Evening star., 1934-07-29

1t. Albert watched with unusual dachShund
intelligence. Hugh Moran coming upon the
pair of them, glanced once at the girls lovely,
absorbed face and promptly knelt in the mud
beside them.
'Humphl" said Albert
The girl looked up at the dachshund back
at the caterpillar. and then at the frankly ad-
Iniring Hugh. There is resemblance" she
nnurmured
Hugh drew back haughtily. Lady, this is
my deg And 1 can vouch for his tempera-
ment. He viii never be a butterfly"
Il don't mean his soul. mean his"
Chassis"
YES" She eyed the dog critically. Stream
line effect"
"Ach! You prefer caterpillarsl This one is
handsome but what speed does he make?"
About So" she rose. carefully balancing
the twig-"rhillimeters Why?"
Hes led you good chase. You're all mud
and brambles'
Yes" she murmured coolly. 1T was pretty
good. Cross-country.'
"Oh. You must live in the white house
with the boxwood hedge It's been shut for
quite while-until yesterday"
Its my aunts place. We got here yesterday"
He mumbled. "Oh. Lord, aunt!"
You must come to dinner. take it you're
quite respectable? Enough to come to dinner?"
"Oh, quite Hugh Morgan, 81 years old, the
last of the proud Morgans of MorganStovn,
Ky Six feet tah, hair getting a little sparse,
beauty withal No bad habits, but few ex-
pensve tastes which the toll of his ancestors
enables him to crafty. Occupation: Engineer
ing except when fishing Address: Morganstown,
or New York, or the small unpainted cottage
in Horiland Hollow, Conn., When last seen
was accompanied by very spirituelle dachs-
hund called Albert and lovely lady smeared
with mud called"
After silence she said, Ann Carpenter"
There was another long silence
"Of course" he began finally, IF you insist
on giving short biographical sketch, I can't
stop you" He saw a swift, sonber shadow
cross her face She did rot speak. Well he
wasn't keen on intimacy himself.
Connecticut is nice" she said finally She
smiled again.
1T needs a good rain. The wells are getting
low How is the water at your house?"
II don't know Aunt Hulda probably does.
She's clever You'll like Aunt Hulda Don't
forget you're coming to dinner"
'Oh, is it really all right? You know
auntS. Is she a maiden aunt?"
Not exactly. She really invited you. She
said this morning that she willing to stay
here six weeks for my sake, but that If l were
conscious of my duty as niece I'd go out
and find male for her to talk to at dinner.
She said that anything short of the village idiot
would do. You were the first I met.
Wen expect you at T."
There was more than levity in her tone.
Hugh noticed. There was bitterness.
A Nm was soapng herself luxurio'isly in the
elaborately indecent pink tub when her
aunt stroled in.
My, aren't you lovely grill" said Hulds,
settling herself on what locked like pink
operating table. For a few moments she was
absorbed in a sheaf of legal documents. Huldas
Ike he wa
affair. cut by a genius; her graying hair was
bleached to cleaning and artificial white and
she had things done to her face that kept
it always young and tanned. Ann loved her
biting wit, but found 1t difficult to understand
her equabe temper, her apparent impervious-
ness to anything but happiness. They were an
odd combination now, after year Of separa-
ton, with Hulda more Suave than ever and
Ann strangely submerged and emotional
Well" said Hulda, Its a nice polite
divorce"
Ann closed her eyes ''WhoSe?" she asked.
Yours" said Hulda Aren't you excited? I
was giddy a schoolgirl over my first"
Ann hid herself in a cloud of talcum. Well"
she said, that's that"
Don't look so shattered Ann. I don't
know what happened between you and Bill
Hobart. but it is over, and you are your own
woman Let go of yourself You're coming
abroad with me in August"
Ann smiled wanly You're a dear. Aunt
Hulda. BY the way. there will be third 10
dinner"
"Male?" asked Hulda
Il think so. Hugh Morgan of New York,
Engineer. Rather attractive. with a funny
little dachshund. You1l like him.
Well" Hulda said that sounds promising.
] recommend a violent Irritation"
Ann did not smile She faced Hulda pale
and tense. Please. Hulda, 1 can't even talk
about it. That man today, he asked me what
my name was and I thought. Ann Hobart,
Anr, Anhnrt Ar,r, IInhnrAI Ard nh L