Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-07-14

to her room.
CHAPTER VI.
THE LURE OF A VEIL.
~ UBIES or diamonds or the IA
nous Belaise sapphires. or, what
TX Kirk liked best, the single
i strand of pearls
Mrs Belaise contemplated
herself in the mirror. She was IA.
Face and throat were withered flowers,
but with the fine blue eyes, the delicate
profile, the small foot, she was still the
spirited ghost of beautiful Nelly Sarto-
ris, belle of New Orleans when the 7os
were young.
Faithful black Lorena had waved her
mistress thin white hair, had drawn
the mascara pencil lightly along where
the fine black eyelashes used to be, hao
rouged ever so delicately the sunEen
cheek.
mo lipstick, Lorena," Mrs. Balaise
had remarked from the very beginning
of lipstick. Hard. That is what II
makes us look. And all b-aut.fying is
merely soft:ning process"
YES, ma'am" agreed Lorena, VINO
really understood. Her mistress had
not changed for Lorena in these 80
wears of service. Lorena stood oacG
now contemplating the ruoies on ner
la iy'S breast.
Mrs. Belaise shook her head, fumbled
nervously with her gcld vlna gretCs,
the evenings she played roulette:
was the nearest thing she had teit 10
youth in 10 years. 10
"Rubies look common" she salo,
"since thew have learned to reconstruct
them Genuino pigeon-blood these
are Take them O.. Try tne ola-
monds. l never know what new oress
will like b.st:" 81, =. x,,o+;,,,,,,-
eunned light tentatively about her
mistress neck. You looks like white
angel. Mis- Blaise!"
Nelly Bela'se thought Of the hrst
time she had worn them. Of the sensa-
tion they had caused. Thirty-one years
ago at the old French Opera House
Delphine. her daughter, was orloe'
She had grieved over Delph1nes leaving
and Arthur Belaise had sought 10 CON- m
fort her with these. He had spent MS
inhe. itance on gems for her. Sometimes
she had scolded him. But these are
Investments. Nelly" he would say.
Nelly BeIa:se had not needed 10
realize on them XIX, Delphine'S son,
provided her with all she could desire.
Delphine had died when Kirk was BORN
and Kinks father had gone back North
and married again when Kirk was
year old. I-'rk had belonged to Nelly
syer since. Indeed. he called her
"Mother" when he didn't call her
"Nellv." Now Kinks father was dead
and Kirk had come in to the greater
part of the Stanard fortune, solid New
England fortune made in shoes.
Tonight Nelly Belaise took the dia-
monds from her neck. They never
bring me luck. Lorena. Nor the pearls
either. I'll wear the sapphires again"
helnp6 hor father
choose the sapphires in Paris. Some
how Nelly Belaise could not remember
Celphine as she looked after her mar
riage. Somehow she saw her only as
she was that Summer in Paris, or COM
ing down the curved stair yoncer as
bride.
The sapphires we're perfect. Lorena
fastened the necklace, clasped the ear
rings in the pierced ears, held out the
tray Of the silver jewel casket that the
small veined hands might choose their
rings.
Nelly Belaise rose at last in the full
ivory satin gown that fell about her
feet, the slim ankle and small gemmed
slipper glimpsed' and yelled again.
Lorena sprayed perfume on the jeweled
hands. Proudly Lorena watched her
descend the stair.
Kirk Stanard met his grandmother in
the hall. He was not unlike her. Brown
hair grazing at 80, the same fine blue
smile. They went into the drawing
room, his arm about her. Two men
rose One was a portly person with a
frown carved between black brows, a
man of perhaps So Kirk Stanard
presented him.
"Senor Basara, Mother. You remem-
Der meeting Senior Basara in Mexico