The Washington times., 1909-10-02

listen TO him.
"Oh, I've got your number, all right"'
She pursued. merCfCssly. You're a
/ cheap skate trying 10 throw bluff "A
/ would-be mashcr, who thinks he has
| only TO look nj any woman 30 nave
Ter go crazy about him, but you can
take it from me, son, that little Dorothy
amt enc Of that kind I let you up
here today so that you could see for
/ there wouldn't be any mistake. but
/ now / guess, Mr.. Man, the sooner you
( beat Il, the more satisfactory itn be
! Davis face as ne listened to this
/ TRADE was a study of CLEANSING emo
I uOnS-amazement, BtupctaCuunt chd-
grin, and impotept rage.
/ Somebody has been lying TO YOU
auOut me- he burst out, yengefully.
I eff I had the hound here who dared
/ 20 breathe such ISLANDERS I'd break HIM
? "Then you'd have your hands fun"
she Knocked. Pretty nearly every one
{ I've seen since j got back has taken
( Whack at reading your pedigree
He had himself uisler better control
BY this time, and thought he saw evil
dCnCes OF moderation in her last retOrt.
"Ah, yes, I have plenty Of enemies,
he granted, with what ne considered
one OF his most fetching giances, but
/ never dreamed you would take stock
I'm their calumnies, Dorothy. Not af-er
all that passed between us at Saratoga.
L believed you a true friend, little girl.
Had / not believed so, and had you not
yourself expressly urged tt. would
never have tried 10 continue the Ac-
quaintance. Surely, you have not for
gotten that evening we spent together
at the lake2'
But the petulant beauty was not to
be sOftened by his Dleadings.
"Oh. cut out the East Lynne bust
ness she gave an impatient toss to
her head. And what If i did tell you
YOU might look me up when 1 got
back to town. I had the wrong dope
on you then, and most any woman
would fall for that moonlight thing
and the bunch OF conversation you
were handing me; but I'm wise to
your game now, and you can take il
straight that all bets are declared Off.
TT amt only that you're hard up,
either she went on. Il n game
sport, and I'd never 90 back on pal
simply because he was down on mis-
luck. But You are a fOur-fiusher. too,
and that's something don't stand
for
she shut her lips decisively as she
said IL. and nodded TO the tittering
maids 20 proceed with her toilet, as
the interview closed, but Davis still
fingered There remained one trump
card. which he had not yet had an op-
con. very well" he turned with af-
tected .c3rel essness toward the door,
IF YOU choose to take the word OF
lot OF euviOus baCkbiters, there is.
Of course. nothing TO be sale. But j
do wonder a little at a girl of your
good sense so standing in her own
light. Whatever may or may not
have been told YOU about me. I'll
wager no one said tSat L couldn't act
or that J couldn't teach others to act.
And ] remember the ambitions you
COnndCd 10 me. Dorothy, how you
told me that you wanted 10 be some
thing more on the stage than a mere
show girl, 4 dummy on which 20
drape handsome gowns
IL was true, as he boosted, that no
one could deny his knowledge OF the
actor art ana. watching her mar
roWly, he saw that she wavered
slightly from her pose OF serene con-
tempt
he took sudden st,.{ forward.
Why, little girl" he exclaimed Il
could make a great aLsr out Of you.
I could do for you whal Belasco did for
Carter"
MOI she lung out white arm de-
Even if I believed you could do AL you
say, l wouldn't chance it. There the
other woman"
The other woman
YES. the one you'-e been going with
so long. Oh, I've 'IcarG all about You
and her. and what she'd be likely TO 90
TO anyone she thought was trying 70
steal you from her
You mean Edythe Euiott?'' Davis
could not fOrDear laughing. Why, my
dear girl. that is an old, outworn TO
nance on both sides. And as FOR her
causing any trouble. she is absolutely
the last person IA the world 70 think OF
suGn a lllnE.
An right. have It as you Iiease."
Miss Brent nodded, shTewdly: but. just
the same. little Dottle isn't going 10 butt
into that 'OutwOrl romance game. nor
yet get gay with any OF these quiet
meek. dOOr-mat sort Of women. They re
the kind that step around dark corner
when you aren't looking, and take a
sl0t ~ you with cheap gun. or stick
knife into you. or ma ybe douse you
with q pail Of vitriOl. And, on the level
you aren't worth IL.
mo, Mr.. Actor" she concluded with
an accommodating gesture toward the
door Il guess it's The opposite sides OF
the street for you and me hereafter.
1Ouu have 10 hunt I'D some other
chorus girl 20 make your big star out
or ] really can't afford 10 be tagged
as q friend Of yours. dear boy; / really
can't afford st."
Her manner was so definite ana final
that the bafhed masher could not but
accept his dismissal and stink crest I
fallen and Disconnected from the room.
IT was q new experience for Ralph
Davis 10 ind any woman imperViOus 10
Nevertheless, the beauty's contemptu-
Gus treatment Of him had. n anything, I
only intensified his purpose to win her
IT'S because have no money, she's
thrown me down." ne ragged as he
stumbled through the hotel Office and
money. Her mercenary little soul can't
fOregO the diamoGds, and autos and
other Inquiries, she's gotten use TO. /
Well. She shall have them, then. by I
glory Diamonds by the bushel. autos !
by the score, luxUrieg 1utU she can't
show her whether or not am the /
cheap skate and blum she called me. /
III show her mighty Qucki''