Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-03-24

sickening suspense, and then the top
hat he loved nearly as much as life
itself was rolling across the lobby with
a stout man in the uniform OF an
admiral in pursuit.
In the sharp agony of this happen
ing, 1t had seemed to Ambrose that he
had experienced the worst moment OF
his career Then he discovered that 1t
was, in reality, the worst but one.
The sorrows crown of sorrow was
achieved an instant later When the adj
miral returned, bearing in his hand a
battered something that, for space,
Ambrose was unable to recognize.
The admiral was sympathetic. There
was bluff, sailorly sympathy in his
voice as he spoke.
Here you are, sir" he said.
X X n X
A THOUGH he spoke in the easy
vefSation, his voice had in 1t a purpose
full note. He seemed like an admiral
who was waiting tor something; and
Ambrose as If urged by some hypnotic
spell, produced half crown and
pressed it into his hand. Then, placing
the remains on his head, he tottered
across the lobby to Join the girl he
loved.
That she could ever, after seeing him
in a hat like that, come to love him in
return seemed to him, at first, unbeliev-
able. Then Hope began to steal shyly
back. After all, it was in her cause
that he had suffered this great blow.
She would take that into account
Furthermore, girls OF Roberta Wick
hams fine fiber do not love a man
entirely for his hat. The trousers count,
so do the spats. 1t was in a spirit
almost optimistic that he forced his
way through the crowd TO the spot
where he had left the girl. And as
he reached it the squeaky voice OF Old
Tinker smote his ear.
"Golly!" What have you done to your
hat?"
Another squeaky voice spoke. Wiifred
was regarding him with the offensive
interest of a biologist examining some
lower organism under the microscope.
II say" said Wilfred, II don't know
if you know it. but somebody been
sitting on your hat or something. Did
you ever see hat like that Tinker?"
Never in my puff" replied his friend.
Ambrose gritted his teeth. Never
mind my hat! Where's Miss Wickham?"
"Oh. she had to Co." said Old Tinker.
III was DOL lOT d IilOilltub lIisst Vic
hideous meaning of the words really
penetrated Ambrose's consciousness.
Then his jaw fell.
Go? Go where?"
Il don't know where. She went"
"She said she had just remembered
an appointment" explained Wilfred.
she said"
that you were to take us in, and
she would join us later, if she could
she rather thought she wouldn't be
able to, but she said leave her ticket at
the box-of1ice, in case"
Ambrose eyed them wanly. All his
| instincts urged him to wash his hands
of the whole business and stride away
| But love conQuers all.
! Reason told him that here were two
small boys, good deal ghastlier than
| any small boys he had yet encountered
But love, stronger than reason, whis-
! pered that they were sacred trust
Roberta Wickham expected him to take
J them to the movies and he must do it.
I And such was his great love that not
yet had he begun to feel any resent
ment at this desertion Of hers. No
| doubt, he told himself, she had some
good reason. In any one shade less
divine, the act of sreaking of and
landing him with these two germs
might have seemed culpable; but wha;
he felt at the moment was that the
Queen could do no wrong.