Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-02-28

married woman, and, especially,
with the wife of a man he himself
knew. That was enc OF the things
man didn't do. His code forbade 1t, SO
it couldn't happen to him.
So he didn't have the fainteSt idea,
the night he met Martha Thayer, that
he was done for; that he was already IN
love with her when they rode eastward
in that, decrepit, rickety taxi and ne
made her take back her bracelet ana
promised to give the oily, unpleasant
man at Emma's $500 in her behalf. he
was aware of a sort of glow OF chlVal-
rous feeling toward her. He knew that
he disapproved strongly Of Tack; ne
thought Martha had thrown herself
away. probably, when she married him.
But that he was in love with her hlm-
self was something he was only TO re.
alize very slowly; so slowly that ne had
no sort of chance tc escape from what
he must have known. had he had any
warning of it, could only be wound
ing and sorry experience.
She called him up in the morning. He
was still asleep, really, when she tele-
phoned, about half past 10; late hours
never mattered much to Martha.
Want to feed me lunch?" she SAID.
81 owe YOU an eXplanation-aS well as
a few other trifles! About l o'clock?"
I'D love To- he said. "But-you
know-about all that-you don't have to
explain-and the other-theres not the
least bit of hurry"
"Oh, I'd rather, thanks!' she said.
Both ways! Where do you want to
have lunch? Some quiet place, where
we can talk, think"
But he was no good at all when 1t
came to thinking up quiet places, Wnere
one could talk; he had no experience OF
the sort that develops such knowledge
in a man, and singularly little capacity
for intrigue, any way. She chuckled at
his feeble suggestions; named place
herself, finally; Romi's, in the Fifties. -.
Tell them you know Tack, and they'll
let YOU in" she said. But I won't be
late"
They came very near to meeting out
side Romis; she rang the bell, IN 1act;
as he was getting rid of his hat ana
coat, and they went upstairs TO the bar.
first, and had cocktail, and then found
a secluded table and ordered lunch.
Here you are" she said, and pushed
a check across the table toward him.
"I'm ever SO grateful. You were per-
fectly right, of course-giving Benny
that bracelet would have been an
asinine thing to do. Tits bad enough
as it is"
He had. Just for a moment, and for
from the catch in her voice, that she
really was in desperately serious jam
of some sort. Then she laughed her
deep, throaty laugh
ITS all right" she said. Don't look
so tragic, my dear! The creature hasn't
got hold of any compromising letters OF
mine, or anything like that!"
IT never Thought" he began,
stifiy.
Il wouldn't blame you, whatever you
thought" she said. i've got into
silly mess, and I'll have to wargle my
way out of it. You helped a lot, last
| night"
Then, abruptly, she changed the sub
ject; seemed. too, quite definitely TO
pass from one mood to another.
"Tack's quite mad about you," she
said.
Peter was surprised. but he didn't
think for a moment that Martha was
just making talk.
IT scarcely know himl" he protested.
why, don't suppose I've talked to
him a dozen times"
well, it seems you got him out Of
some mess at New Haven, and he's al
ways been grateful"
Peter laughed. He did, vaguely, now,
remember He'd been at a road house,
down toward Milford, one night, and a
gang of freshmen mad got involved In a
row. He'd helped to Straighten 1t out,
and later, when the college authorities,
| he'd been able to help again; Peter had
been the sort of undergraduate whose
word went long way with faculty COM
mittees.
! "You seem to be the sort OF man
who's always talked about whenever