Evening star., 1914-08-02

you'll come, won't you, Doctor?' asked Mrs Atkins.
Certainly" said the doctor, taking his hat to go.
At the door he turned to the still speechess Wloughby
keep it up my boy!' he called back. "Dance! Get
him to go to afternoon teas, Mrs. Atkins! Make him
out of his stagnaton! Hesitate, Atkins! Hest
tate.'
THE days rolled by: rather, let US say they hesi-
tated, one-stepped, and maxixed by; for to Will
loughby Atkins time had become ceaseless round of
dancing Miss Davis, the instructor, every after
at ve and before week had passed declared that
Mr.. Atkins natural-born zephyr.
Honest, Mrs. Atkins she said she starting
for home one afternoon, @never have 1 saw genmun
who could touch your husbind fer pckin it up! Why
look ut the way he done that hesitation with me jus
now"
Al know it" said Mrs Atkins. "But somehow, when
he and dance together, it isn't like that, yet I'm
l have all the steps,"
@That's 1eadin' said Miss Davis. @Mr. Atkins
amt got confidence yet, that's all. What you two
wanter do is go out an dance The's loads O swell
places anywheres round town. That's what he needs,
just to get out the floor in public. It'll give him
fdence."
4I'm not the-er-knd to frequent public dancehalls
and cafs" protested Wloughby from the COUCH prop
erly outraged to his dignity
@That's what they all say at first laughed Miss
Davis aBut once they try it-goodnight Home,
get him take you to tn afternoon tea at the St.
Mammon-nobody can't say that amt swell enough"
what" gasped Willoughby. @Me at afternoon
tea?'
said Mrs. Atkins. 3Dr. Hasbrouck and his wife often
drop in and lots of people we know we'll
4Let en- said Willoughby. "Ill do what dancing
I'm forced to do in private!'
Look out for him, Mrs. Atkins" Miss Davis
parting warning ave heard em talk like that before
mi
it, they dance you off your feet"
4Id be perfectly willing take that chance!" sighed
Mrs. Atkins. -"I could never get enough of it."
Don't be too sure" thought Wiloughby; for
grani little scheme beginning to hatch itself in his
head. 1t desperate expedient, one that would
require all the force of character and strength of
stitution he could muster.
As Miss Davis departed, threatening to tomor-
usual he still lay the couch, wondering if his
scheme feasible, if he, alone and unsupported,
could carry it through.
AS, in that state of hesitation he pondered, there
was ring at the bell and messenger from one CT the
fashionable shops left bundle for his wife She opened
it and came running to Willoughby.
"I.ook! Oh loo<!' she cried delightedly.
"What is it?' asked Wioughby
@Six pairs of tango slippers all different" she said
showing them to him. @And I've got silk stockings to
match. 1 thought I'd buy them now so as to have
supply for the summer, because you and going to
do much dancing!'
Wloughby Atkins rose from the couch determined
man. The die cast!
MARTIN said Atkins to his general manager the
~ next day, u want you to be pretty well the
job round here for little while. can't tell how long
it take me, but I've got deal on foot that's
going to keep away from the Office quite bit for
perhaps week I'll probably be here every day; but
may be late mornings. Also, who's the best ready
made shoe dealer you know OFF,
"Ready-made shoes!' exclaimed Martin, knowing
that his employer had always had his footwear made
order and particularly fussy about it.
"Uh-huh, said Atkins. Il want to get some extra