Evening star., 1936-06-30

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for two years at the academy. And
always, while Richard was student
at the University OF Pennsylvania, he
had spent his Summer vacations trail
ing Patsy over the globe-to Honolulu,
to Seattle-and once clear to Shang-
hal Just to spend to weeks with her.
Virginia went on in that curiously
husky, voice Of hers: People say that
Lee never loved Kitty. that he mar
reid her for her money because an
ensign-he was an ensign then
makes so little and he was so desper-
ately poor. You now-first family Of
Virginia - stony broke - his father
having a tough time raising the en-
trance fee to the academy-that sort
Of background"
Portrait Of Kitty.
She paused a moment and Joined
Patsy at the dressing table. II can
certainly see," she continued, how
Twin Oaks, the palatial estate that
Kitty's father bought across the Sew
ern on the Claiborne side when he
retired and moved down here from
New York, would be enough to stagger
any young. man just out of the acad-
emy. But when you meet Kitty. If
you ever do. you'll stop and reflect.
don't see how any man could resist
her. Brilliant blue eyes, cleaning
black hair, clear-cut cameo features
the most beautiful creature have
ever seen! Looks about 20, though
know her to be at least 80. You see,
I met Kitty Cavendish in Paris last
Winter and got to know her inti-
mately. We still correspond. I just
had a letter from her telling me that
she's going to marry Count Rolfe de
Veau the moment the decree Is hand
ed her"
And SO what, virginia."
Virginia shrugged her bare white
shoulders. Nothing, darling. Except
I like the name of Cavendish. Vir-
ginia Cavendish. That's rather
euphonious, isn't it?"
There was some one at the door
now. Some one who said evenly,
deadly cold: Patsy, I'd like to be with
Virginia-alone!'
Patsy and Virginia wheeled quickly
and faced Ted Warheld. He didn't
say anything more just then. He
didn't need to. He was an eloQuently
miserable young man, proudly and a
little shabbily erect in his shiny uni
form, agony in his black eyes. His
lean cheeks were flushed hot and
painful. He was young man who had
Virginia Keith in his blood. Like some
kind of flame burning him up, de-
stroying him.
AS Patsy, white faced and shaken,
passed through the door and hurried
down the steps. leaving them alone,
she heard Ted's voice, harsh and
strained with forced control. Heard
him say: What was the meaning OF
that last crack, Virginia? Just what
did you mean by-euphonious?"
Patsy reached the bottom of the
stairs and nervously looked back. Sup
pose some one heard them quarreling
Suppose Ted, wildly jealous as he was,
killed Virginia! She felt the blood fly
out of her heart to the farthest cor
ners of her body. where it beat in
tolerably. She stood still. Ted's and
Virginia's voices were drowned out by
the clatter in the drawing room and
some one playing softly on the piano
She lifted her golden head and fixed
a faint smile on her lips-a modern
young Mona Lisa. Then she walked
serenely into the drawing room.
Lee Cavendish, Patsy saw, was not
there Richard and grandfather were
deep in conversation before the flick
ering fire, spiraled glasses In their
hands. Old Ephraim was passing
slowly from one guest to another with
cocktails on Sheffield tray.
Tippy talking to blonde little Char
lotte Fellows looked up and saw Patsy.
He grinned and joined his fists to-
gether above his sandy head in the
salutation of prize fighter in the ring
Patsy's silvery laugh rang out
Tippys nonsense was just the tonic
she needed to give her courage. The
night. distorted and blurred by what
had happened on the portico and
upstairs, grew less disturbing. She
said: "Tippy. you're an oaf!'
Suddenly it seemed to Patsy that
every one was speaking at once. They
had heard her, had turned. The room
became q giant, friendly octopus
Hands reached out at her from every
where.
Presently everything Patsy had felt
on the portico became a little vague
a little unreal It was not true, she
thought, but only her silly imaginings,
that her heart had pounded and her
wrists and temples had ached-that
she had wanted to creep into Lee
Cavendish's arms and stay there for
ever. She flung back her slim shoul-
ders, raised her glossy head and
searched for Richards eyes across the
room. When she found them she gave
him all the glory of her young smile.
He excused himself from Admiral
Warfield, came over to her and drew
her away from those gathered around
her. He bent close: Lets get out OF
LnlS lot IuOIHciiI, dIleCi' Voiu
Ephraim that when dinner was an
nounced he'd find us in the library
He ushered her into the hall then
and in the dim amethyst shadows oi
the winding stairs he stopped and
pulled her near and kissed her with
tentative eentleness. When she die
not move his lips stayed on hers
ardent, tender-and there was peace
not passion, in her heart.
After a moment they drew apart
With his arm half about her waist
they walked slowly toward the library
Richard didn't say anything. He never
spoke Immediately after he kissed her
She had asked him about that strange
silence once and he had said: From
heaven to earth takes a moment
Patsy" She had felt shy after that
and never could find any careless
words to say.
Suddenly Patsy had the feminine
urge of necessity to talk. She pulled Q
little away from him. She had said
something about test tubes and burettes