Evening star., 1934-06-26
SHANGHAI ROSE
By ANNE FORESTER
/uthor Of Spite Wife"

might be interested to know the facts
about Nadia about your poor little
wife in Shanghai"
She stopped. Every drop Of blood
drained from her face at the express
sion in this mans eyes. How dreadful
they were, those light, secretive eyes,
in the locked, mirthless face SWIM
ming before her blurred vision Of her
ownl Ruthless and deadly those
stories in China. Her heart be-
gan to pound again in slow, dull thuds.
Her throat felt, Of a sudden, dry, and
her ears.
Absurd to be like this BY an ef-
fort she walked slowly away from
him toward the window at the rear.
She would have to get hold of her
self-this was melodrama, an impos-
sible farce. Why, how could he
hurt her? Silly!
Just q moment"
Something deadly in the suave, silk
en- voice from the chair by the counter.
Something inscrutably menacing in
the small, cool smile that met the
girls glance when again she turned.
The hand gripping the arm of the
wooden chair was clenching slowly.
She watched 1t, standing there
watched the fingers spreading, stiff
and white, under the fury he sought
to control.
Then the tall, gray-suited figure rose
slowly to its feet. Austin Deering,
picking up his hat, all the suavity, all
the veneer fallen from him as q cloak.
VIZ al L. L.
will undoubtedly be delighted to see
you, and charmed to hear your pretty
stories about me. However, there is
something you seem to have forgotten,
is there not?" The thin lips tight
ened in a dreadful line, the light eyes
became pin points Of fire in the center
Of each dark, glowing pupil. Austin
Deering, the boulevardier, the man.
about-town. gave place in that instant
to Austin Deering, the renegade, the
blackguard-the unscrupulous Scoun-
drel who saw his dearest plans 20
glimmering.
"I-don't know what you mean"
Oh, If only he'd get out, thought the
girl wildly, shakingly.
Il think you do" the man said cas-
ually, turning at last toward the door.
Wasn't there something, my Rose,
about the Therrolds wanting to adopt
that baby of yours-provided they
could get you away from this town?
Ah-h E. that shot went home, I see!
And, Of course" he continued sooth-
ingly, you wouldn't consent to such
an idea! But If, for instance-let us
say, just for the sake of argument
il, for instance, the Therrolds could
have proof that you are unit to raise
Harvey Therrolds child? What then,
my Rose?"
Under the veiled. suave pronounce
ment of the words, something stark
and terrible seemed invading the quiet
place.
You're crazy" Rose laughed
shortly; bitter refutation more con-
vincing than words. Talks cheap,
Capt. Deering! You know as well
as 1 that not even you. with your
Shiny methods, could find one breath
Of scandal to hang on me either
here or in Shanghai! Nor on Har-
vey, either, even II he was a pretty
rotten husband. Neither one of us
had anything to leave our daughter
but decent records. And that" she
finished calmly, rs that. Don't be q
fool"
Proudly Rose spoke the words, Sc
cure in the knowledge that back OF
them lay simple. indisputahle truth.
But the man. laughing softly. had not
finished, albeit back Of his eyes some
thing fiickered and went out-some-
thing alert, guarded, watchful. In his
not inconsiderable experience with
women. it had been given to Austin
Deering to have them do unexpected.
even reckless, things, when goaded be-
yond q certain point. What he had
to say now would, he knew, bring re-
sults-of one sort or another.
Good night, Rose But just one
question more. What would you say
If you heard Of an impeccable mother
who spent the night in the rear Of
little clothing store :. with rather
drunken young mani"
Larry! thought Rose-the remem-
brance stab sickenly sudden and un-
expected. Larry that night he
had come here! Oh, they could not
believe her guilty of anything wrong
/ in that the Therrolds they
might think her unfit to keep Kittenl
It was absurd
Flamingly she raised her head,
words pouring out. But Austin Deer
ing was gone.
CTomorrow-"Home-Keeping
HeArtS-")