Evening star., 1928-01-10

UVHWYH
"Mr. Paul. Miss Brown said, "y0u I
allowed 10 finish
appeared. She made her usual gay
and somewhat exuberant entrance,
but she was pale and it seemed to her
friend. watching her anxiously. that
there were signs Of trouble in her
face.
"Tell me all the news. you mysteri,
Gus little MOTH" she invited. throw.
ing off her hat, curling herself up on
the bed and lighting cigarette. i've
a whole budget myself"
Nothing has happened up here,
Miss Brown declared. II have just
done my work. gone to bed at night
and got up in the morning. What's s
been happening with you?"
''Oh. no end OF things" Frances de.
clared. fiicking the ash from the end
Of her cigarette-"mostly connected
with our cosmopolitan acquaintance.
Mr.. Noel Frankland."
Miss Brown looked grave. There
was nothing in her mind more certain
than the fact that she disliked Mr..
Frankland very much.
Tell me everything. please" she
invited.
well. he wrote and asked If he
could motor down and see me. so in.
vited him up to tea"
"Well?"
Frances made a little grimace. Her
speech became slower. She spoke as
though the subject were distasteful to
her.
He came twice--behaved I'm the
usual fashion. The second time he
told me that he was married"
81 shouldn't think" Miss Brown
said soberly. that that would matter
very much TO you except that under
the circumstances he ought not to
have come and called upon you at all.
Do you really think that he is a nice
man. Frances?'
"Nice? OF course. he isn't nice"
was the impatient rejoinder. II don't
think that any men are nice nova
days. He told me that he was mar.
ried In one breath and asked me TO
motor down to Hastings with him the
| next. He suggested Brighton first.
but thought that Hastings might be
quieter. And then he reminded me
that he was q public man whose
movements always attracted a great
deal Of attention"
''Beas,r' Miss Brown exclaimed em.
| phatically.
Yes" Frances agreed. II felt like
that exactly. It's good word and yet
! wanted 10 60"
You don't really like him." Miss
Brown gasped.
Frances threw away the end Of her
cigarette.
II think. In a way. that he's de.
testable." she replied. II understand
him better than be thinks. and that Is
the conclusion have come TO. He's
| coarse and he's domineering. and he's
| almost humorously egotistical. but he
has power. Edith, and a quaint. I'm.
pressive kind OF virility. He makes
me realize all the time that he's q
man. Some Of them don't
II hope that you're not going TO see
hia again." Miss Brown said anx'
iously.
Frances shrugged her shoulders.
Il don't know. When IL comes TO
the pinch. you know. I'm rather
tin!cky. hate his ill.made clothes.
his braggad0cio. his rs nting speeches.
/ hate all Of them. butt don't know
whether you can understand this--he
seems 10 bring with him such an at.
fnosphsrs Of vivid life. and I'm get
ting TO hate my chickens. Edith: to
wish / lived upon hill or somewhere
else. 4 muddy lane and some build
ings with tin roofs. that ia all can
see from my windows-~and rain. 1t
always raine. There are always long
patches of Hood in the meadow. The
evenings there are horrible. try 10
read~~I can't. think physically I'm
TOO much alive 10 sit still and Use my
brain only. want something for my
eyes 10 rest upon with pleasure, music
for my body 10 move to, warmth~~we
can only get hs ndfui Of Goals there
down In ths country now. since they
have begHn 10 talk about this strike
and plenty of light. SomehoW or other
whatever sort nf lamp We buy seems
u smoke and smell"
Wen, anyhow. yours up Tor The
night nov. aren't youy" Miss Brown
reminded her chserfuily. wen go
OUT somewhere and tass d good time.
You haven't made any plans" she
ADDED. with sudden anxiety.
A"n@ az all. fra nct.s u ssslfed her.
9f. FrahkiaHd pressed me 10 say
~hsii l. wSs coming up, but ha ven [
iht him know. tis thinks I'fn down
there struggling against my infattia.
/ ton TOR him. And he's perfectly coa.
bdsEt tE5t In d few days ! shall walk
into hts 0fncs-~he has d private sitting
room there, he keeps on telling me
an1 fall into his arms"
Miss Brown shisered She XHs very
deiaatsIy strung and there were times
when her friends plain speech re,
VOTED her.
y haven't told you lhs rest Of my
news yet" Frances went on. "A
fHssiDn wonaG's been over ~ see me
once Or twice. They own the big
house the other side II the village aud
"Dine down ~ hUni two ia " "a week
S.hs IN rather nice, ftu know all
siS'ut her. eApect~~fhe Princess
SstreDan"
Bliss Brown nodded
sEs writes very clever novels, b Dd
sbs's q wonderful musician, too. MY
young man down at Hampstead has
. bDok Of her hnsba nd's on sociology.
they ought 10 make things more IN
tsrsstiDs for You Frances ana
they're worth while"
They ere only down two days "A
week. aud they always have such d
| crowd ~ people" Frances complained.
"AnyWays they've asked us both 10 d
party tonight al their house in Thsi,
ses,"
"Isut how delightful tor you!
G0pl1n't DDNeiLiy no. III GDufss. bat