Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-03-11
THE TEMPTING OF TAVERNAKE
BY E. PHILLIPS oPPENHEIM

| ing, and her last coin had gone for the
car which had brought her back from
Broadway. And here she WAS on the
other side OF New York, In the region OF
| low-cloes lodging houses, with the Bowery
between her and Broadway. She had
neither the strength nor the courage to
walk. with half-stlfied sob she took off
her one remaining ornament, a cheap en-
ameled brooch, and entered pawnbrok-
ers shop close to where she had been
standing.
"win you give me something on this,
please?" she asked, desperately.
A man who seemed to be sorting a pile
of rcadY-made coats paused in his task
for moment, took the ornament into his
hand and threw 1t contemptuously upon
the counter.
mot worth anything" he answered
"But It must be worth something" Bea-
trice protested. "I only want q. very lit
tie"
Something in her voico compelled the
mans attention. He looked at her white
face.
"Whet's the trouble?" he inquired.
'I must get up to 9Th avenue some
how" she declared. "I can't walk and
haven't a nickel"
lie pushed the brooch back to her and
threw dime upon the counter.
"Well," he said you don't look fit to
walk, and that's fact, but the brooch
isn't worth entering up. There's a dime
for you. Now git. please, I'm busy"
Beatrice clutched the coin and. almost
forgetting to thank him, found her way
up the iron stairs on to the platform of
the elevated. Soon she was seated in
the train, rafting and shaking on its way
through the slums into the heart of the
wonderful city. There was only one thing
left for her to try, a thing which she had
had In her mind for days. Yet she found
herself, even now she was committed to
It, thinking of what lay before her with
something like black horror. 1t was her
last resource. indeed. Strong though she
was, she knew by many small signs that
her strength was almost at an end. The
days and weeks of disappointments, the
long frIitless trudges from office to Of
flee. tho heart-slckness of constant re-
fusals, poor food, the long fasts, had all
told their tale. She was attractive enough
still. Her pallor seemed to have given
her Il wonderful delicacy. The curve of
her lips and the soft light in her gray
eyes were still as potent as ever. When
she thought though, what n poor asset
her appearance had been the color famed
In her checks.
In Broadway she made her way to
very magnificent block of buildings. and,
passing inside took the lift to the seventh
idly at n glass-paneled door, on which
was inscribed the name of Anthony Crux-
hall. A very superior young man bade
her enter and inquired her business
II wish to see Mr.. CruXhall for a mo-
ment. privately" she said. II shall not
detain him for more than a minute. My
name is Franklin-Miss Beatrice Frank
I'm"
The young mans lips seemed about to
shape themselves into a whistle, but
something In the girls face made him
change his mind.
~ guess the boss is in," he admitted.
"He's Just got back from big meeting.
but / am not sure about his seeing any
one today. However, I'll tell him that
you're here"
He disappeared into an inner room.
Presently he came out again and held
the door open.
"Will you walk right in Miss Frank
linz" he invited.