Evening star., 1941-03-04

and his wife make 113."
Don't you ever think Of anything
but things-well, like that?"
Indeed I do" said Dick Maiden
when there is anything else worth
thinking about. Just at this mo-
ment, for instance, I'm thinking that
you're even lovelier now than you
were this morning"
Perhaps you'd just better go on
with your counting the guests"
mo, it doesn't interest me any
more. BY the way, did you find the
fellow you were looking for in the
Intelligence files?"
Not a trace, I'm sorry to confess
And you did you find your
laboratory safer"
utterly. 1t was a perfectly
natural short-circuit. But that's
how it is-after being almost blown
up, one becomes suspicious. I rather
expect to find a spy or a nth
columnist under every retort."
'They really aren't that thick?''
Inherited Trouble.
'Thick enough. Frankly, !
wouldn't care for your guardians
lob. He's inherited too much trounle
from the blindness of his prede-
cessors."
That's serious for England,
isn't it?"
"Deuced serious" said the young
lieutenant gravely. But suppose
we'll muddle through somehow -. :
We always have. Personally, I've
almost reached the jittery stage
where 7 suspect all foreigners" -,
".Just who is this Prince VaslaVF"
asked Brinda.
Following her thought, Maiden
smiled. mo need to worry ABOUT
Vaslav. He's above suspicion. Kin
to ROYALTY and all that sort OF thing
He's a nephew of the Grand
Duke. YOU know-really in line Tor
the Russian throne, if there ever IS
a Russian throne again. But mes
death on the Nazis-hates them.
Handsome duffer, what?"
Brinda was forced to agree. 1
don't think ever saw e. handsomer
man-of his type. But don't Ike
him. Does he do anything besides
look handsome?"
"Weu, I suppose you might call
him a sort of society entertainer,
except that he'd be greatly insulted
if YOU did. He backed a Mayfair
,oioht c1,1b hut it was a bust. Now,
if you're going to give a big party
or some sort of war benefit, you call
the Prince in to run things. He's
really a very clever chap. First
rate fencer crack shot -. does
amazing tricks with cards knows
a tolerable lot about art and music
and all that sort of rot. Oh, yes,
dancing too. They say he's regu-
lar Nijinsky-in fact, he's sup
posed to be back of one OF these
ultra-ultra ballet schools - very
Russian, all for art and so on.
Not Taken Seriously.
"He must be on good terms with
a lot of big people" said Brlnda
thoughtfully.
buckets of 'eml But no one
takes him seriously-or at least I
don't imagine any one does"
However, watching Lady Gladys
as she returned from greeting the
most recent guests, it seemed to
Brinda that the MountWyn helress
was taking the handsome prince
very seriously.
For a moment, Malden's express
sion indicated that he might have
noticed it too. But the look van
ished quickly as Gladys greeted him
with a gay smile and a murmured
apology.
MY dearsl Vassie has just CIV
en- me the most wonderful idea! A
blackout dance!"
"a blackout dance?" Dick frowned.
EXACTLY. Well get the dancing
under way, then have an air-raid
signal and turn the lights out. vas
sic says we can get a very good
signal on a clarinet"
Sounds a trif1e gruesome to me"
commented Dick.
'Nonsense!" responded Gladys.
"It's all in fun!"
Perhaps 1t. Maiden Is right" In
terjected Vaslav.
GLADYS lifted an imperious chin.
am quite sure it's a splendid idea" !"
she said crisply. Come, Vaslav,
You'll have to explain that air-raid
signal detail to the clarinetist."
II still think it's gruesome,' en-
phasized Dick as he guided Brinda
through the crowd. Somehow. 1
can't share the prevalent delusion
that this war is a joke"
Nor I, Dick" said Brinda, think
ing of the parachute spy and OF
murdered Capt. Kenley.