Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-04-22
FIRST rNsTALLMENr (Continued)

The only thing he had been decent
enough TO refrain from doing was laugh
et her, but. Of course, he had been much
100 angry to do that. He had contented
himself with glazing at her in most
unlover-like manner, which demon
strated all too conclusively that his pro-
testations of love made a minute before
had been unprecedented unsound, inSe-
cure and wholly inconsequential. She
was glad now that she had found him
out, because for q month she had been
asking herself II it could be possible
that she was becoming seriously inter-
ested in the man.
She decided now that his unusualnesS,
an compared with the average run Of
men, was what had challenged her In
terest and attention, for, Of course, she
could never afford to admit, even to her
self, that he had aroused every drop Of
sporting blood In her sporty little body.
The fact that he had been Indifferent,
Sentin1entally lethargic-a bit dull, In
fact-had constituted q challenge to
her, and she had resolved to demon
strate to him that he was not: nor by
any possibility ever could be, where she
was concerned, the captain Of his soul,
the master Of his fateI
And he had proved to her what a
monumental failure she had turned out
to be In an art where, to quote Crooked
Bill again, she was supposed to be $50
per cent perfect!
Suddenly Roberta began to laugh.
Such q hearty, merry, mellow little laugh
1t was. Thinks he's won a great VIC
tory" she decided. well, like John
Paul Jones, have not yet begun to
his knees and when have him there
I1l-well, I'll not do anything so un-
1adylike as to put my foot in his face,
but I'll laugh at him! swear I will.
Ill laugh out loud!"
There is ALWAYS a feeling of comfort
when one has come to a decision after
wrestling with a knotty problem. Ro-
berta had her poiSe back again; she felt
again that she was ready to conquer
new worlds and make them like it. SO
she went into her sitting room and
opened the door leading into the hall
and the window that overlooked the We
randa. Then she sat down at her little
boudoir grand piano and played loudly
IT Don't Care If You Never Come
Back" When she had finished that and
was trying to think up another musical
insult. somebody commenced whistling
I'm the Cleaning" from the veranda
The words of the first verse ran through
Roberta's brain:
Think not bitterly of me,
Though passed away in silence,
Left you lonely, set you free.
"He's bit of dog" thought Ro-
berta TRANQUILITY. Then she remembered
the city of his birth, which he had long
since left, so she banged out furiously:
Back, Back, Back to Baltimore!"
Whereupon Mr. Hackett went back, but
not to Baltimore. He went back to the
nF oh al kal dc
Roberta heard him singer rather
chant, for the man was tone-deaf-
"She was happy till she met you,
And the fault is all your own,
If she wishes to forget you,
You will please leave her alone"
Roberta stuck her red head out of the
window. Hey! Hey!" she called.
''We're silly"
"Your apology is accepted" Glenn
Hackett called up to her. without show
ing himself.
ITS terrible thing to have to hate
a human being So" Roberta decided,
and closed the window Then she went
downstairs and found Glenn Hackett
and Crooked Bill in the library.
Lets be good friends Glenn" she
said In her most ingratiating and faS-
cinating manner You are so intelligent |
one can't help being attracted to you,
and usually you're very nice. Really, II
your bank account should ever be
brought to the scar and yellow leaf, you
should set UP as a fortune-teller and
mind-reader."
st thought had read yours correctly.
see now did not"
Indeed, you did. You're marvellous"
you'll marry me when I get ready to
marry you" he charged amiably.
why, you tell jokes, don't you?"
"Time!" Crooked Bill saw that the is
sue was far from clarifying. mo more
of these lovers quarrels, Roberta. Glenn
Is staying for dinner. You'll join us, of
course, honey?"
why, certainly. Uncle Bill. How de-
lightful, Glenn!"
Any man who thinks he can outfence
Q woman is fool, and suddenly Glenn
Hackett realized he was all Of that. Such
realiZations always disturb manly man.
eff remain for dinner, Mr.. Latham, /
fear I'll not be able to do justice to your
excellent cuisine. Therefore, with your
permission, Bobby, and yours, sir, I'd
like to motor back to town."
Crooked Bill was upset. He had
placed his money so to speak. on young
Hackett and now the migrate was run
ming out on him to employ a colloqual
ism. He was prepared to enter Wig
orous protest, but the maid, entering
with q telegram, rendered that impos-
sible.
"A telegram for you, Miss Roberta"
"Thanks, Minna. May II" With uplifted
brows to her uncle and his guest, she
commenced tn tear the enVelop,