Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-03-15

proposed. Helen Dawes, slim and 1anguid in
a crimson sweater was going with them.
Sure we're not keeping you from any--er
engagements, Helen?" inquired Marion.
engagements? No."
Coming to the dance tonight?"
eyes of course"
Bringing your friend the bearded diplo-
mate"
This from Barry. of course.
"Standish Carroll? Heavens, no. He said he
wouldn't come. He's rather man who walks
by himself"
HELEN blew long and exasperating column
of smoke from her cigarette. It was
evident even to Barry that Helen was rubbing
Carroll in little.
And in the rather tense silence Marion made
her plan
The first sign of the plan was her announce
ment that the most violent and unexpected
headache had suddenly come upon her. She
was practically blind with it. She thought if
she was going to be any good at the dance she
would have to rest this afternoon. So
sorry, Mrs Barnes was pleasantly solicitous.
Poor Barry offered to stay behind -.
ooh, Lord, no! I'm going to rest, tell you!
Go on-run along and enjoy yourself"
But Is minutes later she certainly didn't
look like any sort of an invalid Her cap pulled
well down, her skis strapped tight in place, her
stick grasped firmly in one fur-gloved hand, she
climbed the east hill above the lake, Drawing
the sharp whistling wind Not straight in the
direction of StandiSh CAROLS cabin-but to-
ward it, and little to the left. Marion had
noticed several things about the habits of the
man who lived in that cabin.
Climbing in skis is hot work. When she
gained the top of the hill Marion was flushed
and painting just little She pushed back a
stray curl and gazed down into the valley be-
meath her. A solid blanket of snow, pricked
here and there by a dark shade of pine tree
No one-oh yes. Just one. Breaking through
snow tracks almost at the bottom of the steep
slope was a A tall man in a green
wooden cap. Standish Carroll. Evidently set
ting off for walk across the valley. Well
now or never! Marion edged herself to the
peak of the hill, stamped her skis to test their
tightness, looked down.
Quite hill, all right! Sleeper than anything
she had ever tried. The hard frozen crust of
snow glistened almost cruelty in the sun. That
rise half way down there was going to make
up into quite jump! Oh, well, she'd done as
Observation-Disclosures. And surely even STAN
dish Carroll couldn't refuse to talk to a person
who came shooting down behind him and
landed in a sort Of helpless. feminine heap at
his feet
-So-another slip or so forward. A little
crouch-a kick and push with her stick-and
she was of down the terrific slope Of the east
hill
The slope looked steep enough at the top
But at that it was deceiving Marion's skis,
gathering momentum, Kissed along faster
faster--faster. 1t was a dreadful a terrifying
slope. She forgot all about the man at the
bottom of the hill. All she could think of now
was that rise half way dowp--a rise that must
be jumped at all costs.
She couldn't stop now. And if she failed to
take off for that jump properly--or landed
wrong-on the other side-Marion was scared
But no time now for that. Here was the Jump
She gathered herself-hew out into what seemed
miles of cold arcane down--caught her
balance somehow-sped on--and gasped to re-
alize that she was going directly-at terrific