Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-08-04

clapped her pretty hands, which were
much cleaner than usual since p. Gordon
had come into her daily life.
Don't pawn emf she cried. THAT S
made me think Of something. Pas al
ways talkin' about visible assets, or some
thin like that Well, your dress suit
might be a. visible asset Tiff you're really
sick of life when you can't pay your way.
Rut are YOU dead sure you are sick Of
it,"
Dead surev' echoed Loveland. What
have you thought Of for me to do?"
"You won't be mad if 1 tell you?"
What ponsense! Am In position to
be mad lin the sense you mean-though
it's a wonder I'm not mad In another
sense I'd sweep crossings II could get
the job-or break stones-if any one want
ed them broken. But I suppose you re
not going to suggest one of these en-
pigments, as evening clothes "ouloh pe
suitable to either"
IT was thinking" said Isidora, that
I might tease pa to take you Hill
Dutchys place, if-you'd care about 1t!
mered Loveland. He had felt ready for
any ignominious, If paying. work when in
the abstract: but as soon as 1t took DEN
mite form-and such form as this
"Oh! l knew you'd be cross lsldora
pouted.
Ioveland was silent: and as his dark
eyebrows-so like his cousin Bettys-Were
drawn together in a frown, the girl sup
posed that he was sulking.
IT only thought it'd be better than
nothing she explained. hurrledly; II
pad let you; but perhaps he wouldn't.
He'd think he was dom a favor-see? He
wouldn't understand how you felt about
it. I'd have to explain you was temp rlly
embarrassed: and my. what bowling
swell of a waiter you'd look. You'd get
two dollars fifty a week, to begin, and
your food. That's what Dutchy did. And
now and then folks give a nickel to the
waiter. even in place like this. whlch.
suppose. you turn your nose up at, after
the Waldorf-Astoria. But ! shant say
any more you needn't be afraid
Il beg your PARDON said LOveland. '1f
your father'n take me, I'll do it. When
he comes
''Oh, you mustn't ask him yourself!
You'd spoil the whole thing Isidora
broke in "You must let me get at him.
Two or three raw Germans and Swedes
are bein' sent round this mornin' to look
at; but while pas dressin III talk you
up. and you can be on hand when he gets
downstairs. I'll go this minute, and
Blinkey can see to ANYBODY that comes
in. You call him. Bill"
She darted off, all excitement; and
Loveiand sat waiting for the great mans
verdict. feeling as If he had laid down his
soul for sale with the pumpkin pie ana
pork and beans.
Bill tried to cheer him. He would have
practically no expenses. and being such
a good locker would be sure to pick up
a lot of nickels and even dimes. Why. he
might save three dollars q week. and as
for that trifing debt to him-Bill-they
would wipe it off the slate and consider
it paid; or, if Gordon wouldn't consent to
do that, he might send the money from
England when he'd got home-if he real
ly did think 1T best to go home At three
dollars a week 1t wouldn't. be long before
a chap could lay up enough to cross in
the Storage, the way those big ships
were fighting each other for rates. For
fifteen dollars you could do 1t on some
boats. and at three dollars a week.
But before Bill could finish his calcu-
lation-a rather intricate one for him
Isidora had flown in, her cheeks as red as
her poppy-colored blouse.
..Pa's in one of his funny moods" she
whispered Wont give me any satisfac-
ton. But know he'd take you If you'd
let me tell him who you are. l mean, II
you're willing, I'll say you're the man all
that stuff was in the papers about; how
Won was at the Waldorf as the Marks of
Loveland, and how it was you knocked
that swell Mr.. Milton down. Nobody ap-
preciates the value of advertising better
than pa (BiI can tell you that, and
amatoor Or no amatoor, you can be get.
twice that, and maybe more. out Of Alex
ander the Great"
"Td rather starve or drown myself"
said Loveland, turning red and then
white.
ITS nasty, starving ventured Bill.
"And folks are that interfering they're al
ways fishing you out of the water and
putin you into the newspapers as case.
Besides. what's the odds? If you've got
any swagger friends. they amt likely to
come nosin' round here. Alexander's is
great but 1t amt swell"
Loveland had shuddered at the thought
of the steerage. when Bill suggested 1T
few moments ago, but now it seemed to
him that the horrors of the middle pas
sage would be heaven to the humilia-
tons he endured. For fifteen dollars. Bill
said, he could get back to England. II
Alexander would give him five dollars
week, In three weeks he could be off-or
say, four, having paid Bill what he owed.
But. no, that was an eternity-not to be
endured. At bay and desperate, Val de-
termined to strike high.
Tell your father who ! am, them he
exclaimed, but say he can't have me
for any beggarly two-fifty, or even five
dollars g. week. I'll have ten, or moth
ing"
Isidora looked at him with respect and
dashed away behind the curtain. Neither
man spoke. The sound of her little high
heeled slippers clicking on the uncarpeted
stairs was sharp in their ears. In three
minutes-before Loveland had had time to
repent-she WAS down again.
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