Evening star., 1934-03-02

You could be thinking All tnat up on
the boat"
OF all the suggestions that could
possibly have been made to him. none
could have exercised q more imme-
diate appeal to Mr.. Gedge. The
thought Of being well away from the
chateau enchanted him. Lets go!'
he said, with simple enthusiasm.
Wait minute" said Packy. How
are we going to get you there?"
There's . motor boat down at the
bath house on the lake"
"Very possibly. But where's the
sense Of going joy-riding about the
lake?"
There's . channel leads to the
harbor."
"Oh. Then you had better 60 and
pack q few tooth brushes and paiamas
and any other little necessaries you
may fancy and we'll be starting"
1t was with quiet contentment that
Packy watched Mr. Gedge disappear
into the house. At last, it seemed
to him. he had got this rather COM
plex little affair Strengthened out
All that remained to be done, after
placing his host aboard the Flying
Cloud. was to pay . call at the Hotel
des Etrangers, find Mr.. Slattery and
inform him that he need have no
further qualms. When he busted the
Venetian suite that night, he would
be busting q room not only COM
pletely free from beazels but lacking
even . masculine occupant.
Turning his back to the breeze to
light what in his opinion was . we'll
earned cigarette, he perceived Blair
Esgleston approaching. 1t was quite
obvious that the powerful young nov
elist was not In sunny mood. But this
did not deter Packy from engaging
him in conversation. "Hullo, Egg" he
said. How are you making out?"
The somberness Of the others frown
deepened. II wish you would not
call me Egg"
I'm sorry. But how are you max
ing out7"
His companion did not reply for
a moment. He WINGED . little, and
his eye grew darker.
On paper. Blair Eggleston was
bold. cold and ruthless. Like so many
Of our younger novelists. his whole
tone was that Of . disillusioned.
sardonic philanderer who had drunk
the wine cup of Illicit love to its
dreg5 but was always ready to fll
up again and have smother. There
were passages In some of his books,
notably Worm + the Root and Onal.
which simply made you shiver, 50
stark was their cynicism, so brutal
the force with which they tore away
the wells and revealed Woman As she
Is.
Deprived of his fountain pen. how
ever. Blair was rather timid with
women. He had never actually found
himself alone In an incense scented
studio with . scantily clad princess
reclining ON . tiger skin, but in such
situation he would most certainly
have taken . chair rs near to the
door Is possible and talked about
the weather. And in his recent tete-
a-tete with Medway by the lake 1t
was only the knowledge that Senator
Opal was listening in that had lent
any real warmth to his remarks.
So now, in response to Packy's ques-
ton. he WINGED reminiscently. II
can't think what to say to the damned
GIRL" he said with . burst of candor
forced from him by the recollection
Of his sufferings.
packy was surprised. "But I
thought you modern novelists were
such devils with the beaxels."
Another point struck him. "what
are you doing here. anyway? Your
place Is by her side"
"She sent me to get some cigarettes
and q bottle Of wine. She says she's
Thirsty"
'Is there wine in this house?" asked
Packy, interested. II haven't seen
any"
"It's locked up. But the butler can
get at It,"
my gosh, how I am going to cul-
tivate that butlerl"
He returned to the point ut issue.
Cigarettes? Wine? Why. this looks
great. It's the old Omar Khayyam
stun. You're probably one Of those
fellows who don't say much, but do
1t all with the eyes"
A sort Of febrile spasm Of fury
stirred Blair Eggleston from his limp
dependency. I've . dashed good
mind to chuck the whole thing"
mo, no. This IL not your true self
speaking Think how we are all re-
lying ON you.V
II have. A dashed good mind! I
consider I have been very badly
treated. I have been placed in. .
most unpleasant and undignified po-
sition, and I'm sick and tired Of 1t.
I feel :"
Blair Eggleston was q man of whom
Packy could never have brought him.
self to be really fond. At their first
meeting he had sized him up as q
pretty noxious sort of pustule he still
had him listed. And q hundred times
he had marveled what . girl like Jane
Opal could possibly zee In him. Never
theless, he had no wish to let him
suffer unnecessarily. The inspiration
which had carried him 50 trium-
phantly through his recent interview
with Mrs. Gedge had put him In q
position to show Blair Eggleston the
way out.
well. If you don't like making love
to her." he said, II can offer an al
tentative suggestion. Tell her you're
, detective yourself.
''What!"
IT have tested this ruse personally.
and it works like magic It carries
the full Franklyn guarantee. Simply
tell her that you are . detective In
the employment Of the London, Paris
and New York Insurance Co., Who
have sent you here to keep an eye on
Mrs. Gedge's jewelry, and the results
should be immediate. II she's In the
same line Of business she will Instant
y give you the grip and say so. II
she lint. she will probably be 20 over
awed that you won't be able to come
within . mile Of her again. Either
Way. you win out"
Il HAclv had distributed IN tho Last