The Washington times., 1936-11-12

"I don't believe word of 1t,
Evelyn said, but she kept coming
back to the subject and demand
ing, "WeH, who said it? Ellery
knows these club members, doesn't
he? He ought to have known the
mans name. Besides you know as
well as I do that rumors like that
get started"
every likely" Edith said
blandly, "he'S just putting off tell
ing her because he hates to break
it, You know how it is. Nobody
told you or Francesca about losing
the house for ages, because no
one wanted to break the news"
st don't see the connection" "
Evelyn said, worried because she
did. And to change the subject
"Has anyone heard from Fran
cesca? For sister-the way that
girl actS-well! I couldn't act that
way! Your own flesh and blood.
I often think that no one could
blame me if I never spoke to
Peter again, the way he's treated
me but as papa used to say,
blood's thicker than water and
so. what in the world was 1
talking about? Oh yeS-Fran-
cesca. I don't know WHAT to
think. Just a miserable line or
two when she does write. Do
you suppose she's sick, or un'
hanpv or something and doesn't
want us to know?"
"Oh, no indeed" Alice cut in,
brightly. my friend, Jill Ram
sey-surely you know who she is.
Aunt Evelyn? Her picture was IN
all of the papers last Sunday.
Her fathers the j. E. Ramsey
the one that" ,
"Just say pineapple king, and
Aunt Evelyn will know what
you're talking about" A nne
gushed, you're so ROUNDA-
BOUT, and poor Aunt Evelyn'S
waiting to hear what happened to
Aunt Francesca! You see, Aunt
Evelyn"
"Jil and Alice were very close,
at Miss Carver's," Edith put in
complacently.
whats that got to do with
francesca"
ooh! Why nothing except that
Alice's friend Jill was travelling IN
the Orient with Mrs. Ramsey
they're great travellers you know
and she met Francesca at avery
nice affair. She said she was very
we'll"
There was a strained silence.
Evelyn broke it at last. '"Too bad
she's so thin. In all the pictures
she sent mama she's simply ema-
ciated and she looks so dark-af-
most like a native. OF course she
never did have the Failey COM
plexion."
But she married well. I some
times think-well. looks aren't as
important as sweetness. Not that
anyone could ever call Francesca
sweet. I've never asked thing of
her and newer would, but she
might have helped mama. We all
limited hard enough in our letters.
But of course it may be Jim. Some
men are that way. Still, I think
that not having any children Of
her own, she'd be only too glad to
send for one of the girls"
That's exactly what I think.
Everybody knows there are all
sorts of opportunities in the Orient
for a girl, and with Dorathea'S S
looks, and all Francesca could do
for her.
"Oh, I really meant Anne or
Alice. Not that the opportunity
wouldn't be good for any of them.
But Dorathea's still a little young
to make such a trip alone, and my
girls are just at the right age to
make the most"
you've been asking her to take
Alice?"
'N-no! No, indeed. I might
have mentioned in a letter that
Alice is mad about travel. You
are, aren't you, darling?"
"Oh, yes! I've read IA books
about the Orient-not counting
the National Biographies and
other magazine articles"
"Well, asked her." Evelyn ad-
mitted bluntly. ''I wrote three let
terS and the first two she ignored
altogether. The third time she
said that she was very sorry, but
she was too nervous. Now what
has she got to be nervous about,
with a houseful of servants and
all Jin'S money!"
Edith shook her head. For once
they were agreed.
CHAPTER XIX
Outwardly Jan was serene, but
inwardly she was troubled. She
couldn't understand why Lowell
didn't tell what everyone else
knew. Usually frank with him.
this was one thing she coulon' t
bring herself to talk about.
Sometimes she thought that he
was trying to tell her, that he was
Ror &Ian IalV1 cha