Evening star., 1932-12-24

rlQg! Sautlm uIEeQ III
n terestedly. "On the secoAe
i y hnger-so! Your charm.
ing little white hand viii
You do think Of the loveliest things
Alfredo!" Mrs. Sayers sighed content
edly.
How can I help it when you are
around?" Santini replied in his best
manner. Then he turned to De Pas
When will the drawings be ready fol
US to see?" he asked.
II can promise them in 10 days
time" Armand assured him.
1t was nine days later while Armand
was still jubilant about his important
commission, that, Alacias racing Eu-
ropa having been repaired, the ample
lunch period so generously allowed by
French shopkeepers, was being turned
to advantage by the two. When Alacia
insisted that Armand try out the car,
the power of its marvellous engine and
the instant response of the perfectly
balanced wheel made him tingle with
pleasure and laugh for sheer JOY IN
being alive and hearing her laugh echo
close at his side Then over an omelet
and salad at a small inn on the edge
of Paris Armand confided his pride in
getting out the designs for her mother S
jewels a day ahead Of time.
"Old Piron said I was quite mad
when I promised them for tomorrow. u
he told her with a business like air,
but I've kept right on the engraving
chaps trail, and actually got them in
this morning. Big business man, eh?
I hope she likes them"
Dearest! OF course. she'll like
Il, ch n
she? BY the way, speaking of your
business successes. wasn't Col. Brad
ley due to reach Paris this week."
Bradley got in last night" Armand
replied. Hes coming to the big party
your mother is giving tonight and was
tremendously interested when I told
him about you Nice Of your mother to
let me bring him. Is it going to be a
frightfully big party?"
"Frightfully and fearfully!" she as
sured him. Composed OF the darndest
mixture Of people, I'm warning you!
It's mothers birthday affair and every
one is invited, from old Piron to San
tint"
Down to Santini is right" Armand
exclaimed heartily. Who is that fell
low? don't care much for him, some
how, although I've only met him once,
in the shop
"santini is our official driver in the
Grand Prix de Monaco" Alacia ex-
planned without enthusiasm. Hes
driving a car the exact duplicate OF
mine. In fact, you can't tell them
apart"
Lucky dos!" said Armand 1T IT
driving it myself"
Il wish SO, too," she said. Nothing
would please me better. only wish
something would drop on Santint's
head, so that you could take over!"
"You don't seem to care much for
him. yourself" Armand remarked half
jestingly. rs there any particular
reason for that?"
NO" she was forced to admit. II
don't really know anything against
him. He's a professional driver. you
see, and supposed to be quite clever.
But you would not approve of him
for step-father, is that it."
That's 1t. exactly!" she blurted out.
Not that I think my mother really
would go so far. But I wish I coulc
find out something about him"
"Ill find out" he promised her. II
have, as you may suppose, friends who
know many peculiar things. Then
there is always the possibility Of learn
ing lot from his dossier-we are all
minutely recorded by the police, you
know!"
Everybody" exclaimed Alacia.
But, yes, certainly" he exclaimed.
Didn't you know? Every one, French
or foreign, has his little card on rec
ord. Even respectable you! But the
police allow an examination of these
records only in case of a crime having
you, one of my three guardian angels
is the present prefet de police. Perhaps
he will tell us if there Is anything def
nitely wrong with the man."
1T seems rather an extreme meas
ure," said she, going to the police on
the strength Of mere personal dis
like"
It don't instinctively dislike nice
people," he protested, land III bet
you don't, either! Anyway we'll see!
And meanwhile, my dear, don't worry
about Maman! She Is too sensible to
take him seriously"
Alacia had her private doubts on this
point, but she said nothing Of them as
Armand drove her into town, and went
back to work at Piron's. However,
from the moment she left him, Alacia
about the police dossier from her mind.
Tomorrow was the day set for Santini's
departure for Monte Carlo. He was to
leave late In order to take advantage
of the empty roads offered by night
driving. but nevertheless there remain
ed very little time to act in case the
police report was unfavorable. And
supposing that Armand unearthed
something unpleasant about the man,
what course of action would be best
to take considering that it was the
very eve of the great race? Her finely
penciled brows were knitted over the
puzzle as she drove slowly homeward,
and that night when she dressed for
the gala, the problem was still weigh
ing heavily on her mind.
Alacia had chosen a plain blue satin
evening gown which set off her figure
admirably. Obviously the costume
called for pearls, and almost for the
first time since she had bought them,
Alacia thought Of the 1,000-franc
string she had purchased that memor-
able morning at Piron's. Clasping it
around her neck, she decided after a
critical glance in the mirror, that it
really looked quite well. She wondered
If Armand would notice. and remem-
Der? And then, disrnissing the pearls
from her mind, she went downstairs to
join her mother, who was already pos
ing herself in front of a great bank Of
flowers where she was to receive the
guests. And it was not until later in
the evening that Alacia had further
occasion to think about her necklace.
This was when during the long, elabor-
ate dinner, M. Piron, who was seated
next to heE>-Spoke of it admiringly.