Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-08-18
Copyright. 1890, By Dutield and Company.

Emily put an arm around her and
kissed her, and Dagger, who loathed
women's caresseS as rule, was touched.
II owe you very much. my dear"
Emily said a trifie huskily. II don't
know what Dick would have done DUR
ing. those unhappy years bat for you
and that precious uncle OF yours.
But let's not talk of itl''
Dagger was surprised at herself sec
ond time. Those unhappy years!" The
years Emily had been Towards wifel
But instinctively Dagger had grasped
that the woman intended them to be
no reflection upon the husband she had
lost. They were years that had been
unhappy for all three persons concerned
and the fact of unhappiness was not to
be blamed upon any one OF the three.
1t was just one of ife's accidentS-or
ironies-depending upon how you viewed
the comedy Of existence. No more per-
sonally unjust than the situation it had
indirectly brought Dagger herself into.
You don't owe me anything" Dag
ger answered a,% gently. Dick gave US
I'm glad you're happy now"
And Emily drew her closer.
Poor child! Your happiness has been
fleeting."
Dick coughed apolosetically.
Damned serious, this conversation"
he Complained. Don't worry about
Dagger, Emily. She's battler; fights
her Say through"
An undertone in his voice, a side
glance he gave her. notified Dagger was
unaware of her feeling for Howard, and
for this she was thankful. However
pleasantly surprised she was to dis
cover that the pale, blonde creature"
she had hated was actually lovable and
attractive, she couldn't resist feeling
that Emily was one person she'd never
be able to share Howard with In thought
or reflection.
Indeed, ct the bare recollection that
Howard had belonged TO Emily-in q
technical sense, at least-she expert
enced Sickening revulslon, which she
was at pains to conquer as unworthy
OF her and unfair to a woman who had
never consciously wronged her-who, IN
deed, had suffered for years through no
fault of her own *,
When Dagger entered the salon for
breakfast next day the first object to
catch her eye. was the vase of orchids
De Senac had sent The Frenchmarl's
courtly note had excited her imagina-
ton, and, slipping at her coffee, she
wondered if he had indicated what she
was confident an American would
have intended--a desire to serve her
personally. No harm In finding out.
He would be q novel figure in her ex-
per1ence-moreover would form q link
with Howard, and more than ever, after
seeing Emily the night before, she
hungered for d contact with Howard
Tree from the subtle complications of
sex jealousy. so straightway she sat
down at her desk and wrote q pleasant
acknowledgment of De Senac's gift,
concluding with an invitation to tea the
following afternoon.
ri AZ IA T.
an envelope in her hand when she re-
turned that evening from a Sightseeing
tour.
From Dick? Dagger had forgotten
her note to De Senac, written during
her period OF depression, and she was
surprised to- see his name at the bot
tom of the brief message:
1T will afford me great pleasure to
attend you, madame, tomorrow after
"DE sENAC."
Her hrSt reaction was one OF amuse-
ment. The formal taciturnity was so
at variance with the promptness of the
reply to her invitation. But she real
lied Sensibly that she was ignorant of
the details OF French social intercourse,
and on second thoughts was mildly in
trlgued by the outlook for the morrow.
DaggerS second awakening In Paris
was happier than her first. She had
begun to feel that she belonged in her
new surroundings and the prospect of
De Senac's call assured her against
boredom.
A bath and q rest in the afternoon
and she summoned Marie to help her
dreSs Tor De Senac's visit, choosing for
her frock slight, black dress, such as
a schoolgirl might have worn. It en-
phaslzed the youth Of her features.
which still retained q trace of the
rounded contour of adolescence. Her
ivory cheeks were innocent of makeup.
as was her custom, and she used no lip.
stick on her mouth,
She was family excited. Moving about
the salon, shifting flowers, making GER
tam that cigarettes and cigars were
mandy, touching up the contents of the
tables, telephoning the mAitre d'hoteI
instructions for tea. she wondered FREE
quently what her visitor would be like
TALL dragon Of a man? An exquisite.
mincingly refined? A self-containe6
thinker? Quiet2 Talkatiye? Aseertive9
Gontemptuous of foreigns? Amorous?
Continued Tomorrow