Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-07-21
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Gray rose diamond The whispered, help
ha me sS on h Mh ts oss
business Is. Brace up, Nance
Olden!' "a
Oh, Mag, Mag, to hear a man like that
talk to you as though you were his kind.
when you have the feel Of the coarse
prison stripes between your dry. shaking
fingers, and the close prison smell Is al
ready poisoning your nostrils! ..o, ",ou
you can believe-in me-"
Don't you?" he laughed. That's easy.
You've got brains, Nance, and 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 up at the top waiting for you:
other clever people know that they don't.
You're clever, but so am lin my weak
small way. Come along. 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 mad an
early supper engagement. Obermuller noo,
ded 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, put Oper-
muller's eyes only twinkled, and the mana
gers grin grew broad when, catching up
the end of my skirt and cakewalking up
and down, l sang under my breath that
coon song that was trailing over and over
through my head.
Bravo! bravo!' whispered the manager,
hoarsely, clapping his hands softly
I gave one Of those quick, funny, boytsh
mods the star inside affects and wiped my
lips with my handkerchief.
That brought down my house. Even the
biggest fellow with the badge gigged recog-
nizingly, and then put his hand quickly in
front Of his mouth and tried to look severe
and official.
NI,o N1o bod boil 10 rrol1
face; 1t was worth dancing for-that
BE patient, Mag; let me tell it my way"
There wasn't room in the coupe waiting
out in front for more than two So ODER
muller couldn't come in It, But he put me In
Mag, dear, dear Maggie put me in as II
was a lady-not like Gray; real one
thing like that counts when two detectives
are watching. 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.
"Ill be out there almost as soon as you
are" Obermuller said, standing moment
beside the lowered window.
'You good fellow!" said. and then, try
ing to laugh: "I'll do as much for you some
day"
He shook his fist laughingly at me. and
waved my hand we drove off,
You know. miss, there may be some mis-
take 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 mis-
take. They do happen-though not often.
You spoke Of Dorgan-'
Yes. Tom Dorgan, who busted out of
Sing Sing the other day"
Surely you're mistaken" I said, smiling
right into his blue eyes. THE Tom Dorgan
1 mentioned is a sleight- of-hand performer
at the Vaudeville. Ever see him?"
"N-no."
Clever fellow You ought to. Perhaps
III L.. 1l.~%
On the bills he's Professor Haughwout.
Stage people have SO many names, you
know"
"Yes, so have-some other people,
I laughed, and he grinned back at me.
Now that's mean of you" I said II
never had but one 1t was all I needed
1t flashed through me then what thing
like this might do to name. You know.
Mag every bit of recognition an actress
steals from the world is SO much capital.
1t isn't like the old graft when you had
to begin new every time you took up a
piece of work. And your name-the name
the world knows-and its knowing 1t makes
1t worth having like everything-that name
is the sum Of every scheme you've planned.
Of every time you've got away with the
goods, Of every laugh you've lifted, of ev-
cry bit of cleverness you've thought out
and embodied of everything that's In you,
of everything you are.
But I didn't dare think long Of this. l
turned to him.
Tell me about this charge" I said.
"Where was the purse? Whose was it?
And why haven't they missed it till after
a week."
They missed 1t all right that night but
Mrs Gates wanted it kept quiet till the
servants had been Swallowed and it was
positively proved that they hadn't got
away with it
And then she thought of me?"
nd then she thought of you"
II wonder why"
Because you were the only. person in
%tat VT MrS -ata bn LODI U6n
lost the purse, Mrs. Ramsay, and-eh?
"N-nothing. Mrs. Ramsay, you said?'
Yes
Not Mrs. Edward Ramsay of Philadel-
phia?''
"Oh, you know the name?'
"Oh, yes, l know it"
at was printed, you know, in gold letter.
Ing on the inside flap and
II don't know.
well, 1t was and 1t contained $500 Mrs.
Ramsay says. She had slipped it under
the fold of the spread at the top of the
bed In the room where you took off your
things in Mrs. Gates presence and put
them on again. when one else was
there"
And you mean to tell me that this is
an?" I ragged at him; that every bit OF
evidence you have to warrant your treating
| an innocent girl like
You didn't behave like very innocent
girl If you'll remember he said dryly,
when l first came into the box. In fact,
| If that fellow hadn't just come in then
| believe you'd a confessed the whole job.
'Taln't too late" he added.
1 didn't answer. l put my head back
| against the cushions and closed my eyes.
! 1 could feel the scrutiny of his blue eyes
on my naked face-your face is SO unpro-
| tected with the eyes closed; like q fort
| whose battery is withdrawn. But l was
| tired-it tires you when you care. A year
ago, Mag, this sort of thng-the risk, the
| nearress to danger the chances one way
| or the other-woud have Intoxicated me.
| 1 used to feel as though 1 was dancing on
volcano and daring it to explode. The
more twistings and turnings there were
to the labyrinth, the greater glory it was
to get out Maggie darlin', you have be-
| fore you a mournful speetacle-the degen-
| Grafton of Nancy Olden. 1t isn't that she's
lost courage. It's only that size used to be
able to think of only one thing and now
What do you suppose it is Mag? If you
! know, don't you dare to tell me.
| When we got to the fiat Obermuller WAS
| already there. At the door I pulled out
my key and opened 1t with a flourish.
| Wont you come in, gentlemen, and
| spend the EVENING"" asked.
! They followed me In. First to the par
lor The two fellows threw off their coats
and searched that through and through
| not a drawer did they miss, not a bit Of