The Ocala evening star., 1915-04-21

rushed To the door of the salon. out
before she could reach it Gilbert Blye
had her roughly by the arm and psn- |
ed her through the door which led<fo
the basement. He stood staring at the
smoke which came curling ominously /
through that opening. glanced again
toward Jnne's room and dashed down
the stairs
That vas a strangely furnished little
room in which June found herself |
There were two desks and a fling
cabinet and some Office chairs, but
there were a luxurious couch and
dainty hangings. soft rug and pink
paneled walls and ceiling. 1t was all
so incongruons. And the work-it was
queer too The yellow haired woman
came in from the parlor presently and
explained the posting into small blank
books of many memorandum slips.
Each slip contained the name of a wo-
man and a sum of money There were
no slips for men. but there were index
cards about men, June puzzled as TO
what sort Cf business this might be.
The page girl swished in with one of
the memorandum slips. The yellow
head, whose face was puffy and more
highly colored than was wholesome.
took the slip, looked at the name ON IL.
frowned. shook her head and went out
with the girl. She entered the salon
and stood surveying the scene with
cold abstraction. Around long table
sat the women whom June had seen.
ha, -, Of
and stacks of playing chips. and a raw
| boned woman sitting on higher chair
| than the rest was dealing The yellow
| haired woman fixed her attention on
| the gambler next To the dealer. She
was a fluffy blond with a feverish gilt
ter in her eyes. and she was bent so in
tently upon the fall of the cards that
she did not notice the door open and
close.
Poor June. She glanced about her
with growing repugnance. She was
abiectly miserable. and suddenly she
was sobbing
Ned! Why had she run away from
| him?
In the gambling room the fluffy blond
who had played so feverishly staked
and lost the last chip in front Of her.
She turned impatiently to look for the
page girl.s She met instead the cold,
hard eye of the yellow haired woman.
who quietly motioned her. The player
rose reluctantly, and fright came into
her face as she followed into the hall
and to. the little office where June had
been installed.
you've reached the limit. Mrs. Per
ry." announced the yellow haired wo-
man, turning on the unlucky one sharp
ly as she closed the door. Here is the
/. o. q. Belle brought to me. l have
not o. E.'d it.
"It's only for $50" faltered Mrs.
Perry.
81 wouldn't o. K. it for so cents.
snapped the other. "Now. i want ac-
ton You'll telephone your husband
from this room"
mo, nor The woman wrung her
hands. "In talk to him tonightr'
al know that game she scorned,
and from June's desk she took an in
dex card.
Eight -o-eight-o Garden" she told
the. new secretary. ASK for Mr.. Per
ry, and say that his wife wishes tC
speak with him."
Nor cried Mrs. Perry Historically
and reached over June's shoulder tC
take the phone The new secretary
had made no move toward the phone
She was staring at the yellow haired
woman in astonishment. That deter
mined person was not one to wranglc
In emergencies. She snatched up the
phone herself and called the number.
.'You women think I'm a mark. sh
. scornfully stated to Mrs. Perry whii'
she waited. You'd sting me for ;
thousand dollars rather than sting you
+ husband for it, See this card?" She hell
it out. 1t contained the name OF jackson
Z W. Perry. his business address, his hom
address. his financial rating, probabl
G income. clubs and telephone numbers
+ And the unfortunate Mrs. Perry seem
0 ed to shrink into hopeless despair a
q She realized the impIacable organiza
u ton against which she had pitted bel
s self. ''Ar. Perry, please" The yelloN
Is haired woman's voice had undergon
a complete change. 1t was very plea:
y ant of infection. though it raspeC
i His wife wishes to speak with him.
She handed over the telephone. an
y June, seeing Mrs. Perry's unsteadines
= rose and compassionately gave the W.
man her chair. The yellow haired on
: walked calmly over to her own desk an
:, took up the extension phone.
June looked at her hat and coat. 81
seemed quite bewildered. She coul
a not quite understand what this was a
- about, but she did know that 1t W.
all unpleasant and heartless and d
: grading. She was starting to go whe
!. something ON Mrs. Perry's face touc
:, ed her sympathies and held her.
:, Eyes, it's Gwen trembled Mrs. Pc
~. her nervous fingers clutching de
perately to keep the quaver from b
voice IL hope | haven't interruE
;, ed anything important"
- Not very" The mans voice cou
"a "a be heard distinctly outside the phone
"Jack"-the voice was full OF plea
- ing-'T-I have to have some money
- The frown of the yellow haired "
- man deepened as she listened to Il
"a mans reply.
= Il know it's week before my aIio
an ance is due" urged Mrs. Perry, al
4s now she turned her eyes imploring
,I1 toward the stony. yellow haired OF