Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-07-30
not knowing that it was a new develop

She had little of Bills delicacy in the
matter OF asking questions, and found it
so impossible to restrain her curiosity
that while Loveland disposed of ham and
egg. coffee and a doughnut, she lowered
near the table. trying with all her skill
to probe the handsome strangers mys-
terry
Inclined to be reserved at first it soon
occurred to Loveland that since any port
In storm was better than no port, he
had better enlist Miss Alexander's aid.
In response to her bids for condolences,
he said that he had landed in America
yesterday. and had gone to the Waldorf
Astoria, to find on his arrival that his
clothes had been stolen out Of his luggage
by an English servant He added that his
London bankers had been dilatory about
instructing their New York correspond
ents; that when the hotel people, for some
extraordinary reason known only to
themselves. demanded immediate pay
| ment, he had been practically penniless,
and had walked out in a rage. leaving
everything, even his overcoat. Not only
did he keep the secret Of his real name
and title, but he did not think 1t neces-
sary to mention either his failure to get
In at houses where he had left letters Of
introduction or his encounter with Mr..
Milton. Yet, glibly as the story ran, it
, seemed to the daughter of Alexander the
Great like fairy tale.
She, with quick feminine instinct, recog-
ntZed the vast social distance between
NIL 1OTOOu anu Bill WILING more pUiRu-
antly than did Bill himself. who had now
almost forgotten 1t in friendly association.
But even SO, to have sitting at one of her
fathers handicapped tables. hungrly
eating breakfast on her invitation, a
young man who could engage a cabin on
the Mauretania and a suite at the Wal
dorf-Astoria, appeared like brilliant
dream She had never before seen any
one quite so gallant and aristocratic
looking as Bill Vikings friend; no, not
~.l.1 Ill., raj
Easter Sunday at the hour of church
| parade: and she was distressed at the
thought that she would soon lose the
wondrous visitor forever. She longed
desperately to attach him 70 herself in
Some way, but could not see the way.
Eagerly she began to plan course Of
action. thrusting Bits advice aside. What
was Bill that he should give advice? she
asked. scornfully-for Bill had never
looked into her languishing eyes. and he
scarcely man at ali.a, What did Bill
know OF uptown and the ways of swells?
But, she fntimated, she had some knowl-
edge Of smart life. She had friends, Mr..
and Mrs. Rosenstein. who were rich
Though, indeed, no richer than pa, and
sometimes she dined with them at their
fiat in 153d street, or went to an uptown
theater In their company: Therefore. She
was competent to advise and to say
what was what
She offered to send district messenger
to the Waldorf-Astoria for the telegram
Mr.. Gordon was expecting and any letters
which might have arrived. He can bring
you the lot she arranged. land then
you can send him to your bank, unless
| they make you show up to be identified
Anyhow, you can wait here for news
You can go on sitting where you are, Or
you can come and stay by me at the
desk. If the tables fill up with folks for
breakfast
Loveland's face slowly redeemed and his
eyes grew troubled.
You needn't mind about the money for
the messenger" she said, quickly. You
! can pay me back afterward, II you're so
'Why. of course I'd pay you back"
Val assured her. "But-er-the fact
is" he hesitated, trying to find way
out Of the tangled web "Mr. Gordon had
woven-"the fact is. I-(he wondered if
he could bear to go to the hotel and thus
escape the difficulty about the name: but
pictured himself arriving in evening dress
by broad daylight, and felt his gorge rise
at the degradation). ''The fact is, any
thing coming for me at the Waldorf will
Marquis OF Loveland' will be the address
on my letters"
my goodness! you did fly high" ex-
claimed Isidora. dimpling. II guess it's
| (she pronounced 1t 'sootD Of rooms. But
that's all right. You put on a card what
you want the messenger boy should do,
and you needn't be afraid to trust him.
These little fellers are safe as banks
| With this the first paying customer ar
rived, demanding beefsteak and apple pie
| for breakfast. Then. as If he had given
| the signal. others poured after him, all
| in hurry. but all good natured and all
boiling their meals (meals composed, 1t
seemed to Val, Of the most extraordinary
| dishes) with such incredible speed that
| the Englishman was startled. BY the
time he had finished writing his instruc-
| tons. and a uniformed youth had darted
| off with them, almost the whole first con-
| tingent Of breakfasters had gone and
! given place to another.
Alexander the Greats clients consisted
apparently Of respectable employees of
| lower middle-class business houses. If
| they had not all been employed, Loveland
| such desperate haste: but then he had not
yet studied the American temperament
north Of Dixie
Bill Vikings habit was. when paid for
| his days work, to find seat In a small
adjacent park and play with the children
whose outdoor nursery 1t was. There by
| witchcraft or wizardry his money was
| frequently wheedled from his pocket and
| often by the time he returned to Alex
ander the Greats for early dinner he was
| practically a pauper. It was after such
| conjuring tricks that he migrated at
| nightfall to his country estate" as he
called Central Park. and got through the
| hours as best he could till half-past six
| next morning.
Today. however, he was encouraged to
| inger in the warm restaurant, Alex
ander's daughter being supreme in au-
| thority during her fathers absence. ISL
| dora saw that Bill had the food he liked
! best for breakfast-a steaming pile of
buckwheat cakes. trimmed round the
edges with crisp, brown lace. and ooZing
| strip at every pore. Also she sent him a
| copy Of New York Light without having
even glanced at the front page, although
| a gentleman friend who had paid her a
great deal of attention last summer was
| at the beginning of his trial for a really
exciting murder.
Lsidora dreaded. yet longed, to see the
| messenger return, and at sight of the
| slim figure in blue bobbing past the big
cover the floor with an avalanche Of wait
! ers' checks which had Uttered her fathers
desk
| The youth entered the restaurant and
went straight to the table where "Mr.
Gordon still sat Isidora could not hear
| a word of the conversation which enSued.
| but from under her eyelashes she con-
trived to see, without seeming to see. how
| the messenger shook his head in answer
| to questions. and how Mr.. Gordons face
grew even more blank until 1t hardened
| was sure that the boy had brought neither
| letter nor telegram. and that something
| had gone very wrong, indeed, with her
mysterious guest s calculations.
| An inspiration prompted her hastily to
1 beckon Bill who was earning the con-
| tinued hospitality OF the restaurant by
trotting in with clean plates from the