Evening Star Newspaper, March 17, 1935, Page 79

The Shining Hour Another Nonte (arlo Adventure, in which General Besserley sees to 1t that the best man wins by E. PHILLIPS OPPENHEIM ESSERLEY had just taken the line of his putt and was preparing for action when he became painfully aware of the violent impact of a golf hall on the calf of his leg. “What the — " the most successful galaxy of beauties which a famous theatrical producer, with all New York at his mercy, had been able to select. and bride in the wedding with which the nightly performance at the Sporting Club concluded. Besserley changed the nature of his protest. “What on earth are you doing, hitting a ball like that when I am on the green?"’ The smile faded from her lips, her eyes seemed to grow larger and rounder. “There was no one to play with me,” she explained, ‘‘so I bought some sticks and came out alone. The professional told me to practise full shots.” “‘But, good heavens you don’t play full shots at a man just ahead of you!"” “Don’t you?" she asked innocently. ‘*There was no one to tell me when to play them. You see, Jim told me I must play golf, so I came up and bought these sticks and then the professional was engaged. I'm terribly ig- norant of what I ought to do, I'm afraid.” General Besserley limped to a bench. “Your Jim ought to have come and looked after you,"” he said. “I'm sorry,” she apologized wistfully. “I didn’t think these little balls would hurt any- one — not a great strong man like you any- way. Here’'s Jim just coming. 1 don't think I'll play any more today,"” she added, linger- ing a little. 1 shouldn’t,” her victim advised her. She came across the green to him. Her heels were the highest he had ever seen and left a distinct impression every time they sank into the green turf. Besserley, who was on the Green Committee, groaned. “I'm so sorry,” she said, looking down at him. “Does your leg hurt very much? Would you like me to rub it?"” “You go to — Jim,”" was the brusque re- sponse. ‘‘Tell your Jim, too, that he'd better keep you off these links until he buys you a pair of golf shoes.” ‘‘What is wrong with my shoes?’’ “It isn't your shoes,” he pointed out. ““It's the heels. Look at those holes you have made all across the green. How is anyone going to putt over those?" “1 could,” she declared hopefully. ‘‘They wouldn't make a bit of difference to me. Shall I show you?" He waved her away not discourteously. He had recognized Jim. Besserley, who had been on the point of retiring for the night, dropped the book which he had been reading. He stared blankly across the room at this approaching vision of loveliness. He numbered amongst his ac- quaintances no young woman likely to possess a rose colored chiffon chemise de nuit and négligeé. ‘‘Here, you're making a mistake,” he ex- claimed. ‘‘Whom are you looking for?"” She recognized him with a sigh of relief. ““Oh, you're the gentleman who got in the way of my golf ball, aren’t you?"’ she cried. General Besserley swallowed hard. “Even if 1 was,” he replied, ‘“‘that does not explain why you should enter my sitting THIS WEEK § (O Y “Why do you come in without knocking, at two in the morning?”’ room without knocking at two o’clock in the moming." “You should not sit up so late if you They're killing one another in my room. ‘Pekes?" he asked scornfully. ‘“Then why the mischief didn’t you send for the manager or the night porter?” he de- manded. “I'm not a chucker out.” “But I don’t want anyone to be chucked out,” she replied. “It’s just that. Mr. Cop- peras is our manager and he is very nearly fed up with Morris Dring already.” Besserley knocked the ashes from his pipe and pulled his dressing gown round him. “Which is your room?” he asked with a sigh of resignation. “Now isn't that sweet of you?' she ex- claimed gratefully. “Follow me, please.” She danced down the corridor and threw open the door of a room. It was a pleasant sitting room under ordinary circumstances but its present appearance was that of a battle field. The fumniture was in disarray, vases of flowers had been upset, water was trickling over the carpet and a young man, whom Besserley recognized as being one of the participants in the nightly show, lay groaning upon his side, with his back to the leg of a table. Standing upon the heart rug, smoking a cigarette and still wearing his overcoat, was a young man with whom Besserley had some acquaintance — Alan Copperas — the theatrical representative of the Sociéé. “Will you tell me,” Besserley demanded, struggling to repress his annoyance, ‘‘why you two can't go outside and settle your dif- ferences instead of making this unholy mess of a young lady’s sitting room?”’ ‘‘This is the gentleman, Mr. Copperas, who got in the way of my golf ball,” the girl explained pleasantly. “Oh, everyone knows General Besserley,” the young man replied. “'If you will forgive my asking, though — what is it you want in here, sir?”’ Then General Besserley broke loose. “Want in here!” he exclaimed. “‘This young lady comes to my rooms, tells me there is murder going on here, or something of the sort, and drags me round! You seem to have been having nothing more serious.than a drunken scuffie. I shall complain to the The girl clutched his arm. *“You must not do anything unkind,” she pleaded. ““I was really looking for Sadie Marsh's room when I saw the light underneath your door."” Besserley disengaged himself, Ilustration by George Howe 4} % § ] ] “My dear young lady,” he said. *‘you are the most charming object to look at I ever saw in my life, but you are becoming an in- tolerable nuisance. Whatever else happens to you, kindly leave me out of it.” Whereupon, inwardly fuming, he left the room, barricaded himself in his suite, and went to bed. In the moming Monsieur Bloit, one of the directors of the hotel, presented himself at Besserley’s rooms. -“‘General,” he apologized, “‘I am exceed- %7 annoyed that you were disturbed last H t." “Cost me an hour's sleep.” “You see, sir, these are difficult times,” the manager explained. “Mr. Copperas, the theatrical agent, has succeeded in securing for the Sporting Club an amazing collection of beautiful, talenited young women, and the place is practically being saved by the enormous crowds who come to see them at ( Continued on page 8§ )