Evening star., 1937-05-23
Moooziss Sse'io"

Don't mention it," said Arizona. mo
trouble at all. At least hope not"
But even as she said the words sort of
forebodng came over her Tony had said his
next message would be to the ship. Who else
in America was likely to cable her at this last
moment with everything nicely settled? One
glance at the fat envelope that the page boy
brought up told her. Nobody but old Mr.
Spratt splurged on four-page cables, and old
Mr. Spratt splurged only when he was in
lynching mood.
LOCATE JULIA sRATT SAVOY HOTEL AND
PREVENT WHATEVER 1T is SHE IS DOING AND
BRING HER HOME WITH YOU, Arizona read
wonderingly Then she took long breath and
settled down to deciphering the extensively
conveyed history that followed. Mr.. Spratt
had sputtered with rage by cable, but in the
end Arizona found herself in possession of the
facts that Julia, the Spgatts' lovely but crazy
headed young orphaned niece, had shaken
loose from the chaperone who had been sent
abroad with her, got herself entangled with
some young Britisfer - about whom old Mr..
Spratt expressed suspicious that had got past
the cable censorship only by miracle - and
that Arizona was expected to do what set of
guardians, several excellent boarding schools,
and regiment of governesses and chaperones
had failed in to wit: make Julia behave and
come home. Mr.. Spratt was dreadfully worried
and feeling morally responsible because of
Julia's being 50 enormously wealthy in her
own right. Having digested all this, Arizona
busted off her big, beautiful hands, and the
gesture was an unconscious signal that she
had accepted the job.
The trouble with rich folks is that they
have too much money" she said aloud. Give
any mgentled yearling too much rich feed
and she's hard to get in off the range. How
ever. sometimes she can be coaxed into the
tame herd if she's handled right. Even if she's
picked up little locoweed."
Julia Spratt had not picked up any loco
weed in the heart of London. but at the mo-
ment of her first encounter with Arizona, she
was in the act of picking up very large check,
which waiter in the Savoy Grill had just
placed before her. There were eight other
persons at the table with Julia, five of them
men, but nobody 50 much as fumbled. Ari-
zona's eyes scanned them appraisingly.
mighty poor Indian wild herd" she
thought soft hooves and can't carry any
weight. Wouldn't even sell for dog food!'
Then her eyes came to rest upon the hand
some but vaguely unpleasant face of Mr..
Herbert Fitzroyal, the object of old MIR.
Spratt's anxiety. Mr.. Fitzroyal reminded Ari-
zona of something - she could not quite
think what: the shape and poise Of his sleek
head . Suddenly he beat light, quick
tattoo on the edge of his empty glass. 1t was
only an effort to call the waters attention.
but the sound cleared Arizona memory.
"A rattler.' she said aloud. 1t was inn
possible to say whether MIR, Fitzroyal heard
this odd remark or not, but he shot her
strange, venomous look at that very instant.
Leaning over to Arizona in an intimate man.
ner, he spoke smoothly:
Il say, Miss West" said he, "are you an
American"
Sure" said Arizona sweetly Are you?"
Good heavens, no." Julia interviewed petu-
lantly. why Herbert is Scotch - a very old
family with all sorts of kings IN his pack!''
And maybe five aces, too," Arizona re-
marked under her breath. Then aloud: Il
only asked because he speaks with such
broad a. she said sweetly. you see, I've
noticed where lot of Americans get SOL they
speak more English than the natives"
There was a moment of awkward silence,