Evening star., 1934-02-08

so you got home all right, my
Packy?" He chuckled amusedly, and
turned to Beatrice, all smiles, as one
imparting delightful news.
When last I see this old farceur
1t Is in New York, and he Is jumping
out of the window of a speakeasy
with two policemen after him. Great
fun! Great good fun! Do you re-
member, my Packy, that night
Are you off somewhere, veek?"
asked Packy hastily,
"Oh, yes. But do you remember. %
"Where?"
II go to st. ROGUE. I catch the
train at quarter past four to
Southampton"
Packy sighed a sigh of relief. We'll
do you? It's a debatable point. I
don't know if you have happened to
notice that it is now four-fourteen."
'Zut!" exclaimed the Vicomte, and
vanished like an eel into mud.
Beatrice was the first to break a
silence during which the warm Sum-
mer day seemed to cool off several de-
grees.
You do know the most awful
people"
"Oh, the Weeks all right"
From what I have heard Of him.
] don't agree with you"
A porter opened the gates. and they
passed through. They arrived at an
empty f1rst-claSs compartment, and
Packy took up his stand at the door
TO repel intruders.
60 t,t4 tot tirra
silence. He had just discovered, and
was shocked to discover. that this
meeting with the Vicomte de Blissac
had affected him with a well defined
spasm of what the ancient Greeks
called pothos. a sudden, deplorable
nostalgia for that regrettable past of
which the other had formed part.
He fought it down. 1t was revolving
he told himself, that the fance of
wonderful girl like Beatrice should
not be utterly contented with his lot.
He reached for her hand and pressed
1t.
1T would be so good for you" said
Beatrice, and Packy became aware
that his reverie had caused him to
miss her latest remarks.
I'm sorry" he said. II was think
ing of something. What was that?"
II was just saying that I wished
you would try to make friends with
somebody worth while, like Mr.. Eggles-
ton. He Is the sort OF man I would
like you to know
1T must give him buzz some time"
He turned aside to stare sourly at
grocer named Witherspoon, who was
showing disposition to invade the
compartment And so forbidding was
his eye that the latter quailed and
passed on, taking with him Mrs.
Witherspoon and their four children.
a.. at a quarter to five" said
Beatrice.
Once more Packy found that he had
missed something. Whats that?"
"Mr. Eggleston wants you to meet
him at a quater to five in the lobby OF
the Northumberland Hotel. He is
giving YOU tea"
What"
And I want you to cultivate him.
He is a most interesting man, and he
will do you lot Of good"
A cloud had come over Packy's
cheerful face. Have 1 really got to
20 and swill tea with this side
whiskered bird?"
Don't call him side -whiskered
bird Yes, you have. A friend like
that will keep you from getting into
mischief"
Packy started Mischief? Me-"
You know perfectly well that, left
to yourself, you would get into hot
water OF some kind the moment my
back was turned"
IT wouldn't dream.
Have you forgotten what happened
when I went of to Norfolk two months
ago." |
But I explained that-explained
1t fully. got mixed up In plrtnoay
party. ...'
"Yes, and I don't want you to get
mixed up in any more. They were
very upset about that at home. You
know how particular father and
mother are"
Packy nodded penitently. Modern
laxness, he was aware, had not touched
the Earl of Stableford and his
countess
Aunt Gwendolyn said you were a
dibbertigibbet."
"A what?"
"A flibbertigibet."
Packy drew himself up a little
haughtily. Comment and criticism
from his affianced he was prepared to
accept. But when it came to her
moth-eaten relations shooting off their
heads.
That's all right what that old cat
fancier and cheater- -at-solitaire says"
he replied with dignity which be-
came him we'll Here's little mes
sage which you can pass on to her
from me. You can tell her. i
No, on second thoughts, perhaps bet
ter not Just give her my love and
say hope it chokes her"
He suspended his remarks in order
to foil the attempt of an assistant
cashier named Bodkin to muscle into
the compartment together with his
wife Miriam, his sister Louise, his
Gagged parrot Polly, and what had the
appearance of being the full strength
of some juvenile school. His success
seemed to exercise upon Beatrice a
softening effect. When she resumed
the conversation, it was on gentler
note.
II do hope you won't get slack while
I'm away. I want you to keep on
going to concerts and picture gal
leries."
Packy quivered devoutly. Let 'em
try to keep me out! Just let 'em
try it,"
They are doing you SO much good.
Yascha Pryzsky is giving recital at
Queens Hall tomorrow"
Alta YaScha!"
"And there's that new play at the !
Gate Theater they say is SO won
derful. What I feel is that if you
were going about with man like
Blair Eggleston. :"
Packy patted her hand fondly:
IT won't let him out Of my sight. !
II you want me to sop up tea with him