Evening star., 1934-02-15

gripped 1t warmly, but not so warmly
as Packy gr;pped his. To 2acky. it
was as II q miracle had been per-
formed while he waited. All day he
had been goading his brain to dis
cover some method by which he could
enter the Chateau BlisSac, and To-!
here was. the lessee Of the place in
person. So he massaged Mr.. Gedge's
shoulder and told him he looked fine.
You like the costume? It's my
own"
No"
Eyes, sir. Thought it all out my
self"
"Genius!" said Packy.
Mr.. Gedge, having possessed him
self Of a small table, was beating
rhythmically on the bar with it.
We're going to have a drink to cele-
brate this" he said authoritatively.
Yes. sir. Tonight. boys, I intend to
step high, wide and plentiful"
Try a Gustave Special" was Mr.
Slattery's advice. Swell for the
tonsils."
Perfectly" agreed the vicomte.
They are good, those Gustave Spe-
cials''
Three cheers" cried Mr.. Gedge
buoyantly, for the Gustaye Spe-
cials!"
The vicomte went further. -Four
cheers for the Gustave Specialist"
And Mr.. Slattery further still. Five
cheers for the GuStave Specials'
"Six!'
"Seyen!"
Eight"
"Nine!"
-'"Ten!" vociferated Mr.. Gedge.
topping the bidding. "All together.
now. boys. Ten cheers for the Gus
tave Specials"
Fairy lanterns, assisted by a rudi-
mentary moon, Lit up the normally
quiet and decorous public amusement
gardens Of st. ROGUE.
Tables and walters and bottles had
broken out on every side like rash.
A silver band-and for sheer lcen-
tiousneSs you can't beat a silver
band-was playing on the little plat
form In the center, and round this
platform, in many cases far too close
ly linked, pirouetted the merrymaking
citizenry Of St. ROGUE. The Festi-
val of the Saint was in full swing.
So, also, were Mr.. Soup Slattery and
the Vicomte de Blissac. The former
in intimate communion with a chance
met lady friend. was tearing of a few
of those fancy steps which had made
his name a byword at bootleggers
social evenings in Cicero. The latter
who preferred to be untrammeled by
a partner, was performing some intri-
cate gyrations by himself in the very
middle Of the fairway, a source Of nc
small inconvenience to one and all.
Packy was not dancing. Nor was
Mr.. Gedge. Mr.. Gedge had taken Q
turn or two earlier in the evening
but, CHANGING to trip over his feet anC
fall a little heavily against the band
stand, he had retired to a table or
the edge Of the arena and was now
sitting there with dark scowl on hi.
face, regarding the revelers with every
evidence of disapproval and dislike
He had, indeed, conceived a very deep.
rooted loathing for his fellow human
beings. Spiritually he was in tht
depths.
During dinner and for an hour ol
two after it J. Wellington Gedge haC
had all the earmarks of one who OF
| honeydew has fed and drunk the mill
| of Paradise. That his mood haC
changed completely and was now hkr
something Schopenhauer might hav,
had after a bad night, Packy did no
begin TO suspect. 1t was with brigh
( confidence. therefore, that Packy, a
last finding himself alone with Mr.
Gedge, started TO bring the talk arounS
to the subject nearest his heart.
so you live at the Chateau Bis
sac?" he said.
Mr.. Gedge did not appear to havI
heard the remark. He was still staring
with a kindling eye at the dancers
His lower jaw protuded a little, anc
he breathed heavily through his nose
so you live at the Chateau BliSsac
Mr.. Gedge?"
"Eh?"
Packy repeated the observation 10
the third time, and his companion sa
in silence for a while, turning it owe
in his mind.
AT the Shattlebissack?"
"Yes."
Il live there?"
Yes"
Who says I dont?"
| Il said you do, don't you?"
| MIR. Gedge frowned.
IF any man says I don't live at tn
ShattlebisSack I'll poke him in tn
nose. Yessir! They can't talk tina
way to Wellington Gedge."
mo, no. Everybody says you do"
They better" said Mr.. Gedge
quietly but none the less menacingl
for that quietneSs
He relapsed into q dark silenc
again. Packy felt a little disquietec
So much hung upon this thing. H
tried again.
1T must be a wonderful place"
"Eh?"
'I say it must be a wonderful place.
What must?"
The chateau"
what chateau?"
"The Chateau Blissac"
Never heard of it," said Mr. Gedge
Packy was now definitely diScour
aged. 1t was plain To him that
was going to be dificult to extract
formal invitation from this sozzle,
man. He wished now that he hat
broached the all-important topic dur
ing dinner. He was reused from hi
meditations by q choking sound a
his side. Mr.. Gedge was glaring ou
at the dancing floor with open hatred
Who's that horrible tomato owe
there in green?"
That's the vicomte."
What vicomte?"
THE Vicomte de BliSSac."
He wants good poke in the nose.
would you say that?"
I'D say lot. Leaky cisternsI"
II beg your pardon7"
Granted"
STEAMSHIPS.