Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-06-22

e commented You mus; enjoy life
to beat the band-nothn' On your mind
but your hair"
He vouchsafed no reply.
How many rooms you got?' she asked
"Oh. two or three. he answered.
Where does that door lead to-
That's a sort OF closet for my man.
There was silence for a few minutes
Patsys curiosity seemed "a have been
fully gratified. but she manifested no
however. the girl was satisfied in her
mind that Nora had not been there and
would not come. She was worrying seii-
ously and had resolved to take Crawford
TO task about the note and his running
after Nora. make him give up the Dir of
paper and leave quickly as possible in
order TO continue her search. She could
not imagine where she had gone I'm the
cab. and she feared that In her fright
and shame the girl might have committed
some rash act-might have been driven to
contemplate self-destruction. Crawford
thought that he might perhaps accelerate
his callers departure by turning the con-
versation to herself
Aren't you dancing tonight" he de-
manded
NO: I got the pip in me ankle. Got
too gay at rehearsal yesterday" she said.
Dancing must be very hard work. Ii
looks SO acrobatic." he ventured.
The smiles the hard part she ex-
planned. ITS no cinch standin' on one
toe. with the other pointin' to quarter TO
8 an then look like the cat that's Just
eat the canary. I've often wished Id
gone into Wall street. I got a great
head for bizness. Now. Nora's just the
opposite. Wonder where she is2 Oh. well,
it's no use worryin! I'm enjoyin' me
self"
There was another interval OF silence.
This time II was broken by Patsy.
Gee. it's hot in here,' she exclaimed
Say. what was we talkin' about?'
Yourself. I think" he said. balancing
himself on his heels and toes, and indi-
eating by his attitude that he wished she
would leave.
Lets talk about Nora" she went on.
What about Nora?"
II want you to let my sister alone.
She's new to the game, an she's good
kid
II guess she's able to take care of
herself-and when girls good"
''She's good anywhere. Yes. i know all
about that. An that other one about
the wages of sin bein' death. Well, may
be-but, say. when you're scrimpin along
on twenty per an the next girl to you in
the dressin room comes down to the
show shop every night in benzine buzz
wagon-in ermine capes an diamonds big
as oysterS-it amt religion SO much
firm grip on home and mother that
keeps you handin out the icy eye to the
man behind the bank roll You see.
Nora's awful ninny. Why. she even
thinks that note of hers you got is good.
Honest, when she told me nearly iaffed
meself to deathi''
Crawford's bored look vanished and he
Redeemed to his hair.
"She told you about that noter' he
questioned.
None other" said Patsy
Crawford underwent q complete revul-
sion of feeling in regard to Nora. Like
other men of his kind afflicted with moral
strabismus. who prey upon the mex
perience and credulity OF girls they seek
to ensnare, he was easily suspicious and
very sensitive about being duped by
sucker" as he would have expressed it.
Nora had assured him that no one knew
anything OF this note, yet she had told
at least one person about ft-her sister.
in whom for once he had met his match,
and detested in consequence. who at their
very first meeting had handled him with
out gloves and humbled him uncere-
moniously.. Patsy knew also that he had
been making appointments with her and
taking her to lunch and urging her to
come to his rooms. He began to suspect
that Nora's air OF guilelessness was as
Sumed; that she was by no means 30 in
genuouS as she seemed; that she had
been working" him for money as well as
for tips on the races and laughing at him
behind his back with the other girls Of
the chorus who profited by his generosity
in giving information and placing bets,
and that, having gone too far and put
herself in a measure under his thumb,
was "squealing' and bringing her rela-
tives to her aid The thought was some
thing mole than CALLING The best thing
he could have done would have been TO
treat the note as jocular matter. mas
much as he knew that 1t could. not be
collected. But he had counted on the
debt and the note to square things with
Patsy I'm the event Of trouble arising at
any time over Nora. Moreover, he was
unwilling to cede any ground to his too
knowing visitor and sought to carry IL of
with high hand.
ITO be continued tomorroWl