Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1911-03-30
Copyright. 1910. by Doubleday. Page 6
Company. Copyright. 1908. by
the Mcclure Company

professionally as Miss Thora Moon,
was, her husband went on to state,
Miss de Lisle's leading lady, who
played adventuresses, Weaknesses and
important parts Of that ilk to the
human flowers" soubrettes and in
genues.
my wife had some money when 1
married her." he mentioned with an
retrospective look. accompanied by a
faint sigh. Thus Loveland was en-
abled to guess how it was that Mr..
Jacobus might have been induced to
forget his early penchant for Miss de
Lisle. Bills little gal"
Jacobus stopped in Main street in
front of an ugly new building con-
structed of wood and brick. There
was a kind of veranda, above which
appeared a large signboard with the
words Smiths Hotel'' in green and
gold letters.
Here we are" said Jacobus. signing
as he looked at his mud incrusted pat
emit feathers. THE whole crowds
here. Tll show you to your room,
and by the time you've had a wash, if
you want to, dinner II be ready. |
guess you'll be ready for it too"
There was a narrow, uncarpeted pas
sage, with an uncarpeted and still mar
rover stairway leading steeply up to
regions above: also there was a strong
nay, neutrality-suspicious. of dinner
which could be all too easily divided
into its component ~parts-corned beef
and cabbage. with perhaps a body
guard of onions.
"One more flight for you" explained
Jacobus. They amt got too much
accommodation here, and Miss de
Lisle. mt and my wife and the other
ladies are on this floor. gentlemen
above. Here you are" and with a
light knock. which was a notification.
not a request. he flung the door open.
On a narrow bed visible from the
threshold a young man, hardly more
than a boy. was stretched reading
something that looked like manuscript.
He glanced round, but did not move
on seeing Mr.. Jacobus and a stranger.
Il thought you said this was my
room!" exclaimed Loveland, startled.
$50 it is. and there's your roommate.
Didn't know whether you'd be in, Ed.
l can introduce you to each other
right now. Mr.. Ed Binney, our prop
erty man, prompter and second vii
lain-Mr. Perceval Gordon of England.
our new juvenile. Now you know
each other, and I guess, Eddy, you
can put Mr.. Gordon up to all he needs
to know"
This was worse than the Bat hotel,
where each mar who earned 25 cents
could have his own cubicle. But low
Loveland was not paying his own way.
The management" was to do that
and feed him top. AS he had but a
quarter in the world. thrust upon him
as a loan or gift by generous Bill,
Loveland was not in a position to be
critical. Here he was, and here he
would have to stay till he heard from
home or something turned up"
AS for hearing from home. he had
begun almost to despair. for his two
cables had remained unanswered now
these many dreary days. Still. after
an interval of more waiting for a tele-
gram from his mother he had written
to her and to Betty Marlborough.
ashamed to take outsiders into the
deepest secrets Of his humiliating ad-
ventures. But at best it would be a
fortnight before Bill Willing could for
ward to some address yet to be given
a letter from cross the sea.
Ed Binney looked as though he
might have pleasant qualities If ap-
preached in the right way. So with
amazing self restraint Loveland re-
Trained even from the mild insult Of a
disguised glance. He said in his nice
voice that he hoped Mr.. Binney would
not mind his coming, as he really could
not help himself, whereupon Mr..
Binney grinned, showing teeth white
as a girls, and replied that if it were
not MI. Gordon it would be some one
else, who might be worse, as it struck
Mr.. Binney that Mr.. Gordon would at
least be fond of washing himself.
To this Mr.. Gordon responded that
there were few things he liked better,
but it seemed as If there wouldn't be
much opportunity at Smiths hotel.
You had to do it in sections with a
washbowl, said Mr.. Binney, but never
mind-you got there just the same II
you were in earnest. Then they both
laughed, and Binney exclaimed with
evident relief that he was jolly glad
Gordon wasn't the sort Of boy who
put on airs.
Then he bounced off his tremulous
cot. he showed his roommate "the
ropes'--in other words, which bureau
drawers" were at the newcomers dis
position, where he had better keep his
toothbrush and so on. He confided To
Loveland the fact that he himself had
not been long in the company, but
had come from q better one. which he
would now regret IL the zone night
stands had not been too much for bis