Evening Star Newspaper, December 18, 1929, Page 36

THE EVENING STAR, WASHINGTON, This Strange Adventure By Mary Roberts Rinechart Copyright, 1929, by North American Newspaper Alliance and Metropolitan Ne: 8e; SYNOPSIS, Lambert Colfaz, who married Stella. burlesque actress of the eighties, deserts her and their child, Missie. Stella has another daughter, Eifn, whose father is reputed 0 e dead. SECOND TALLMENT. HE house settled down, after Lambert's departure, into a grim routine of supply and demand. Ellen took a clerical position, and every morning at 6 Missie went downstairs and lighted the fire, for those were the days of early open- ings, and Ellen had to be at work at 7:30. She cooked the breakfast, got Ellen off and went to school. At 9 or thereabouts Stella came down, drank some coffee and then irade the beds. She seemed to have no plans, no hopes. Sometimes, but not often, she went to the market. She carried a basket on her arm, and the touch of rouge under her veil was increasingly evident. But the trips to the market were dis- quie! to the girls. She t too much, for one thing, and also thers was something vaguely mysterious about them. She had never marketed in the old days. One day Ellen’s office was closed, and she followed Stella at a distance. She saw her do her buying and then take up her position at the| curb, as though waiting for something or somebody. Ellen waited, and Stella stood there until an ancient carriage drew up, driven by a Negro coachman, and there descended a tall, thin old woman in a jet dolman and a high black bonnet. A boy ran out to hold the horses, the coachman descended with a market basket and followed his mistress inside. Stella was about to follow her when Ellen touched her on the arm. “What are you waiting for, mom?” Stella started. T'm not waiting for anything,” she said sharply. “What are you doing here?’ She went home very quietly, Ellen carrying the basket, but inside the door she called for Missie and caught her to her in a storm of tears. Ellen never told Missie about that incident, or that the old woman was her grandmother, Mrs. William Colfax. No_letters came from Lambert. He had left the city. That was all they knew, and his promises had been as unrelizble as always. For three or four months a lawyer in town named Mac- Donald paid the rent. Then he notified Stella that the funds in his hands were exhausted, and, pending receipt of others, the payments would cease. Stella made an elaborate toilet—corset, rouge and all—and went to see him. But he could do nothing. He was a gray- haired, taciturn man, who had lost an arm in the war, and he lived not far away. He was a Scot, and every April, > on his birthday, or perhaps on some na- tional holiday in his native land, he employed a piper in the MacDonald plaid to walk up and down the pave- ment in front of his house, bare knees and all, and to wall deliriously for an hour or so. Sold at Only 3c Premium | One of Missie's earliest memories was of that piper. But his sentiment was apparently limited to the bagpipes. He disap- proved of Stella, of her reputed history, of her emphasized figure, of her unfor- tunate attempt to charm him. He sat fingering the safety pin which fastened his empty sleeve across his breast. “You e a strong woman. Can't you find anything to do? Why let your child support, you?” “Why shouldn't my husband do that? He is my husband, you know.” “I don't even know where he is.” “They know." Possibly. They have not confided in | ‘And they'll do nothing?” “They have very little. Yes, I know,” he said, as Stella made a scornful ges- ture. 'hey keep a carriage and all that. But they have a certain position to keep up.” And then Stella forgot herself. she said. “Look “Position,” said. at my ition. likely to be turned out on e streets! “I don’t know much about these mat- ters, but with what is still an excellent }nlluding to a store. Stella stood there until an ancient carriage drew up. of the theate make-up my fa Mr. MacDonald lifted a horrified hand. “My dear lady!"” he said. “I was Don't they have women of—er—good figure in certain departments? _Cloaks and so on. It seems to me—I could give you a letter, possibly.” To give him his due, he did give her a letter. What else could he do? There was no vast eleemosynary machinery yet devised to help dependent women, not even an aroused gublu: conscience to recognize them. hey lived their narrow, despairing lives, died and pass- ed_on, unremembered and ungrieved. Stella walked out with her letter in her hand, but she did not go home at once. She walked, in her tight stays, to an old and handsome part of the h within its own prop- “Even with stage GINGER ALE HE strongest tribute to the merit of Na- the found tional Ginger Ale is fact that we have not it necessary to “tinker” with the formula. It's made today the same way that made it famous. True to its genuine gin- gerness—and dependability in its refreshing zip and zest. Toast your guests in Na- tional Ginger Ale. By case or bottle at grocers and delicatessens. Served at cafes, clubs and fountains. Guggenheim Co., 33rd & K Sts,, W. 2508 ..and then we got surprise of our lives! the erty, shut off from the vulgar by an iron fence, lived the aristocracy of the city; their brick or stone houses lineal descendents of the log cabins of their grandfathers. At such a property Stella went in. Her head was high, her eyes dangerous. She jerked the bell viciously. Heirlooms Fireplace Equipment CAHILL Andirons and Firesets fashioned painstakingly in wrought iron at the blacksmith’s forge. . « CAHILL patterns chosen now will invest your fireplace with per- manent and ag- Wide assortment and Jow prices make such gifts economical. b. ITESSESSE SRS RS S SR SRS S Y vy i ) el ) . T i C., WEDNESDAY, “T would like to see Mrs. Colfax.” ‘The same colored man wh:d h&g driven the carriage had open door. He stood gazing at her; he knew her, and she knew that he knew her. “Mrs. Colfax is not receiving, mam.” “gShe’ll receive me, or I'll know why. Tell her Mrs. Lambert Colfax is here.” He wavered, turned, leaving her to stand in the vestibule. But Stella was aroused; she stepped inside and slam- med the front door. When he came down again she was at the foot of the stairs, “Mrs. Colfax can't see you.” “Then I'll ‘:e‘e her. Stand out of my way, you—nigger.” Byutyold Ishmael had the bottom step of the stairs and he held his position. 'm going up, I tell you.” eg pardon, but you're not, mam. The ladies aren't receiving.” “They'll receive plenty from me when I sce them,” shouted Stella. But once more she knew she was beaten, and once more there was a certain dignity in her retreat. She went down the steps, along the drive and out of the gates, quietly and without looking back, although she knew that cold and | hostile eyes were staring at her from the window behind her. Stella_kept her letter for a week. Then, Mr. Elliott becoming urgent, she decided to present it. It was Missle who stood over her while she dressed for that visit, Missie who suggested the black dress, and who DECEMBER 18, 1929. l‘ueggm“mn pot before Stella could M;Y‘t;m look fine, mom. Qulet and Stella’eyed her, but she said nothing.” She secured the position. There were no mannequins then, slim bits of girls delicately made up, on whom even ordin: ents reflected a part of the glamour of youth. “Fine” women were in deml;n&hml]ldfl d, not w: young. ey so0ld their wares ant exhibited them. Missie soon left school. She was not sorry to leave. Her clothes had been shabby for a long time; her spring- heeled shoes were worn. And with the frank cruelty of youth the other pupils had increasingly left her alone. She felt timid and shy with them, self- consclous. When, on Decoration day, each child took a plant to decorate the soldiers’ graves in the cemetery on the hill, her plant was always the smallest and cheapest. Yet the lines of veterans in procession never failed to bring tears to her eyes, while the other girls gig- gled and th uickly relieves ists PAZO ‘iinerie it for all form: plles and guarantee to refund money ifit fafls. Il druggists have it in tubes with pile pipe ttachment, T8e: o Toc: o tin'box 6. 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Chil- dren were born, in pain and sometimes they died. Then why have to suffer and bear a child? To what end? Women loved men, bore their children, did the best they knew how, and lost them anyhow. Why should that be? She would never marry. She would look after Stella the rest of her life, make up to her, if she could. A wave of love for her mother, of resentment for whét life had done to her, would fairly shake her. (Continued in tomorrow’s Star.) that brings new breakfast pleasure HANKSCRAFT Boils, poaches, scrambles and steam fries eggs right at the table. Completely automatic. No timing or watching necessary. Wrapped in colorful gift package, all ready for mailing, costs only.... Cook g9 er $ 5 50 Electric circuit is completed by water poured in top. Electricity turns water to steam and cooking starts almost immediately. When water completely disappears eggs are cooked just right. 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