Show tt ERIAL STORY ER fal 1 TOE THE GIRL fio fi O M HIS by MARIE VAN VORST illustrations by bl C G KETTNER afe 11 effi rv N IWO by th tho bobba co it 14 SYNOPSIS dan niala elal tho the 22 year old son of the fifty ollar copper kin king of blair town mont la Is a guest at tie the english home home ot lody Onlo giloroy rev dans father had been courteous to lord malorey during his visit to tho the united states and tho the courtesy cour teay Is now being returned to tho the young arn the youth has an ideal girt girl toting in n tila fits mind lie ile meets lily duchess or of breakwater a b beautiful e au t if u 1 w widow ado w w who 1 lo 10 i la s I 1 attracted by h hla 1 m ir immense r ti i ens e fo fortune r alu n e an and d takes a liking to her when dan was A hoy boy a girl sank sang a solo eolo at a church and tie ho had never forgotten her the oa ga forays lily rind and dan ban a attend on a london theater where one letty lane IN 1 the star atar D dan ft n recognizes tier as the girl from his t town wn and going behind the scenes introduces himself and she remembers him 11 hi learns that prince Is suitor and escort to letty lord ga lorey find a friend named ruggles determine to tn protect the westerner from lily bild oth other r fortune hunters young blair koes goes to see aee lily he can talk of n 0 t fling but letty I etty and tills this angers the DU duchess e hess the westerner finds letty ill from hard work b but u t she recovers and 8 find and dan dinv inv invite ito her to supper she sha asks dan to build a home for disappointed theatrical people dan v visits lily for the time forgetting letty lefty CHAPTER XIII XHI continued she was taking him home then I 1 well youve got to come in and have some supper with me in that case ho he cried eagerly and she ahe told him that she had taken him home because she knew that mr ruggles would approve not much you wont he said and put his hand on the speaking tube but she stopped him dont give any orders ordera in my motor mr blair you sit still where you anre do you think that I 1 am such ouch a simple youth that 1 I 11 letty lano lane with a gesture of supreme ennui said paid to him impatiently oh I 1 just think I 1 am pretty nearly tired to death dont bother me I 1 want my own way I 1 her voice and her her gesture her boa beauty u and her indifference her sort of vague lack of interest in him and in everything put the boy full of lifo life as aa he was out of ease case bu but t he ventured after a second wont you please tell me what you wanted me to do this afternoon why I 1 was hard up all I 1 have used all my salary tor for two months and I 1 pay my bill at the savoy lord he said fervently why you 1 I did like a fool I 1 sent for you the first thing but I 1 was awfully glad when five came you turn up please dont bother or speak of it again and burning with curiosity as to what part played in her life dan sat quiet not venturing to put to her any more questions she seemed so tired and so overcome by her own thoughts when they had bad turned down don toward tho the hotel however he be decided that he must in honor bonor tell her his news got some news to tell you ho he exclaimed abruptly want you to congratulate me im engaged to be married to the duchess of breakwater she happens to be a great admirer of your voice the actress tic tress turned sharply to him and in the dark ho he could abe see her little white face the covering over her head fell back and sho she exclaimed heavens and impulsively put her hands out over his do you really mean what you say yes he nodded what do you look like that tor for letty lane arranged her scarf and then drew back from him and laughed oh dear dear dear she exclaimed and I 1 and I 1 have been she looked up at him swiftly as aa though she fancied she might detect some new quality in him which she had not observed before but she saw only his clear kind eyes his charming smile and his bis beautiful young ignorance and said softly to him no use to cry little boy it if it its true dut but that woman half good enough for you not half and I 1 guess you think it funny enough to hear me say sol so what does the other boy from montana tana say dont know dan answered indifferently ferent ly Marcon Alarco nied led him tell him about it before he left you see he do ant understand england like it A little dazed by the way each of the two women took the mention of the other he asked timidly you dont like the ductless duchess of breakwater then and she laughed again goodness gracious I 1 dont know her actresses dont sit around with duchesses then abruptly her beau eyes under tapir curled dark lashes full on him she ehg asked do you like her you bet he said bald ardently of course I 1 do I 1 am crazy about her yot yet he really realized as he replied that he have any inclination to begin to talk about his fiancee flanc ce they had reached tho the carlton and tho the door of letty lanes motor was hold held open better get out ho he urged and have some something ng tomcat ea and she leaning a al 11 little itle aly t toward ward him laughed crazy 1 your engagement will be broken off tomorrow and sho she further said aalde it if I 1 really thought it would why id como come like a shot As sho she leaned forward her cloak slipping from her neck revealing her throat threat above the dark collar of the simple dress she wore he looked in her dove gray eyes and murmured oh say do come along and risk it im game all right sho she hesitated then bade him good night languidly slipping back into her old attitude of indifference 1 I am going homo home to rest est good night I 1 dont think the duchess would lot let you go no matter what you didt dan standing there at her motor door this beautiful well known woman bantering him leaning toward him was conscious of her alone all snowy and small and divine in her enveloping ve scarf lost in ili UK corner of her big car 1 I hato hate to have you go back alone to the savoy I 1 really do please lot me but she shook her bend tell the man the savoy and sa dan carrying in out her instructions closed the door he said eald 1 I dont like that empty vase in there would you be very good and put some flowers in it if they camo came she bhe promise and he went on will you put only my flowers in that vase always hereafter then why of course not goose sho she said shortly will you please lot let me close celoso the door and go home dan walked into tho carlton when her bright motor had slipped away his evening coat long and black flying 11 1 I 01 Q now please do tell me about the poor people its wings behind him his hat on the back of hla his blond head light of foot and step a gay young figure among I 1 the late lingering crowd ile ho went to his apartments and missed ruggles lit in the lonely quiet of too the sitting room but as the night before ruggles had done dan in his bedroom bed room window stood looking out at the mist and fog through which before his eyes the things he had lately seen passed and re passed across the gloom pin ally in spite of the tact fact that he was waa an engaged man with the responsibilities of marriage before him ho he could think of but one thing to take with him when he finally turned to sleep the face of the woman he was engaged to marry eluded him but tho the face under tho the white hood of ot letty lane was in his bis dreams and in his troubled visions he saw her shining eyes CHAPTER XIV from indias andias coral strands mrs higgins in miss lanes apartment at tho savoy was adjusting the photographs and arranging the flowers when she was surprised b by y a caller who came up without tho the formality of ft tending his name do you think blair asked her that miss lane would see me halt half a minute I 1 called yesterday and the day before as soon as I 1 saw that there wat wac a substitute singing in mandalay tell her im as full of news as a char ity report please and I 1 rather guess that will fet fetch lb her something fetched her for in a few minutes ehe camo came languidly fn an and by the way she smiled at her visitor it might be thought dao dan clalra blairs name alone had brought her in the actress had been III tor for a fortnight with what the press notices said was influenza she wore a tea gown long and white as foam her hair rolled alwa in a soft knot and her face was pale as death frail and small as she was she was more ethereal than when in perfect health dont stand a minute and by the hand she gave him dan led her over to tho the loun lounge ge where the pillows pillow were piled and a fur lined silk milk cover thrown across the sofa dont give me that heavy rug theres that little white shawl she pointed to it and dan as he gave it to her recognized the shawl in which she shw wrapped herself when she crossed the ley icy wings its in those infernal side scenes you get colds colda ile he sat ant down by her she began to cough violently and he asked troubled chos taking care of you anyway I figgins and a couple of doctors all yes yea why who should be dan follow up his jealous suspicion but asked in a tone almost paternal and softly illow how aro are your finances getting on ont her lips curved in h a friendly smile but she made a dismissing gesture with her trail hand oh ob im all right higgin higgans s told me ma you had some news about my poor pool people the fact that sho ehe did not take up ud the financial subject made him unpleasantly sure that hir her wants had bad been supplied got clot a whole bunch of newa D dan replied cheerfully 1 I went to see the th old man and the girl in their diggings digging gosh goah you believe such euch were true she drew draw her fine brows together gether to 1 I guess there are a good many thing lat ilat would surprise you but yoa dont need to tell me about hard times the way I 1 am ill do anything give anything so long as aa I 1 dont haqq to hear hard stories she turned to him confidentially perhaps its act ing in false scenes on the stage per pep haps its because im lazy and selfish but I 1 cant bear to hear bear about tales of 0 woe what she said somewhat disturbed his idea ot of her bighearted big hearted charity 1 I dont believe youre lazy or selfish he said sincerely but ive got an idea that not many people really know you this amused her looking at him quizzically she laughed 1 I expect you think thin kyou you do dan answered well I 1 guess the people that seo see you when you are a kid who como come from your own part of the country have a sort of friendship and the girl on the sofa from the depths of her shawl put out a thin little hand to him and sald said in a votee as lovely in tone as aa when she sang la in mandalay well I 1 guess I 1 guess about true after the th tenth of a second in which she thought best to take her little ca hand away from those big warm ones she asked now please do tell mo me about the poor people in this way living him to under stand now how really truo true his better idea of her bad been TO BE CONTINUED |