Evening star., 1934-02-21
IMSTALLMENT XVII.

- ~ I strongly opJect 70 tnl'
n 1':s1RsiI %Wsii' what can 7 do,'
asked Jane.
There can be no necessity for 4
whatever"
Cant there? You should hav,
been there the first time. Father
was all set to strike Packy with some
blunt instrument If he had jibbed.
so you have got to Christian
names?"
"Oh, Blair!"
Blair Eggleston was not to b,
checked by any exhibition Of femi.
nine irritability. He swelled a little
and waved the clothes brush with 9
certain cold dignity.
Il do not think I can be said te
be unduly exacting when I complain
Of this-er-of what is going on. Ane
on one thing must insist, that yor
see as little Of this man Franklyn a,
possible. Personally, am at a los.
to understand what he is doing hert
at ALL"
HE has come to try to help me-"
"Why?"
Because he feels I need help,
suppose"
oddly altruistic behavior in one
who Is virtually a complete stran.
ger"
PinknesS, like the first faint flush
Of Summer dawn, had come upor
Jane Opal
"You needn't suggest"
II am suggesting nothing"
What on earth is the sense ol
saying you're suggesting nothing wher
you're suggesting it with every Wort
you say?" demanded Jane heatedly
That's just the sort Of silly, idiot,
things people are always saying II
your books"
II am sorry if the characters IL
my books appear to you to be lackini
in intelligence"
Anyway, you're all wrong. I dom
mean thing to Packy. oh, all right
to Mr.. Franklyn. Can't you under.
stand that he's the sort Of man whit
comes into business like this JUS
for the fun of the thing? Besides
he's engaged. You were there wher
he was telling us about it,
Blair Eggleston had forgotten this
He looked a little taken aback.
so you see! Now perhaps 70,
realize what chump you've been.
Blair could not 90 as far as this
"It is possible that I may have al.
lowed myself to become unneces-
Anyway, I should have though
you could trust me. I'm trusting
you"
In what way?"
Letting you go of and flirt with
this Medway girl"
The greater urgency Of ventilatinf
his grievance in the matter of Packy
had caused Blair Eggleston mo-
mentarily to forget that he was 9
man with mission.
What is all that?" he asked, with
agitation.
Its quite simple We think Med
way may be a detective. And Mr.
Franklyn said the only way to fine
out was for some one to make love
to her and win her confidence"
1T would be Franklyn!"
1T was fathers idea that yol
should be the one to do It,"
Blair Eggleston choked. We'll,
won't do it,"
you've got to do it, Blair. It's alb
solutely vital that we should find oui
about this girl. I do think you might
do something to help. You've beer
about as much good so far as a sick
headache"
What retort Blair Eggleston would
have made to this thrust will never
be known, for at this moment Jane
put forward a suggestion that wiped
the words from his lips.
do you want me to tell father that
you refuse?"
That faint shade of green came into
Blair Eggleston's face once more
Whatever his long line of Wallets
might feel about Senator Opal, none
of them had ever looked upon him
as an man whose wishes might lightly
be ignored. Blair, the latest of the
dynasty, would as readily have de-
fled charging rhinoceros. He swal-
lowed unhappily.
"Oh, I suppose I'll have to do 1t. "
That's the way to talkl"
But let me tell you that there are
moments, when I think what I have
been--er-let in for, when I ask
myself. -"
He had no time to reveal what he
asked himself. for Packy had CONF
hurrying onto the terrace. He seemed
amused.
I've been having rather a trying
time with that poor fish. L beg YOU
pardon-I mean with your respected
father. He had three separate
schemes to put forward, and each wa
loonier than the last. 1t took m.
quite a while to persuade him thai
he had better leave all the active
work to me-"
Blair Eggleston barked sharply.
why the mirthless laugh?" asked
Packy, surprised.
Correct me If I am wrong, but i
appears to me that I, though in
significant and of scarcely less us'
to you all than a sick headache, an
about to do a certain share Of wha
you describe as the active work"
FdCky SIdlcU. WlldI.
Medway's hand? You don't call tina
work? Child's play. And most en-
joyable, to boot Besides, an expert
ence like that will be useful to yo,
in your business. I shouldn't be sur.
prised If you didn't get plot for 6
novel out of MedWay."
"Blair's novels haven't any plots.
mo? Why's that?"
HE thinks they're crude"
II must read Blair's novels somt
day. Not just now. Later"
THE critics say they have a strange
fearless quality"
The literary discussion was inter
rupted by the abrupt departure Of the
author. With a dark frown on hi.
face, Blair Eggleston was stumpinl
off toward the house.
Packy watched him with concern
"a little peeved?"
"A little"
did he I forget what I wa
going to say"
yes he did"