after it they had bundled into cars
and rushed to the theater, where
Beatrice led the march with Harry
Page For fouf consecutive wonderful
nights the program had been repeated
the laughter, the footlights, the musi~
and costumes. the makeup men. with
their black cases, the compliments and
applause and flowers.
But more than all these. as Beatric"
knew. and as Patricia knew better than
Beatrice, was Sidney. Even the young-T
girl was not more conscious Of tn
words. the looks little acts that vsTc
| exchanged between them, than wa5
Patricia
To Patricia he was changed. Not
colder: on the contrary. there was a
new tenderness and gentleness in his
manner Not less interested. for sh7
had only to make the slightest claim
fa3r a%4 al t-mr
But there was a strange moodinesS
certain reckless gayety followed by
bitterness that was all unlike the
old Sidney. She knew him so we'll that
she knew he hated himself for the
charm he found in Beatrice, and for
/ the curious power the girl seemed 10
hold over him
Her very crudities seemed to have
gauche appeal. He never spoke Of
her to Patricia, yet when Beatrice was
| in the company he seemed unable 70
| see any one else.
Only once, after one OF the early
sittings. they had spoken Of her.
"Undeveloped little plebeian hand"
Patricia had commented on the por-
trait
"Plebeian. but not undeveIopedi" he
had answered quickly. There Is as
tonishing character there. Pat--dont
fool yourselfi'
And, of course. that undevelopcd
hand could write check that would
make both Of us lose consciousness J"
Patricia had remarked. She had been
surprised to see his lean face color
and to have him answer with . GER
tain annoyed .brevtty:
Exactly"
He was not often in actual conversa-
ton with the girl today, but he was
never for one instant unaware OF her.
Beatrice was with younger group.
Her usually pale cheeks were blazing
and mere youth had lent her beauty
she did not really possess.
She looked her best in daring tar
habit. with tailored breeches buttoned
into soft military puttees. Her soft hai-
was brushed UP under the curled brirl
Of an English riding hat: her girlisn
throat rose from the loose folds Of an
immaculate white silk shirt.
Patricia's own group was about her.
but they found her curiouslv silent and
absent-mindeo She was beautiful g
always. gracious as always. but IN man
ner not herself. Her chair was place
inconspicuously in the curve Of grc0.
window and she studied the gatheri1S
with q shadow in her lovely eyes.
Blood VS.. Lucre.
She had accomplished her end swift
| ly and completely. Beatrice Palmer
was In the heart Of the good times
now accepted, admired, even followed.
so fickle Is fashionl
In eight weeks Patricia had done for
her what she herself might not have
accomplished IN eight years. Roge-
Chambers. Art Bruce and young Fred
Bishop we're all clustering about her:
this arlet-cheeked young rider with
the millions might have any one OF
them in another eight weeks!
Never before had Patricia CHEESE
hrough experienced jealousy. But she
felt it now; now when she saw Annie
Throckmorton stop for an indulgens
word with Beatrice. when she heard
Hattie Page praising her to consent
ing group.
For the first time she balanced her
own blood and position against this
other wonlan's mere money. and found
her own claim wanting. When Bea-
trlce's pale-blue eyes found favor with
Roger or Art or Fred, then Patricia
would be financially established for life;
after how short and simple laborl
But sitting here this morning. IN tho
good atmosphere Of sunshine and wood
smoke and coffee and laughter. her
heart was lead Beatrice might have
won everything else. but not Sidney.
"Oh. my" said Patricia to herself.
desperately; sit is not fart"
Dan. too, standing In the fireplace
and deep in discussion with the older
Partridge on the merits Of his Dexter
cattle, was far from sharing the gen
eral gayety OF the assembly. When his
eyes moved to his sister his whole faoc
frightened, 10 be sure. for 1t was like
a miracle to see Pansy in her rigHS
place.
But his glance would move from her
To Patricia. Sittingly gravely watching
the room from under the brim OF her
black hat. and when he found her
his heart would close in . SpaSm OF
sheer pain
SO beautiful. so adored, so inacceSSi-
bic. Dan could not bear to look at her.
and yet her image was never for an
instant absent from his thoughts.
Whatever he did and said in these days
was done and said In the new dedica-
tion OF his life 10 the hopeless love of
her. was dignifled by the consciousness
that he had been marked apart for
the agony and ecstasy Of love.
Nothing In his life had ever so thor
oughly absorbed him. Love for Patricia
was his business. his religion. his re-
Taxation. his whole existence, To see
her fine hands now. locked Idly before
her on the table. 10 see her urSnfling.
level gaze fixed on the man beside her.
TO watch the beautiful mouth as She
briefly answered him. and tho rise ana
fan OF her breast under the thin silk
blouse. WAS 10 cause himself a sort cf
suffocation.
IN few weeks, Dan muSed. Beatrice
would announce her choice. He knew
who ii would be. even though she and
Sidney were hardly glaneing toward
each other today.
The painter was more than twice
her age, but Dan was content. n he
loved her. II he would give her the
life for which she longed. IL was
enough.