The Washington herald., 1914-09-27
tougIsht. maJ
rIYHEN the final curtain came down
" like guillotine on the play
w ther. ,,,as a general uprising, a

sort of slow panic TO escape Tolh tHls
finished place and move on TO the next
event.
Everybody being in haste, everybody
went slowly Forbes retrieved his nat
and oyercoat after a ferocious struggle,
In the law ooze-out of the crowd he
was gradually shunted to the side OF
-Persis. and willing enough TO be there
proud to be there. He walked little
more nilitarily than he usually did IN
civilians.
He heard people whispering with a
shrillness that PersiS had evidently
grown accustomed to, for she could not
have melped hearing, yet showed iio
sign. e.,
Look! That's Persis Cabot" said
one. There's the Cabot girl you read
so much about" said another. Shes
gor' sister who's a countess or mar
mise, or something" Then Forbes
learned BY roundabout the last name OF
Willie, and learned it with alarm from
two Of the sharpest whisperers:
That's Willie Enslee with her, sup
pose"
At any other time it would have
amused Forbes immensely to be called
30 far out OF his name.
But now he could only busy himself
with deductions why did they assume
that any man who was with Persis
Cabot was sure to be Willie Enslee!
Could it mean-what else could II
mean?
Meanwhile Little Willie himself was
banding the attendant at the switchboard
q punctured carriage check, with which
10 fash the number on the sign outside.
There was a long wait for their own
car. while motor after motor slid up
and slid away as soon as its number had
been bawled and its cargo had detached
irsei from the waiting huddle.
After the close. warm theater Forbes
f1inched at the edged night wind com
ing from the river. With the caution
of an athlete he turned up his collar
ard buttoned his oYercoat over his chest
But Persis stood with throat and bosom
naked to the wind, and to all those star
ing eyes. and never thought to gathe-
about her even the fimsy aureole OF
chiffon that took the place of a scarf.
Ard equally unafraid and unashamed
stood Winifred and Mrs. Neff. (Fe
had collected her name. too, during the
EGTlNGISdIlOll
the last act.)
At length the footman. who had howl
ed out other peoples numbers, held up
q tinid finger and murmured, awesome-
". "Nr Enslee?'
The limousine. whose door he opened
was by ne means the handsomest OF the
line. Enslee was evidently rich enough
10 afford a shabby car. The three wom-
en- bent their heads and entered with
difficulty. their tight skirts sliding to
their knees as they clambered in.
There was a great ado over the prob
lem OF room. Every man offered to walk
Or take a taxi. Ten Eyck made sure
that Forbes should not be omitted Ig-
noring his protests, he bundled him into
pne of the little extra seats and crawled
in after him. The huge third man (still
anonymous and taciturn) next inserted
his bulk large cork in small bottle.
Willie put his head in to ask:
Where d'you want to go. Persis?
''Trotting, of course" came from the
crowded depths.
But | don't think
Then take me home and go to the
devil"
We'll trot." sighed Willie. He spoke
to the chauffeur dolefully, then appeared
at the door to wall helplessly:
There seems to be no room for me
You're only the host" said Winifred.
"Hop on behind
You can sit on my lap" said Ten
Eyck.
And as that was the only vacant space,
the big man lifted him up and set him
there.
Seven persons were packed where
there was hardly space for FIVE; but
Forbes noted that they were as informal
and good-natured as yokels on a hay
ride. All except Willie. and his distress
was not because OF the crowd.
Forbes. cramPeG Of leg and choked of
lung, was wondering at his presence
here. II was far cry from Manila
He had come to town at noon a lonely
stranger. and before midnight he was
literally in the lap OF beauty and chum-
ming with wealth and aristocracy in
their most intimate mood.
Suddenly they whirled off Broadway,
and. describing short curve. came to a
stop. A foOtman opened the doo7, but
nobody moved.
Ten Eyck said: The problem now is
how do we get out. I'm so mixed up /
with somebody. | don't know my own
legs" Like a wise man OF Gotham, he
jabbed his thumb into tine mixture, and
asked, Are those mine2"
No. they are mott" said Winifred.
Willie was lowered ashore first. Rob
Whats-his-name bulged through next,
then Ten Eyck, then Forbes.
Forbes. wondering where they were.
looked up and read with difficulty a
great sign in vertical electric letters.
"Geisenweber's."
Willie told his chauffeur to wait. and
the car drew down the street to make
room for a long queue of other cars.
Ten Eyck led the flock into a narrow
hall. and filled the small elevator with
as many as could get in. He included
Forbes with the three women, and re-
mained behind with Willie and Bob.
Then a door opened and they debark- !
ed into a crowded anteroom. While |
they waited for the car to descend and |
rise again with the rest OF the party the |
women gave their wraps to a maid, and |
Forbes delivered MS coat and hat and |
stick across counter to hat boy.
When Ten Eyck, Willie, and Bob ap-
peared and had checked their things the
seven climbed a crowded staircase into
an atmosphere riotous with chatter and |
dance music of a peculiarly rowdy
RHYTHM