Evening star., 1931-06-14
''SOrneOne's S
Dearest
Cary"
AMe1o Story
BY COSMO
HAMILTON

HE cigarette case with which he had
been playing was a gold cne, bat
tered and none too clean. It might
have been used as q missile in mo-
ments of boredom during such
tea party as this one, for instance,
but undoubtedly it was gold Apart from the
dents which gave it history of carelessncss
or temper It was dedicated in mans hand
writing to Dearest Cary-with everlasting
love-" It was this engraved inscription, so
amazingly indiScrcet, which made Balfour turn
to the girl on his left. Balfour given TO
playing hermit in his stronghold on the hill;
his somewhat infreQuent novels were num-
bered among events. Tall, thin, grayish. i'm
maculate unmarried, he was as aloof as
cuckoo, but when he came forth, bland, pa
tient and heroic, he played the social game with
ability, and hoped, in spite Of, cynicism, for q
little fun. It was his hobby to laugh.
Are you Cary?" he asked.
ayes worse luck" she said.
She was pretty, with splendid shoulders,
thoroughbred, or, as it amused him to put 1t,
gold. Somewhat battered, however. he was
bound to confess, like the case. She, too, had
the appearance Of one who had been used, or
had used herself, as a missile, because her edges
had been dented and there was irony around
her mouth. It was q pity and he was sorry.
His psychological eye read quite easily In her
face and in her nicotine-stained fingers and
slightly out-of-date frock history as dented
as the cigarette case which had been pushed
beneath his hand
why worse luck?" he asked. She would lie
as all girls lied, and every woman, according TO
her creed.
Because hate myself?" she said simply.
However, would you like to buy cigarette
case? It's gold. You can have the dents pushed
out"
BUY It? But what would the man say who
wrote Dearest Cary-with everlasting love'?".
in Shanghai you see. intended to 60
to town to hook the poor little thing. I can
raise enough money on it to buy the only things
which keep me from taking Yat poison-cig-
srettes, mean"
you're lying, my child" he said.
Il never lie," she answered. That's why
not q single soul believes word I say. I've
pushed this thing under your hand so that you
might ask me about it and having heard the
truth play the gallant person and save me go
ing to town."
He considered that some ones dearest Cary
was dramatizing herself, was using her Gig
arctic case for the purpose Of achieving lime
light, suffering from the modern feminine COM
plant which has taken the place Of fainting
and is called the exhibitionist complex by those
who have dipped into Freud However there
He might add another laugh to his collection,
which was good. How much do you want?"
he asked
".Five dollars is the usual sum-" she said.
eff you will throw in the dents and tell me
what put them there I'll double the price
though shan't believe word"
Upon which, quite briefly, she told him that
she was engaged to be married to Harvard
man who worked in Shanghai for his frm It
was silly. It was heartbreaking. 1t was simply
ridiculous. There was everlasting love on both
sides, but she was ~ and there was no hope
of their marriage because his salary was low.
Her father and mother were dead and for sew
eral years she had been living with disagree
able aunt Like Micawber am hanging about
weakly for something TO turn up, afraid to take
the buIl by the horns and strike out for myself
which answers the unpleasant questions can
see in the back Of your eyes. {. II you would
rather that poor but honest girl who Is badly
UP against it continues to grace this world. Why
not give me q job? In fact-and this IS . brain
wave ;"
"I Thoughts that was coming" said Baltour.
"But have . secretary, Is 1t happens, very
capable girl"
"T1ow long has she been with you?"
"Five years next Christmas" he said.
~Ah! Then I should think she's about fed
up. It must be terribly monotonous TO have
been with you so long. I think that lets me In.
Put me next on your list. win take ND
stenography and typewriting tomorrow and
work like q little dog and report ct the turn
Of the year. I know the name Of your house
here It's very nice, I'm told"
Balfour laughed it on. He put this girl
down as an exhibitionist and dismissed her
from his mind. But he kept the case as
memento with It's very numerous dents. Aher
I'll 1t was gold.