Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-08-06
CHAPTER XIV.
Alexander'S Busy Day.

Elinor Coolidges first thought after
reading Tony kidds very entertaining
story in New York Light went no
farther than the fun Of paying visit to
Alexander the Greats and being waited
upon by the man whose supercilous airs
on the Mauretania had made her feel
ready to burst with spontaneous COM
bustion." She had hurried to telephone
Fanny Milton because a chaperon was
necessary, and Fannys mother was ore
of the few women she knew who would
not care whether Mr. Coolidges consent
had been asked or not. Then she had
thought that 1t would be nice to go with
some particularly good-looking and dis
tinguished young man, whose presence
with her would prick the unfortunate
Englishman to jealousy, and give him the
sensations Of an outcast dog, who sees
another animal pampered with choice
morsels and collared with gold.
When Mrs. Milton consented to be the
chaperon it no longer mattered to Eiinor
that Fanny refused to join the party.
Fanny was a silly. sentimental child, any
way. thought Miss Coolidge, who had
asked the girl only for the sake of OBJ
tanning the mother. But, having got so
far Elinor's plan began to grow and take
ambitious form. II occurred to her that
it would be dramatic to collect the whole
circle of girls excepting little spoil-sport
Fanny to whom Lord Loveland had been
attentive on board the Mauretania. Each
girl must, if possible, bring man, Eli
nor naturally picking out the best Tor
herself; and the most desirable seemed to
be Comte de Rocheverte, new arrival
in America, whom she had met for the
first time night or two after returning
to New York
OF course he wasn't nearly as splendid
a person as real Marquis of Loveland
would have been. but Though conserva-
tive girls who preferred home products,
didn't cultivate. called French counts
chick as blackberries and nearly as
common') Elinor had weakness for old
aristocra Besides, de Rocheverte
seemed to her of that daShing type which
prides itself on doing anything to please
certain part in her little comedy. she
thought that he would carry it off gayly.
whereas the role might not be to the
taste of her American friends.
She sent note by messenger to club
of which the comte had been made an
honorary member to make certain of Sc
curing him. Then, his answer having as
sured her that Raoul de Rocheverte was
entirely and devotedly at her service
when. where and how she liked. she
telephoned to the four girls she wanted
for the adventure OF these one could not
come; another could, but wouldn't, for the
same reason as Fannys this was Madge
Beverley and the remaining two Thought
it would be more fun than wedding.
Each would bring a man (Mrs. Milton
also could be trusted to find one), and the
party would therefore consist of eight.
Never since Bill Willing had first made
the fame of Alexander the Great had
there been such busy day in the red
restaurant the day when Tonys story
and sketch of The Marquis Of Twelfth
Street appeared in New York Light.
Breakfast was almost normal; but an
unusual number of people strolied in be-
tween and 11-'pie and milk hours
and nearly all had newspapers in their
hands. AS they sat at the red-legged
tables. slipping a tWo-cent glass of milk
they glanced at something in the paper,
and stared at the tall young man In even
ing clothes who moved about solemnly
with tray Of plates or cups and saucers.
BY noon there was a rush Of customers
the crowd increased rather than diminish
ed up to half-past one, and throughout
the afternoon the place was crammed.
Luckily, foreseeing that the new waiter
would be awkward. more valuable for
ornament than for use, Alexander had &C
copied the services Of a young Pole in
Dutchys place. There was also Blinkey;
but Blinkey was deep in the agony of
hopeless love for the boss beautiful
daughter. and was not to be counted on
with any confidence, owing to his habit Of
gazing at Isidora when she was in sight,
and pouring hot liquids down clients
necks if she suddenly disappeared.
There was more work than Alexander,
Loveland and the two others could do;
therefore soon after II the aid Of Miss
Izzie' had to be called in. The colored
cook and the cooks assistant worked until
their brains were as nearly added as any
egg ever employed in their most economi-
cal moments; and to several members OF
the staff the reason for the rush remained
a
in his sleeve. 1sidora knew and cast re-
proachful. Il told you So" glances at her
father, as she heard the rustic of opening
newspapers. But the Pole did not under
stand the curious questions people whis-
pered to him: Blinkey was stupid as well
as sullen: while as for Loveland himself
none dared to catechise him, set were
his lips. so threatening his brows
OF course he suspected that 1t was he
who brought the crowd and ragged in the
shame of his burning martyrdom. Alex
ander had said that he was to be used
for all he was WORTH and he was sure
that, already, he was in some way being
used. But he did not know how or guess
the worst.
At first. when the place began to fill.
and eyes regarded him with interest.
there was hot instant when he asked
himself if new card had been hung in
the window, offering British lord as an
attra ction-a kind Of side dish, with sauce
piquante. But he had slept at the Bat
Hotel the night before, and in coming ION
duty had seen the cards as usual. There
had been no sensational addition to the
number and no opportunity for anybody
to have made one since unseen by him..
Bill had received no orders for any secret
new design, LOveland was sure for Bill
was loyal and would certainly have
warned him. Val supposed. therefore,
that Alexander must have told people
that the Marquis of Loveland would act
as a waiter in the restaurant: that such
people had passed the news to others, and
So on, working upon the SNOWFALL system
this great increase of visitors being the
result.
I.oveland hated his notorety with
hatred inexpressible, though it was, in a
way, CHASTITY sort of tribute to the i'm
portance of the British ariStocracy. 1t
was not, however, the sort of tribute his
vanity craved, and his one consolation
was that the crowd Alexander had drawn
to gaze al the tame marquis was a COM
no danger that the red restaurant would
be invaded by the upper classes. He
would not see or be seen by the sort of
people he would have met if he had not
stumbled into this obscure pitfall Of mis-
fortune. Soon. too, he should have earned
enough money to climb out of 1t and
leave the country.
With the feigned indifference of a Gagged
white bear for bank holiday crush, the
new waiter performed his duties during
the day. If the restaurant were crammed
throughout the afternoon, by 6 clock
there was a mob. By {. however, the
place began to clear and Alexander re-
joiced, because there was much work for