Evening star., 1933-08-29
INSTALLMENT XVII

FTER Curt sent his chauffeur to
n cali for Mary and Freckle the
~ night of the dinner party ne
would have given hall ms 1or-
tune for an excuse to run away.
! What was this wild thing he was about
to do? And how could 1t turn out?
Although the July evening was stlfiing
hot he shivered with nerves. From nus
! rocket he took satln-lined box ana
ppnsned II To look at the ruby that was
to grace Marys little hand lew hcurS
later when she had promised to be his
wife. Or-Would she promise
|. Curt stared at the blood-red ruby
: with an odd. detached fascination
Suddenly a hard, bitter smile touched
his lips and deepened the lines at the
corners of his mouth. ruby! Inc
largest ruby he had ever seen: 1t hao
cost enough to keep a family 10Y years.
There was a bitter satisfaction IN
giving to Mary his erring wlte'S faVo-
rite level. And there was still greater
satisfaction in realizing that 1t was SO
large that the ring he had planned to
give Gloria that far-otf day on their
first wedding anniversary would nave
locked like a speck beside 1t.
Curt saw his Car winding up the
driveway and again panic seized MN
so that he almost decided to throw the
whole plot to the four winds ana Try
to think UP another plan for settling
the old score with Mary's father. But
he quickly stifled his fears and squared
his shoulders. He could not fal now!
There was no scheme for revenge
that seemed so entirely satisfactory as
that of marrying little Mary Sawyer.
He thought of the CHASTITY fear that
would be Dr. Sawyer's when he found
out his only child had married the man
whose life he had ruined-and all his
courage came rushing back in a wave
of joyful hate.
Mrs. Binney. the housekeeper, deco
rated one of the west balconies with
potted plants and palms and flower pots
from the conservatory to that 1t was
like an outdoor garden. part OF 1t
was screened off by wall OF roses and
here it was that Curt Little Joined his
guests for cocktails. Beyond the wall
the table was set for eight.
1t was a garden for the gods. Mary
sighed ecstatically when the butler LED
her with Freckle up a winding stairs OF
white marble to the balcony and she
caught sight of the Little estate, golden
and red and green in the late evening
twilight.
Curt stood at the top of the steps
with ,Cissie Dumas and Count Faltax,
and Mary felt suddenly tall and queen
" and curiously at home in that atmos-
phere of wealth and ease as she climbed
to meet them. Her new white gown
swished around her little feet and she
knew it was perfect. And that her hair
was perfect. black and shiny. with the
white rose in it-and that her lips were
red as poppies and her eyes gray-olacK
and dancing.
Oh, yes, Mary knew very well that
the picture of her triumphant march
into the presence of Dumas and Freckle
and Curt Little that she had conJured
in her mind was no lovelier than the
picture she was creating. She knew
that Freckle, in spite of her new green
dress and all the hard work she had
spent on trying to make her look lovely
was a moth beside her golden butterfly
self
Cissie Dumas caught her breath at
the vision of Mary and felt suddenly
dowdy and very, very old. She covertly
watched Curt Little as he stepped to
greet her and was not surprised that
he seemed confused and bit tongue
tied
Then Dumas shot a quick glance at
Count Faltax and saw that he was
bowling his lowest. most enticing bow.
One that he might reserve for queen.
Such youth and beauty! No wonder
family triumphant smile touched Mary's
lips as she held cut her hand and said
in a newly acquired grown-up manner:
so nice to see you, Nine. Dumas"
And she'd seen Dumas less than two
hours before Wise in the ways Of
women, Dumas knew that Mary, in
tanning at her court. Mary knew the
dinner party was really being given for
her and that did not detract from her
feeling Of Importance. 1t was the COM
ing true Of a dream she had cherished
ever since she was little girl
A millionaire adnirer-beautiful
clothes. And there was even famous
man with title fawning on her with
an admiration that he made no at
"a vague figure far in the background.
Some one she had liked a great deal
{ once. But some Cne lost to her now.
I just boy from her home town. A nice
boy. But not important
~ 1t was Freckle who broke the spell.
@6he brought Mary harshly back to
ssearth when she was presented to Count
tsFaltax and inquired freshly. with
Sgiggle which even Faltax could not re-
: Sent:
q "Count-how many?'
* Curt Little laughed:
Not movie count, F'reclile. A real
;. bona flde title. But don't get excited,
hes not your blind date.
- Freckle pulled a long face.
Il knew there was a joker in the
deck somewhere--when you told me
there was to be a gentleman who pre-
ferred fat redheads.'
Il wouldn't lure you out here under
;. false pretenses,' Curt assured her with
q smle-"ah, here he is now"
"Goody, goody!" Freckle clapped her
hands. And he isn't in q wheel chair,
I see. Young enough to walk-least-
wise"
Mary laughed, self-consciously. She
wished Freckle wouldn't always and
forever be herself Couldn't she put on
few company manners once in her
life? Burton Sinclair came up the
steps and Freckle saw with thrill that
he was tall and dark and extremely
handsome. Not day over 35
She glanced quickly down at her new
dress and decided she looked better
than she ever had in her life But
there was little doubt that the three
men would spend their evening looking
at Mary Sawyer. So with a small sigh
Freckle resigned herself to being-just
herself. The only thing she ever seemed
EDUCATIONAL.