The Spectator., 1914-11-27
CHAPTER VII.
A Party in the Alley.

A Party in the Alley.
 For the five weeks that led into the heart of the winter Pedro worked all most necessarily
 From daylight till dark he scarcely left the studio, and only at night (when they were not too tired) would he go forth with Leigh upon what they began to call perception prowls." At other times they would sit together and read or talk; sometimes in the wide, cushioned ingle-nook at Pedro's; again in tilted chairs, their boots upon the rim of Leigh's stove.
 Leigh was a man who made few friends: thus it came about that Pedro met hardly any other people. But he was we'll content that such should be | the case, delighting as he did in Leigh's society, and utterly satisfied | the latter led him.
 Strange little cafes served them, and sometimes more pretentious places.
 Through the Fall Academy they wandered, too and smaller exhibitions In the backs of shops, and In the les ser galleries. And from one of these latter visits came about Pedro's choice of the great De Bush as his future ad- wiser. An, there was a painter for you!
 That this rose-colored existence should continue forever was taken for granted by Pedro, whose sole lack was MT. Jones. But one day Leigh sent word that he had been called from town by a commission, and might be gone a week or more.
 During the span of six days Pedro managed very well alone, simply get ting up earlier than ever, and work ing harder; for Leigh had come to sat isfy him so completely that he fan. cied no one else could take the sculp- tors place. On the seventh day, Leigh not having as yet returned, he ate solitary meal, and feeling lonely, went to the gallery of a theater.
 The play was melodramatic affair, and on either hand sat people who re- fused to respond to his critical andy. sis of the dramatist's work; so, after the second act, he left. much bored and filled with longing for dancing and companions, for laughter and in consequential talk: a most natural and wholesome desire for the amuse- ments common to his years.
 T wish" said Pedro aloud, that was going to a party"
 Then a thought struck him. If 6 party was what he wanted to go to- why not go to one? There were the cafes-but no, He wanted req party with invited guests, and laugh ter. and refreshments, hospitality of fered
 Suddenly he felt like a prisoner jailed in prison that is limitless, ye, cramped because it is, in fact prison To shake off this morbid fancy he began to run, and sped through the silent, frosty streets as though the gruesome, sardonic spirit of civiliza tion was speeding after him with handcuffs.
 Breathless at last, and indignantly helpless, he came to standstfll be side the open gateway of little i'm passe that had once or twice attracted his passing attention. From wall tC wall it was paved with uneven flag ging, and down the center ran an open gutter. The buildings were squat two story affairs of old brick, and had once been stables, but as he looked more closely, the light of the scat tered bracket-lamps revealed the fact that they had been converted into studios. All the other buildings but one were dark, and like bit of the old world, the miniature street nestled timidly almost in the shadow of it's giant neighbors, the sky-scrapers. Al directly. From the lighted building halfway down its limited stretch, a soft radiance shone out, uncurtained and cheery. and the sounds of revelry came mufiied to his ear. Quite shame. lessly he walked to where it's window met level with his shoulder. and fiat. tening his nose against the pane looked in.
 A dimly lit room full of animated people met his gaze. A youth, with a cigarette dangling from the corner of his mouth, was playing softly on the piano, while. just beyond. two couples were dancing. Immediately in front of the watcher was a row of heads, their owners being seated upon a bench which ran directly beneath the window
 Suddenly the street door was flung wide to emit little knot of men who carried between them the limp form of woman. Pedro drew back into the shadows and watched.
 The exact nature of the trouble he l cnuld nnt determine and neither could