Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-08-06
CHAPTER XVI.
Fire!

Laughing and talking, they all trooped
into the restaurant Elinor Coolidge and
Comte de Rocheverte; Eva Tanner and
Kate Wood. with the handsome Hun
garian twins. who were rather sought
Ludovic Zsencha and his brother Paul;
last Mrs. Milton and Tony Kidd.
Tony had intended to drop in at Alex
ander's In any case, to have look at the
Marquis of Twelfth Street, who had been
discovered" by that mornings Light:
but he would have come on directly after
returning from a second out-of-town eX-
petition If a telegram had not been for
warded to the country asking him to be
Mrs. Milton's escort.
pleasure, not only because it tickled his
sense of humor to go to AleXanders as a
member of a stunning party but be-
cause he hoped to see Fanny Milton.
whom he thought the sweetest girl In
New York. Last year Mrs Milton would
hardly have considered him good
enough" socially to select as companion.
but there were people who looked at her
little askance now. and she could not
pick and choose as she had done. Tony
knew very we'll to what he owed his pro-
motion, but that did not affect him in
the least if it gave him chance Of seeing
Fanny
He was disappointed to find that she
was not going, and his spirits were
dashed by the news that she disapproved
of the "Loveland sensation. for which
he knew himself to be largely responsible.
Nevertheless, in manner he was as gay
as the others. when the party at made
its merry raid upon Alexander's.
The Italian marriage feast was already
in full swing; but neither the bridal party
nor any of the thirty or forty other oc-
cupants of the restaurant were too deeply
absorbed in their own affairs to notice
the arrival of the "swells''
Not a soul in the room but instantly
"swells." for though the ladies had put
on their plainest gowns for the expedi-
ton, and the men had been forbidden to
appear in evening dress. there was a
marked difference between Alexander S
eight latest guests and all the others al
ready assembled.
''Hullo! l suppose we ought to feel
honored!" muttered Mr.. Leo Cohen, who
had just arrived from the west and was
paying surprise visit to the establish
ment Of his future father-in-law. He had
demanded fried oysters and coffee, and
had greatly enjoyed giving the order to
the handsome new member Of Alexander S
staff.
Get a move on, if you please" he fin
ished, pointing his black mustache and
prodding his white teeth with q gold
toothpick, as he stared at the man made
notorious by today's newspapers. Press
ing his lips tightly together, Loveland
turned away to pass the order to Black
Dick. the cook
1t was at this moment that Mrs MIL
toms party entered the restaurant, and
Mr.. Cohen murmured his comment to Isl
dora, who. at her fathers urgent sugges-
ton. was lowering about that young gen.
tleman's table, looking her prettiest.
Tony Kidd. at Mrs. Milton's request,
had telephoned for a table for eight, to
be withdrawn as far as possible from the
big front window. that dinner and diners
need not be criticised by the man in the
street. Alexander had. therefore. caused
Blirkey to drag the largest table in the
room close to the curtained door at the
back At this table-by the time Love-
land had given Cohens order to Black
Dick, and returned across the corridor
which divided the restaurant from the
kitchen-the four pretty women and their
escorts had taken their seats.
The door behind the curtain was never
shut in business hours. and as Loveland
pushed back the red drapery, carrying a
tray loaded with ice cream for the
Italians. he looked straight into the eyes
Of Elinor Coolidge. Mrs. Milton and the
newspaper man. Tony Kidd.
They and their companions had already
been searching the room for him, but
their presence took him completely by
surprise.
Not since early morning had he found
a moments rest. He had no appetite. and
would have had little time to eat even II
he had been hungry. The days work had
irritated and unnerved him up to the last
notch Of his endurance. No battle of his
brief but lively South African experience
had cost him physically or mentally as
much as these thirteen hours Of waiting
on Alexander's customers. and the sudden
sight of those familiar faces. smiling COOL
ly on his shame, came upon him like a
volley of bullets from q quick-firing gun.
Involuntarily he took a step back.
knocked the edge of the tray against the
doorpost and dropped it with a crash of
spoons flew and ice cream gushed among
the ruins. Blfnkey and the Polish waiter
sprang to their colleagues assistance not
displeased. however, that he should be
disgraced. Alexander scolded. the Italian
bride screamed and had to be treasured
disagreeably; Isidora jumped. and Mrs.
Millions party looked at each other from
under lifted eyebrows.
In the confusion Of the breakage Love-
land found himself again. Pride came to
his rescue-not mere hurt vanity, but a
truer pride than had ever made his heart
beat high.
AS he bent down to pick up the broken
plates he told himself that these people
who had come to plunge him still deeper
in humiliating depths, were not worth a
pang and should not see that they had
power to inf1ict it. They had caught hin,
unawares but he knew the worst now,
and would bear it without letting those
laughing, curious eyes see how their
chances made him suffer.
For one short instant he deteSted Mrs.
Milton so intensely that he half regretted
his vow to spare her name at all hazards
but by the time he had picked up the last
piece of broken crockery he knew that, If
everything were to come over again, he
would do as he had done:
II take dat out of your wages" said
Alexander, loudly enough to be heard by
those who sat round the table near to the
curtained door.
"Of course" replied Loveland. his voice
steady.
Il shouldn't have thought the British
aristocracy would have such clumsy
ways, Leo Cohen remarked, audihly. to
Isidora. Then. calling jocularly across
the room. 'Scy, Alexander, got any mock
turtle soup tonight"
No." growled AleXande
Thought you might be maxim a spe-
cialty OF it this week. went on Cohen.
"Why?''
"Oh, cute idea for an advertisement
Mock turtle served by mock marquis -
A litter went round the room among
those who had enough English to under
stand the joke. and there was even a
faint. suppressed sound of laughter at
Mrs. Millions table"
(To be continued tomorrow).