The San Francisco call., 1904-07-17

the most imbecile thing you could do
just now, when your foot is already on
the ladder, would be just this-to get
off in order to pick up a trinket out of
the mud, when there's a fortune at the
top waiting for you. Clever people
don't do asinine things. And other
clever people know hat they don't.
You're clever, but so am lin my
weak, small way. Come clong, little
girl"
He pulled my hand in his arm and
we walked out, followed by the two
men.
Oh, no! 1t was all very quiet and
looked just like little theater party
that had an early supper engagement.
Obermuller nodded to the manager out
in the deserted lobby, who stopped us
and asked me what I thought of the
star.
You'll think me mad, Mag. Those
fellows with the badges were sure L
was, but ObermulIer's eyes only twin
kled, and the managers grin grew
broad when, catching up the end of
my skirt and cake-walking up and
down, 1 sang under my breath that
coon song that was trailing over and
over through my head.
Bravo! bravo!" whispered the man
ager, hoarsely. clapping his hands
softly.
1 gave one of those quick, funny,
boyish mods the star inside affects and
wiped my lips with my handkerchief
That brought down my house. Even
the biggest fellow with the badge gig
hand quickly in front of his mouth and
tried to look severe and official.
The color had come back to Ober-
muller's face; it was worth dancing for
that.
BE patient, Mag; let me tell 1t my
way"
There wasn't room in the coupe
waiting out in front for more than two.
So Obermuller couldn't come in it. But
he put me in-Mag. dear. dear Mag
he put me in as if L was lady-not
like Gray; a real one. A thing like that
counts when two detectives are watch
ing. 1t counted afterward in the way
they treated me.
The big man climbed up on the seat
with the driver. The blue-eyed fellow
got in and sat beside me, closing the
door.
"I'll be out there almost as soon as
you are Obermuller said, standing a
moment beside the lowered window.
you good fellow!" I said. and then,
trying to laugh: "Ill do as much for
you some day"
He shook his fist laughingly at me,
and 1 waved my hand as we drove off.
he
mistake about this said the man next
to me, and"
"Yes, there may be. In fact, there
is"
I'm sure I'll be very glad if it is a
mistake. They do happen-though not
often. You spoke of Dorgan-"
Did I?'
"Yes, Tom Dorgan, who busted out of
Sing Sing the other day
Surely you're mistaken" 1 said
smiling right into his blue eyes. THE
Tom Dorgan 1 mentioned is a sleight-
of-hand performer at the Vaudeville
Ever see him?"
Mo-
Clever fellow. You ought to. Per
haps you don't recognize him under
that name. On the bills he's Professor
Il HaugnWOul. OldSe pCOp4C nave y
many names, you know"
YES. so have-some other people"
/ laughed, and he grinned back al
Il me.
Now that's mean of you,' I said
Il never had but one. 1t was all
1 needed
1t flashed through me then what &
/ thing like this might do to a name
You know, Mag, every bit of recog
Z milton an actress steals from the worlC
4 is so much capital. 1t isn't like the ole
graft when you had TO begin new every
time you took up piece of work AnC
your name-the name the world know:
4 and its knowing it makes it wortl
I having like everything-that name il
the sum of every scheme you'vt
d planned, of every time you've go
got away with the goods, of ever!
laugh you've lifted, of every bit o
n cleverness you've thought out and EN-
bodied of everything that's in you, o
everything you are.
But / didn't dare think long of this
8 ! turned to him.
Tell me about this charge" l said
Where was the purse? Whose was it
8 And why haven't they missed it til
after week?"
They missed it all right that night
d But Mrs. Gates wanted it kept quie
a till the servants had been shadowe
] and it was positively proved that the
y hadn't got away with it,"
& And then she thought of me?"
s. And then she thought of you
Il wonder why?"
81 Because you were the only perso
n in that room except Mr. Gates, the lad
q who lost the purse, Mrs. Ramsay, an
-eh?'