Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-01-19

McNamara drew her face down and
kissed 1t. What a blessing I'm used
to that, Lanny, and have learned to be
kind to the aged. Here, quit pulling my
hair. woman" ~
The doorbell began ringing. ~
whats wrong with you, hAnnyf"
Stephen demanded when LAnny Gd-
mitted him. II rang half . dozen
times" ~
do you good to wait once in
while" she snapped back at him.
Mac" he declared, you HAYS q
proprietary air about you"
And well may" McNamara replied
pertly. I've Just popped the question
to Lanny and we've agreed to jump over
the broomstick together
I've been expecting this, Dan. she
hasn't been worth q cancelled postage
stamp 10 me since she met you"
Stevie darling. oh, couldn't leave my
boyl"
Stephen held out his arms and Lanny
ran into them. And then Stephen
warned Dan that II he wasn't goodyto
Lanny he would hypnotic him, as, he
had hypnotized p. Flynn, and sell him
the idea he was pet poodle. 30 Ianhy
could kick him around at will.
"You what2" Mcnamara yelled
You put the comether on Flynn?"
Certainly" And Stephen told him
the story.
Three hundred years ago in Salem,
Mass" said Dan Mcnamara, you
would have been burned for q witch"
The door bell rang insistently. Now
who can that be?" Lanny exploded. =
Dan rolled out of the kitchen and
down the hail. Then Stephen and
Lanny heard the door slammed vio-
lently; there was a scufile and some
thing crashed to the floor. ..
He came into the kitchen q moment
later. leading by her handcuffed wrist
none other than Penelope Gatlin.
She wouldn't kiss me first" he an
nounced, so I put the cuffs on her
the little vixen"
"Oh, Lanny, you darlingi And
Stevle, you sweetheart" Penelope
cried, and extended her manacled arms.
Lanny lodged in under them and
folded the girl to her heart. "You
next Stevie." Penelope ordered, and
obediently Stephen lowered his head
and the Topped arms came around his
neck and drew his face down. And
now, Dan," the girl cooed, and turned
her face upward.
Mcnamara laughingly uncuffed her.
why didn't you cable us?" Stephen
demanded, trifle severely.
Il adore surprises. that's why"
Why did you come back?" Nc
Namara demanded.
The proper place to hide ones self
Is in the spot one is supposed to have
fed from.
''Lanny. don't let them stand around
staring at me and asking me questions
moaned Penelcpe. I'm hungry and so
tired. Can I have my same little bed
tonight?"
You can have anything and every
thing you want, my dear"
want Stephen" came the answer.
family tired. and the girl went to him
and leaned her sleek black head against
ms breast i've missed you 90,
Stephen held her close with his left
arm, and his right hand came up and
cautiously fingered her poor nose.
Gods on our side, Lanny," he told his
nurse. Tomorrow I want you to ar
range for room in St. Dunstan's
Hospital. Wen get Boyd to operate"
Please, Stephen, do I have TO 90
away any more?" asked Nance.
No, not any more, my dear"
AND you'll NIX my nose? wanted
TO have 1t done in Paris, but when vol,
sent me that cablegram couldn't. of
1 course; can I have Just the nose I
Yes, little wanderer. And vh.r
mats done you shall have the kind Of
nome you want. You've been lost in the
woods, poor babe, but I'll lead Won ont
imaginable"
McNamara had, throughout this
scene, felt q lump in his throat. He
glanced at Lanny and saw the tearS of
sympathy In her brave. kindly eyes, so
10 avert a scene he growled huskily:
when do we eat?"
For the first time since Penelope
Gatlin, alias Nance Belden, had come
under his notice, Stephen Burt had a
reasonable opportunity to examine the
girl, when, following dinner at Lanny's
house, Penelope, Lanny, Dan Mcnamara
ana stephen retired to the drawing
room. Despite the strain Of her rec
undertaking journey from Europe.
Penelope was not so tired that she
wished to retire early. She Joined in
the general conversation, and Stephen
noticed that she seemed inclined to be
argumentative, but her arEssments in
d1cated no cogent thought; frequently
she employed the patois of the under
world; her language was racy and lido
matte. He noticed that her laugh was
sudden, loud-the laugh of a vulgarian.
She was nervous; her hands twined and
intertwined continuously, she moved.
about the room great DEAL and finally
came to rest on Stephens knees. She
looked into his eyes searchingly for a
long time and then said accusingly:
You don't care for me-"
Why do you think that, Pene1ope?"
Because nobody could love q girl
with a nose like mine"
Did you bring back the sketches that
Partisan artist made of you?"
She bounced of his lap and hurried
upstairs. to return presently with a
portfolio f1lled with sketches. There
was one crayon drawing of her as she
was. A half dozen additional sketches
were copies of the first, with the excep-
ton of the nose. The artist had fitted
into her features a nose of his own de-
sign, and, viewed in profile, some of hts
creations lent to the girls face an
aspect Of singular beauty and sweetness.
Il like this one BEST" Stephen de-
cided. THE patrician nose does you
justice. Going to come over tomorrow
and give you the most searching physi-
cal examination you've ever had" he
decided. He drew her over to him and
You're a nice, sweet, loVable girl
Penelope" he assured her as If she were
a little girl. land the shape of your
nose isn't taken into consideration by
the sort of people whose love and APP
prevail you desire. And you can get
along very well without the love and
approval Of any other sort. Dan and
Lanny and l all love you and we want
you to love us. We're your only real
friends and you wouldn't do anything to
hurt us, would you?" --,.
I'D rather die, Stephen"
Fine. You're tired now, so suppose
you run upstairs to bed, and tomorrow,
when you wake up. you'll be refreshed
and happy and we'll be able to discuss
the making over of this poor nose. Kiss
us all goodnight" ..-,,