Evening Star Newspaper, October 24, 1926, Page 86

THE SUNDAY STAR, WASHINGTON, D. C. OCTOBER 24, 1926—PART 8 e Battle of the Fur Coats | Lad GNES hought hers in August on thoss coaxing terms by | which a wish ie father to a| purchase. Then she went | back 1o the office and men- | tioned it to Sheila caaually. ! “Fur coat.” asked Sheila. “What 414 vou get” Muskrat?” Agnes drew ated dignity “Hudson seal.” she said. and Jooked at herself in the mirrored cover of | Rer_compact as if to hetter Visualize | hergslf in Hudson seal. Sheila put a | freeh sheet of paper in her typewriter. herself up in exagger i “Aren't you flying pretiy high?" | she suggested. “What'd you pay for| at | “1t'a the hext time to buy." an-| swered Agnes wisely. ignoring the di rect question. “And iU’z simply stun- | ning. Not one of these grandmother | offects. vou know. And soft! That | s8al must have had oil shampoos and vielet-ray treatments all his life, judg- | ing from the fur of him | ‘Hudson seal isn't seal.’ “I know that,” said Agnes. “Rut | ean’t I he funny at my own expense? | You know, you ought to get a fur | cont. Sheila.” “Ull he lucky if 1 get a new slab of | nutria on the old eloth one.” | ‘Oh, well.” sald Agnes, “that's your | fault: Thera's no use being tight. ! You make gond money. If vou don't | get things, vou don't have them." | he added, reasonably, “and 1 don't | s8e what's the use of working like a T slave 1o buy your own coffin. simply can’t bear to he dowdy!” She did not lonk dowdy In her offie dress of black and white with its dash ing flowered pattern. Sheila thought the slesves were too short, hut, then, she often thought Agnes went farther then was neceasary in many wav And all her thought did not alter the fact. That even men who came to see her own emplover, Mr. Rice. ofter found excuses for dawdling in the | anteroom of Mr. Grantland's office he. cause Agnes was the stenographer in there. There was something about tha glossy back of Agnes’ head that Arew them even before she spoke, | something in those rounded, free arn that made her approachable. Men, even Important ones, talked to Agnes as they never talked to Sheila. Rut | Sheila had no jealousies. She did not | want them to talk to her. She wanted | 16 ge1 her work done and her salary raised and finally move into an office of her own with “Public Stenog- rapher” on the door. That ambition glimmered in the distance and grew meore visible whenever she saved any money, * X X Ok T was on the afternoon of the fur- coat purchase that Jack Holmes eame into the office for the first time, and, having a message for Mr. Rice, came stralght to Shella’'s desk “I'm from Mr. Stearn’s office,” he | vuptey proceeding. | ones are so sun-spolled and the rich I Sheila Saved Her Money and Agnes Bought Fine Clothes. and she looked half amused. Fur coats \ day like this! Rut she looked again. The furrier's window did not hot for some reason. It dark and very simply displayed dull, thick rug. a chair and a <he thought, “and on 1ook | was vather | Al cane | bench and over’these were laid two | coats, one white and soft, one gray as fur hoth of soft rich whose geated no weigh a cloud, depth “Those real fur If, “are ok ok % TPHE next time that came to the office to see Mr. Rice Sheila knew what it was about. He | was working on an_involved bank- 1e had evidently heen allowed to handle it from what Shella saw in the letters. When he came out from his second conference with Mr. Ttice Agnes had come in 1o talk to Sheila. and there was the usual Jack Holmes frank and casual invitation to con. | versation “in Agnes’ face. Holmes stopped to say something: Shella never knew clearly what, for she was womehow furious that Agnes should force herself wpon him. “Ile's easy to look at” sald Agnes of Jack Holmes, after he left, remi ascently. “Don’'t you think so, Khella? “Oh, sort of,” answered Sheila in- differently. “I like hix looks,” repeated Agnes. “He has the kind of face that gets ere. That's the way Mr. Mallard ked three vears ago and watch him now. Rolling in it. This fellow looks a bit hungry now, but he's going to get there. [ don’t know, Sheila, some- imes [ think a girl's wise to go after that kind of a fellow instead of irving to find a rich one. The rich young Id ones all need so much revamping | that it isn’t worth the trouble.” “I'm not going after any of them.” Sheila, o you can spare me the advice to the lovelorn.” | “You're a lot too goodlooking to stay at a temperature of 30 below-— that's my final advice,” said Agnes and went into her office to see who had just come in. From the open | dvorway of the other side of the| suite Sheila could hear some man's | voice, low and focular, and Agnes in, auick return. For the first time she | reflacted that it would be rather fun| to be like Agnes and not be afraid to | go after what vou liked and wanted fur coats and expensive dresses and even men. She wondered if Agnes meant that about Jack Holmes, and somehow Sheila’s spirits went lower and lower. It was all ridiculous, that about Agmes marrving a poor man and helping him up. Agnes couldn't help any one up. She wag amusing and she was fun, but she was desfre | and debt incarnate. Shella knew | about Agnes' finances because every it | everything. in a deep window, ) back in early September, the day after | Jack had taken Kheila out to dinner, And from the minute she appeared in the office the simplicity went out of When Jack Holmea came in with some papers for Mr. Rice to gn Sheila took them in to the pri- vate office where Mr. Rice was in con- ference. When she came out Agnes was talking to Jack in that gay, semi- Intimate manner which she had for all men. Jack thanked Sheila as he took the signed papers, hut the last fling of hix jocular conversation was for Agnes. Agnes looked afte: ‘““That's my idea of « man!” she said “You know vou get awfully sick of these birds around hotels who like to dance with vou and take yon for a ride and then forget to have you mest thelr mothers, because vou don't know the Jones-loneses! bet that Jack Holmes—— “I have to get theme letters out.” said Sheila coldly. But she wasn't cold underneath the tone. She waa hot and hurt and angry and she told herself that xhe was not to be ab. surd. and kept on being absurd, most of the night and even into the next day. It was hard to tell whether it was relief or more misery which she felt when she found that young Holmes had been sent Weat to find a man mixed up in the bankruptey cans, who might save the firm a few thou- sand dollars it his testimony could be hrought before the court referes. Holmes might be gone for some {ime. o2 % ox HE heat passed and the first cold nights came and then the first cold davs. i “I hope the Winter i early and long,” sald Agnes to every one, “he. cause I've somehow got to get my money out of that fur coat. It's all I have in the world. That war rubbish and Sheila knew it, hecause Agnes waa already shop- ping for clothes to wear with the coat, paving a little here and a little there and somehow keeping her credit atrained but not broken and her spir- ita alwaym high. On the first day that the weather justified it, a nipping early November duy, Agnes wore the cont to the office, and stood in the doorway until Sheila looked up. Oh inid Sheila, “it in beautiful!™ “Not w0 bad,” agreed Agnes. “I'll be paying for it the rest of my life, of course, But what's the difference? By the way, why doesn’t young Holmes come (o #ee us any more?” “He'n West,” said Sheila uriefly. “Coming buck 7" How ghould 1 know?" asked Sheila She did know, and she justified her evasion to Agnes on the ground of her knowledge being office knowledge and therefore confidentinl. Hhe knew from the letters which passed through her hands that Holmes had found his man, and had a star witness in the bank- rutpey hearing and that all the law- him The first day that she were it, Sheila was almost afraid to go into the office. The new coat had meant & new hat, and the two together had %0 far transformed her that Agnes looked at her, looked again, and wien she saw who It was, sat down speach- less. Well,” said Sheila, “vou see I took vour advice.” “My advice! gasped Agnes. ‘I8 that m, advice you're wearing? When vau get a coat, vou ecertainly get one." Jike it?" asked Sheila, coolly. t'8 marveious.” said Agnes. “Wait till Jack Holmes seer vou in that!* “TWhat of 1t?" But she knew that Agnes gueased. When Jack Holmes came in, which wam more aeldom, he seemed to divide his attentions hetween the two girls. | and sometimes Shella wondered if | Agnes saw him outside. But she had no way of knowing, because she would not ask Agnes. It was near Christmas, a snowy, blustery day, when the bankruptcs case came to a conclusion. Mr. Ric and Holmes went in to the inner office from the last hearing and congratu- lated each other. Then as she heard Tiolmes coming out, Shella looked up desperately. Rhe realized suddenly that it might be years hefore he would be sharing a case with her emplover again, that it might be years before ahe saw him. And something - of that must have heen In her eves as he stopped and said, “Well, 1'll have no excuse to come in now, will 1? | You know I'm going to miss seeing vou. How about a& little dinner to celebrate tonight, since we won our case? If 1 came around about 6 o'clock, would you care?" * % x % O that was how he aaw the fur ‘coat. And seeing it, he whistied. You're wondertul,” he told her. “You look like a million doliars!" They went to a hotel and had a splendid dinner, which she was aure cost more than he could afford. Rut she was determined not to care. After they had finished their coffee they went to a movie and this time th | dld not sit an respectfully distant from each other as they had before. Once Jack lifted Sheila’s hand from where # lay, c to him upon the silvery fur of her thrown-back coat. He held It for a moment and she could feel herself tremble. “Ihen, without knowing why, she found she had drawn {t away and he made no effort to regain it, pulling himaelt up in hie seat rather stifiy. Rut when they came out of the motion picture house, he was atill unwilling to con sider that the evening had come to uppose we go somewhere for a dance and something to eat,” he aug- gosted. SUDPDENLY SHEILA €O 4. *“Will you tell Mr. Rice, ]\I!I!P?l fo's expecting me.” Sheila Jooked up into what she thought was the friendliest man's ! face she had ever seen. It was young not ton handsome, with a nose fch had been broken at least once. nd eager, grayv eye: His hair was roughened a littla as if he had heen out in & wind--it alwavs was lke that—and he had a steady mouth always shaped for smiling. as if he was enjoying what he did as he went aleng. Sheila took hir message in 1o Mr, Rice and Mr. Rice said most casually-—- “Who 4id you sav” The voung fel tew from Stearns & Hunt? Send him in, Miss Hesper." | 'So Sheila sent him in and he car ried the smile he had given her with him and used it just as cordially on Mr. Rice. Shella hated office flirtations. She hated tha left-over compliments and the chaff of men's gallantry which they used in outer offices. and it showed o plainly in her manner that mean ssldom got to the point of think ing her pratty. Jack Holmes knew it when he left the office because she had met his friendly, gray eves with her deep. hlua anes and because he had caught that swift, sudden, Iifted 160k on her face which came over it when she liked semething or some | ene. After his hack was turned Sheila poticed that his dark. blue suft was well eut hut shiny. and, secondly that it never accurred to him to look twies inte the door of Mr. Grantland's office, though Agnes’ firm, white arme | ard sleek. hlack head were in full view. “TWhe was that?" asked Agnes a lit- | te later. T @on't know his name. Stearns & Hunt He's from “It's & young fellew called Holmes then, sald Agnes. "I knew I'd seen him before. Nice looking. isn’t he? Loeks like a good, expensive cigarette ad. He came from Roston or some. thing ltke that. Lofty but poor. He goes around though with the country club lot, 1 guess. You might intro- duce him to me. Rheila Jaughed ridiculously happy. the last few latters Mr. Rice gi hefora he left as if they were piano | exercises. Then she put on her hat | and went out through the bullding. | which was almost deserted because | 1t was August and late afrernoon. | It was hot. Fven the streets were being avoided. The windows of m-‘ sh looked hot—confectioners’ and | ' alive with colors, depart- Bt g ST | She was feeling | and she ticked off | ave her | ! was plain, it was also smart. now and then when instaliments got too pressing Sheila helped her out. BIT.A these * ok oxox St had all mind, and others. too. a week later when she next saw Jack Holmes. | He was looking a little worn, and while the smile was as ready as ever, it seemed a little pathetic over his | fatigne. Sheila gathered that they were working him preity hard in the office, for both partners had gone on extended vacations. Mr. Rice had| gone when he came in and iolmes | looked worried and disappointed. “You look as it it was time for your vacation,” said ®heila suddenly It war quite the most personal re- mark she had ever and she wondered made it. But he mind “U'nfortunately, went in June to see m ted. and now ft's ail used up.” thinge in | at herself as she | did not seem to I've had mine. T sinter get ma | “l had my vacatlon early, foo.” | “So we both miss out. Well it's| 5 o'clock again and since Mr. Rice 1sn't coming back, how about some thing cool to drink in the drug store downatairs?” Sheila put on her hat in ridiculous excitement. The lucky thing was that | Agnes had gone on her vacation the | Ay hefore. 1f Agnes had been around | she couldn't have gone. And vet it was all very easy and natural to it there in the quiet drug store and | iaugh and talk. and find out a liitle more ahout Jack Holmes, and hate | herself for having worn that old linen | dress and love herself for talking to a veally nice man who didn't seem to | have the faintest idea of getting fresh. | xx e x | HERE was & movie. There was a | second movie. There was a din ner one night. It was not an elabo rate dinner and it had no slightest hint of secrecy or intrigue about it for they had an obvioua table in the middle of the room and the room was full of other people. But each occa slon war pleasanter than the one be- | fore, which was working them up to aonsiderable heights for Sheila She had hought a pink dress and thongh ita sieeves were long and it And though Sheila was determined not for a minute to exaggerate this friend ship. though, indeed. they both guarded the casual nature of it very caretully, atill ahe laughed very often, for there somehow seemed more funny things to laugh over than there ever had been before. Jack Holmes showed them to her. { ond their e made to any man | | stat vers involved were pleased because the technical point involved was a very clever one. He came b & new suit which made him look e more so, and & rough gray overcoat. “Hello,” he said to Rheila, “how are you, anyway? He said it as if he wanted to know, and Sheila was s0 glad to see him that it shone in her face as she told him that she was perfectly fine. For & sec- held each other'’s, and 100k came suddenly, as k very muccesaful, with n in his a quee | if he were finding something. seeing something, when Sheila heard Agnes behind her ‘I'm going out Wil von watch half an hour. office?” asked for my v both Jooked up, and thers was with her princess air and her royal coat. Jack Holmes looked a lit- tled stunned, Yor he had quite forgot- ten her and she was well worth 100k - ing at. She smiled at him and one sentence led to anather, and in the end Jack left with Sheila a message for the abeant Mr. Rice and went down- with Agnes. Shella’s face was rather dreadful as she watched them 0. A e 5:30 that afterncon, Sheila sat the furrier's establishment in which che had passed in August. Muskrat—or perhape ked the salesman 0. Something hetter. Thers was a squirrel coat in your window in Au- st e saleeman amiled deprecatingly. Yen—I remembher the one. It iz a 1y garment. A valuable coat.” “T'll try it on,” sald Shella. He go: it out almost reluctantly. obviously feeling he was wasting time ow much is 1t?" asked Sheila raceoon ?" lo “It's vegularly a thousand. hut we're | melling it for eight hundred. Wo1ld I have to pay once it T teok it?" yo¥ an account here?" o “Waell, of course, we can see. It would mean that we would have to have a substantial payment down—-" Five hundred,” she said crisply, “and T can give references.” think that would be satisfactory. T'll go back to the office and see— “If it i= all right,” sald Sheila, giv- ing her name, and the address of her employer, “I'll bring the money in to- morrow and get my coat.” All the way down the street she kept saying to herself. “I don't ecare if it is all I've got. I'll show him that I'm good looking, too—that it's the clothes, the coats, that do it.” for it all at| ULDN'T BEAR THE SIGHT OF THAT GAY TRIO ACROSS THE ROOM, OR THE MYSTERY OF THEIR LAUGHTER. | He took her to a hotel cabaret where &he had never heen before. Shefla was excited. She powderad her face and checked her coat and thanked her fortune that the hat ahe was wearing matched her dress. She heard a familiar voice, 1.ook who's here! sald Agnes Who's vour hoy friend ack Holmes." Stepping out, aren’t you Who's with you, Agnea?" “Oh, I'm having a dance or two { with the hone,” sald Agnes. This_part of the evening wasn't much fun. Perhaps it was the eon- | aciousness of Agnes, who was 80 much |a part of her every-day reality that | Sheila was jogged out of her adopted | roie. Perhaps it was the floor, stick- {1ly thick with dancers pressing againat each other. Shella didn't like it. She | aidn’t fit ana she knew that ahe didn't fit. She had somehow loat spirit, “You dropped vour check. lady,” said some one, handing her her coat | check, and Sheila took it and turned to thank the girl who had handed it to her, but she was gone. The waiter placed a check beside Jack and Shefla could not help but see at a glance the horrifying total. He looked at the check and turned it | over, tgnoring it. Sheiia?" L “Will you excuse me just a min- {nte2” asked Jack. “I'll be right back.” “Ot course. | Her eyea followed him, though thev pretended not to. He was making h | way across the room toward the table vhere Agnes and Mr. Grantland sat. He told them something and they all Ianghed uproariously. ok ox o UDDENLY Shella couldn’t hear the sight of that gay trio across the | room or the mystery of their laughter |1t wam madness to care so much, to | feel 0 hopeleas, so perilously near | reara. She turned to the waite “Will you tell the gentleman when | he comes back that I'm feeling a little | il and went home?" she asked. “Yes. madam.” he said. Sheila found her way to the ladies’ cloakroom again and handed the sleek-haired young man her check. He me back with a wrap over his arm. That's net the one.” said Sheils. “Isn’t 1t*" He compared the stub ahe gave him with the number on the dllapidated moleskin cape. “Look lady, thia is the check you just me. This is the coat.” The cheek isn't mine then.” she began. and then she had & sudden horrible memory af Some ane saying. e That was when. ppensd. She'd wreng! | long hair. | @on't BY MARGARET CULKIN BANNING dropped her own, or more likely had 1t picked out of the pocket of the flan- nel dress she was wearing. ‘Oh, I'm sure my coat's there: heard herself saying desperatel The manager came suavely from some office back of the cleakroom. “You say there's mistake about your coat, miss?” 3 “This isn't mine. I'm sure mine must be in there. The check must have been wrong. It you'll let me in to that cloakroom——" “Well, of course. T can take vou in there, but we can't touch a coat without the proper elaim check. He awung the little half door and took her in to where the rows and rows of coats hung. Sheila’s eves ran &xeedily over them. “It isn't here,” she said flatly, seanning the awept corners. “It fan't here."” ‘Did you put your cont check down anywhere?" asked the manager. ‘Then she tdld him about the inci- dent of the woman who had handed It back to her, and his face grew sharper ¢han ever. ““That makes it much clearer. You realize, miss, that we can't take the responaibility for vour garment if you don't take care of your check. Just step in my office for a minute,” he conclnded. She followed him blindly through the offices back of the cloakroom. the weighted sense of calamity dragging ! At her. The menager was saving curtly again that he could accept no respon- sibility, but that if she wished. she conld telephone pnlice headquarters from hia office. “Police.” sald Sheila, suppose I must.” “They may be able to get it hack. If you are with some gentieman, he will doubtiess be giad to yo to the atation with vou."” No." interrupted Sheila, definitely I'll get in touch with the police myself.” " she drearfly, “I * X ok % HE went back through the office and cloakroom. 8he wondered how #he could reach the street and find a taxi without being conspicuous. Only one thing was clear. She weouldn't drag Jack into this. “What's the matter, Rhella?" asked & volce behind her, “Jack said vou left word 1 were sick and were going home Hheila tried to smiie at Agnes, who wan standing there, luxurious in depths of seal ““No,"” she sald. trying to keap her from sudden high notes, “not %0 very alck. Juat a little. T thought I'd just get A taxi and akip home. I'm tired.” “Giet vour coat firat, child.” “Oh. my coat.” sald Sheila. moiat- ening her lips. Yes. You see, xome- body atole my coat. 1 dropped my check." | “Your new coat! Agnes. sharply. Shella nodded. and told the tory. My heavens!" raid “Help me to get out of here, | she begged “I don't want | 'k Holmes again. Tell him | sick don’'t drag him into this mene. ~tell him anvthing. But | rn lose the coat if I have to. but I won't | have a row. Keep him out of it - | Agnea somehow slipped her friend | through the crowd and put her in a| taxi. Then just am it started she| leaned forward and put her own coat around Sheila. rather‘tenderly. | adness by only “THOSE,” SAID SHEILA TO HER. SELF, “ARE REAL FUR COATS.” A raw deal you were up against last night."” “All my fault,” said Sheila. “You should have heard Mr. Grant | 1and talk to that manager last night.” | sald Agnes with amusement. “You'd have thought the empress had lost her string of matched pearls. And then Mr. Holmes hot-footed it off to the police station.’ “Rut vou told evershodv!" exclaimed Sheila, forgetting the restraint of Mr Grantland's presence. He went smil ingly back to his desk and Agnes closed his door. “Naturally 1 teld him," coming to the point at last. he bring you there? Wasn't responsibility™ e “Of con He'll me." “I don't need it.” Grantland's got a hothouse roses blow. worry." “You siated she said, 3 limousine whera And don't you | won't tell Jack?" Shefla in trying in vain not to take the coat. “And. Agnes. I don’t hlame him for liking you. He's got sense. Don't tell him, will you?" “Don’'t you worry,” said Agnes, “leave it to me. Call the police sta- tlon when you get home. Then go o sieep.” * ok ok % HEILA talked to a sleepy police man, who took her telephone number and her name and appeared to make all fitting record without giv- ing her much encouragement. Then Sheila tried but coffee and Aiscouragement and heartache are poor | “Oh, no,” said Agnes, wisely, “he lullahier and she hroke her wretch- | won't. And 1 don't mean maybe an hour's rest. She | You'll more likely get your coat back woke with the quick burdened appre-| I don't care whether T dn or not hension of trouble and went through | very much. 1 never should have it all again in memory, dreading to| hought it. 1 want to get it paid for rise and face it. But after a little she [ and forget it.” got up and set her firm. little mouth | ‘It wasn't exactly your style of buy In determined line as she bathed and | ing.” suid . gaes. coming closer and dressed. putting a fiendly hand on Sheila's Breakfast ather Timp one. I tell you I felt minad and awfully r and then Sheila buttoned her old, | I'd talked you into that coat proposi cloth coat to her throat and with| tion in the first place.” Agnes’ fur one over her arm, set out You didn’t talk me into it. tor the office. Strangely enough there | hecau wak # kind of comfort in the old cont lous It seemed to restore her confidence. 1 know, she maid, didn't it his wasn't! hate e, it to sleep, was only desolate guips a few, of deter- | coffee, 1 got it 1 was jealous of yours. And finished Agnes. and her Her ewn office was empty, but she | mouth grew a little bitter. “But vou could hear Agnes in the next room | needn't have been. I never had a talking to Mr. Grantiand. Sheila | chance. T had myself kidded into he went to the connecting door of the | lieving that I might be a safe, sane in offices and luid the seal coat on u | vestment for some voung man who chair and Agnes, prettily poised in | wanted to rise one of these lady lad | Mr. Grantland’s doorway, turned | der-holdors, you know. But I didn't around. fool any one but myseif. As for him," Thanks ever so much.” said Sheila. [ she hesitated for a minute and then | “for the coat and everything, Agnes.” [ went on, “he wag jusi Mr. Grantland loomed up behind | know he was in love with vou. Bu Agnes. looking at Shella with half-| I guess he found It out last night amused scrutiny. after vou ran off.” ‘Good-mornin; Pirandello, BY REATRICE BASKERVII World Carrespondent at Rome. UIGI PIRANDELLO, Italian writer of grotesque playvs and novels, whose “Six Charact in Search of an Author” puz zled New York three years ago, Atage-managed intely a real duel, which turned out as comically as that in his play very Man in His Own Way.” Despite his #0.0dd vears, Pi- randello. Plrrie for short, did his part of the business with as much zest as he gAve to the managing of his own little theater in Rome a couple of Winters back. The chief actors in the serlo-comic private duel ware. Mansimo Rontempelli. playwright. Siuseppe Ungarelli, author. Agesilao Greco, fencing master, Dactor. Pirandello, or Pirrie for short. Flappers. Tevo pine trees (musn't he left out on any account) On one never-to-be-forgotten Sunday, when sultry heat enveloped the City of Rome. the populace of the Seven Hills was treated to this unique liter- ary dnel. Pirrie's villa is near the catacombs Agnese (what every tourist ‘There are two pine trees in the garden—net much else, hecause the villa i new The windows were brightened on the senmatlonal occasion by flappers in Robbed and shingled heads haven't reached the villa as vet: it in 100 far out. The sweet young things had heard Gabrisllino = D’Annunzio confuse with hie father, who never plays second part in any com- edy) war io second one of the duelista. A# the curtain goes up (sunrise) Pir- vie ia stroking hia long heard as he leans ont of the bathroom window. Hix scarlet pajamas supply local color. He looks down upon the cement walk. Here are Massimo Bontempelli—duel it No. 1. with his seconds, Gabriellino and Raron Baratelll. Fencing Master Agesilao Graco, 16ft center, polishes two sworda with vim and vigor. Pirrie——I hope there iz a woman in the case. oco (flourishea both once)—No. it'a about me. Pirrie-~What a world we live in! How we deteriorate! Doctor (opening scalpel case)—It is all about whether Greco ix a good swordsman or not. Pirrie (disappointed)—What a pity. 1 hoped for a little scandal. They told swords at told a mountain of lies. But evervbody in his own way. You have said so. Pirrie, dear, on a hundred stages. At the moment 'ngarelli. the other Auelist. rushes on. follawed by his sec- onds, Nardelli and Ttare. He could not find a baron. needful for all seif-re- specting Auels, hecanse the only one who had not gone out of town for the dead season had been smapped up by Bontempelii. Pirrie (hanging out of the window)- Ungarelll! Tsn't there 8 woman in it? Ungarelll (who wears American spectacies and looks very hot)—Of not. (throwing a stump of his cigarette on to the pergola)—What a shame! Bontempelli (seeing opponent, rushes across the dueling ground and holds out both hands)—Here you are at last, carissimo! (Tries to embrace him, but Greco, the four seconds and the doc- tor, horrified, drag him away.) Ungarellil—My God! Save me from his embrace (runs wildly from one end of the cement to the other. then, apot- ting the larger pine, climba up it) I won't make it up! I won't! Rontempelli (rushes to the foot of the tree. but is dragged off hy the united efforts of seconds, doctor and “‘Here's vour ¢heck, jady. You dropped | comes down from that pine tres I'm fencing master)—Pirrie! You must listen if the other won't. If only he readv to admit he was right and I was Dr e last night because | too simple to | The door opened and an excited voung man carrving a bu fur came through the doorway. Why, vou got it cried Agnes ex citedly. “You het said Jack. “There were | only half a dozen likely places to | seavch, and we did it. me and a couple L of policemen. They fonnd lot of other stuff. too, 1 thev've | n look | Ing for He stopped and laoked at Sheila, and the excites t went out of & eves, driven ont by something ‘A'I r and tender and absorhed. He for- | got Agnes. who went inte the hall, | closing the deor abruptiy | “Poor * said Jack, “1 wae a0 stupid 1 was all mixed up, because | didn't know what as the ter with me. [ conldn’t b 1o let | &0 for I wouldn't von {again and I didn't know what to say | or do. Maybe it was your coat that | frightened me. | knew 1 never ecould { Hve up to it. 1 thought of all the | things T'd like to give vou, and a | voung lawyer hasn't much to offer | but_hope and love [ “Rut there’'s nothing else in the world I want.” said Sheila. softly | Neither of them knew that the fur coat had fallen from his arms to the | floor and were standing heed | 1essly on a thonsapd dellars’ worth of squirrel as he kissed her (Capyright. 1 Putting Ants to Work. N Burmah and the Far Hast they have a curious fashion of setting ants to work. Sandalwood, as we know, is worth ifs weight in silve hut it is oniy hard heart of the wood that and valuahle. procious averlaid by which forms two-thirds of the trunk of the tree. \When a tree iz felled and eut into suitable lengthe, the loggers =t | let it lie. Then the ants, attracted { by the of the wood, at tack is fragrant | This v soft i worthless laver, sweetness he chunks. amatist, Stages Mock Duel For Unique Breakfast Party at His Villa BONTEMPELLI AND UNGARELLI, AUTHOR AND PLAYWRIGHT, MEET PIRANDELLO'S GARDEN. Pirrie-—You can't do it! Honor de. | mands blood. red, warm, generous | blood. Oh, heaven' what a situation! | Bontempelli--1 came here to say how sorry 1 am for what happened last | night. I agree with Ungarelli ahout | our distinguished friend and swords. man here. dear old Greco, and 1 de clare he is tha best man, the beat | swordsman and the best fighter any where! il Doctor—Oh, shut up and get on | with the duel! T've an operation in 10 | minutes’ time at the other end of the | town. | Bontempelli—I tell you I admit I '\'nn! wrong! Pirrie—You've that too | often. Cut it out! H Ungarelli (to Rontempell))—You're nothing but a clown! i Bontempelli—Rut I've come to make t up! Ungarelli (dramatically, addressing | the others)—Make it up! *After upset- ting my wear mamma’s digestion. Bontempelli 1 upset her? She ate too much macaroni! Ungarelli—Clown! Clown! ! m their trees and | face each other, gesticulating wildly, | talking very loud and fast.) H Pirrie—That's the atuff to give the | repeated public! At it, boya! What generous | feelings they have! 1 am moved hy ' them. Each loves the other, but honor stands between. i Bontempelli-——And you're a clown, too | —-double, triple, multiple clown of | clowns. (He catches & sword and with | LUIGI it slashes down the promising vegeta- tion round him.) Pirrie—Remember, you're in my gar- den, not yours. PIRANDELLO, DRAMATIST AND NOVEI ITALIAN T. getting them into position, and Pirrie, Greco (obviousiy relieved)—That's | from the window, pours water on right! They'll ight now, safe enough’ | their heads with a huge bath aponge. (Puts sword Into Ungarelll's hand, | imploring them 1o get on with th drags them, with the others’ help, | businesa in hand.) into position and gets very busy stag-| Greco—That's it’ You can quarrel ing the cement patch for the duel) © |all you want when the duel Ia nver Pirrie—One moment, Greco! They |(Photographers in the hackground et must strip to the waiat. ready to snap them.) Greco—They can't. Thers are girla| Dector—1 hope they here. (He manages to get them to |wounded—lightly. of course turn up their shirt sieeves—no easy | Pirrie—May blood, genersus blood, thing. as they are now 8o excited that | flow fresly! You will then Araw near they don't know what they are shout- | to Yha Infinifal ing. The seconds, however, end by ' Greco—On 'wo, threel Off! hoth get WITH SWORDS AT SUNRISE 1N (Pirrie strokes watehes hreathless)y le for the hast plac he rest is silence, the clashing of crose many harni the hix heard = The girls squah the windows broken only hy the mwords as they times without deing any This during 1wo assaults. On third assault Pirrie closes the shutters of the hathroom window ti nothing can he seen of him but the end of long. white heard. Ro tempelll, with a graceful lunge, aim- At Ungarelli's heart and scratches hi wrist instead.) Doctor (rushing Rlood! Stop the due Pirrie (opening shutters with crashi--Blood! Where? (Pasre dow eagerly.) Honor. the shadew, will pas away! has passed: Greco—RBravo! 1 am quite . with the herole hearing of hath ar tagonists Rontempellj forward) Riood It and Ungareili now we can he friende again! (They rush into each ather's and emhrace with much fervar, while the doctor rushes up with remedies for the wounded wrist and manages {to bind it in the intervals of genera { handshaking. embracing and congrat ulations.) Pirrie- S0 much tha hetter, thue Haod has hean shed: honor is satis fled Nav! Honor s satiated’ have followed this duel most care | tully. Perhaps it I8 lucky for iou all that I was here to stage.manage it All the canons of the stage, the real stage of grotesque illusions, have | been werupulousiy observed. I had | made up my mind for the worst, like some biind man, and now, having to addreas vou after it is all over, I feel my soul a1 reet You, gentlemen {littla guess what a hell was set loose {inside my sonl! 1 wanted to save {the honor of two ren I love ae | brothers All (clapping handsr—Rravo! Rravo | Pirria: | Pirrie—And now. dear friends, nne thing mora: (He hesitates.) All—Say it! 8Say {t' Courage' Pirrie (bursts into tears—Come In and have breakfast (Curtain,) Ar arm