Evening star., 1939-10-15


ladies who have put on too much
: sweater but forgotten everything else.
Sherman, in his first unsteady explor
iings, wondered at the number of them.
but it was made plain when her Lady
ship, fixing him with her business eye,
tried to sell him one. Cheap" said
her Ladyship. Il would let her 60 for
twenty-five guineas."
Then Sherman understood that his
hostess had side lines. Even before
that, summoning him to her own sit
/ tngroom in which the tastes of all
periods mingled with gardening cata-
logues and baskets of eggs, she had
said. Perhaps l should tell you the
room you are in now is four and a half
gulneas a week. can let you have a
larger one for eight"
1t was glad news to Sherman, who
had been thinking of himself as a
tolerated guest. Now he could stay as
long as he liked. He wanted to stay
because of Tracy He wanted to help
ner. If the only way he could do it was
by getting her husband out of his tight
corner, he would do even that. All his
money had never bought him any
thing he had really wanted; it might
as we'll do the job for someone else.
He said he'd take the room at eight
guineas He was beginning to under
stand her Ladyship better every day.
She had a strong business kink. She
tapped little bureau in corner with
a pencil. Real Chippendale. If you'd
care to have it. III let it 60 cheap
She named price SO preposterous it
took his breath away.
After that, she handed him bill for
repairs to her car. He scanned it, grin
nlng. 1t looked like she'd had the
whole thing rebuilt. A robber chief. he
thought. Direct descendant of the
plundering Barons of old. He sounded
Tracy later.
What does she rook you?"
Me-" The golden brown eyes were
surprised. You don't understand.
don't pay anything came over here
without a thing in the world. One small
suitcase and lucky to get out with
that Hans made me go. Things got so
bad, and we didn't know. We thought
then he'd be joining me, We meant
to try and start again. in America. Her
Ladyship gave me home. She's been
helping me get in touch with the
authorities She's been marvellous"
He took back his previous impress
sion. She was no Robber Baron -
more a Robin Hood, fleeing the rich
to help the poor He liked that. in spite
of the fact that his instincts told him
he would be wise if he cleared out.
But he knew he wasn't going to clear
out. 1t was the first time he had been
happy and amused since the night the
police came to his apartment in Park
Avenue. He was going to stick it out,
cost him what it might.
1t was evident it was going to cost
him a good bit, and not only in hard
cash. No sooner was he convalescent
than Lady Clotworthy swooped on
him with a barrow in which there
lurked gardening gloves and few
tools; also bag of hop manure -
smelly stuff. She told him to dig it in.
Sherman. who thought this might hap
pen. had laid his plans ahead. He had
seen himself in his minds eye smiling
down at her, friendly but firm.
Now, Lady Clotworthy," he had
planned to say. Let's understand one
another right away. I'll pay my whack.
But | won't dig in the garden"
1t had seemed straightforward
matter, but when the time came he
said, Sure" and put on the gloves.
Maybe generations of giving orders
made her Ladyship immune from
refusal.
1t didn't matter. Tracy gardened
too. In the house he could never get
her to talk - as if the enclosing walls