The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1915-08-21
The
Chorus
Lady
BY JAMES FORBES
NOvelized Fl N Forbes
Play of the Same Name
by JOHN w. HARDING
Continued from Last Week.
Copyright. 1908. by G. w. Dillins-
ham CompanE.

lawfully busy" lied Crawford. Il
have pile of mail to get off tonight"
Rogers withdrew.
Gave you a surprise, eh?" repeated
Mallory, twisting his hat in his hands.
Rather! But won't you sit DOWN."
Dan took seat and hung his hat on
the back of the chair.
Thought Id run up to town an talk
ever that McGovern matter with you"
he explained. 1.-The old folks had got
to worryin' about the girls, so brought
'em along. Mrs. OBJ. got it into her
head that somethin' was wrong"
"Had she heard anything?" asked
Crawford uneasily.
''No; she had a dream or somethin'.
You know what mothers are. She
wanted to see the kid badly, I guess
She's felt kinder lonesome since Nora
went away. Nora's the baby. you
know, and the old folks amt seen her
since she left home"
Il imagine somebody else felt lone
some, too, and wasn't sorry for an ex-
cuse to run up to New York;" said
Crawford, while Dan grinned broadly.
II guess the girls are all right"
"Sure," assented the trainer. pat
sy's letters prove that. Seen 'em late
Tyr
1--WE run into them couple Of times
"a the street, and Of course I've seen
them in the piece"
"Great show, amt It? I came up for
the spenin'. Nora did mighty well for
a beginner, an, tell you what, that
girls got the maxim of somethin' II
her. But, say, isn't Patsy great? When
she comes on in that second act leadin'
that bunch Of girls in that white dress
with all them shiny fumidoodles an
that sassy hat perched on her little
bio0d head. she's the hit of the show to
me, amt she?"
Looks pretty NICE" admitted Craw-
ford.
''She oughter be playin' part. May
be it's just as well, though. She
nighm't be SO willin' to give it up. I
amt said anythin' before, Crawford,
though l seen just now you'd guessed
it, but if the stable keeps on with this
run Of luck you'll be gettin' a weddin'
invitation one Of these days."
Crawford had been listening with an
impotence that was not the less burn
ing because it was concealed. He
seized upon Mallory's announcement as
a pretext to rise and bring the inter-
view to speedy end.
Congratulations, old man." he said,
going over and wringing his hand with
show of the heartiest cordially. 1--WE
must have drink on that"
He took down a decanter and a co.'s
pie of glasses from the top of the
bookcase and poured out a stiff drink
Of whisky for each of them.
Nov. how about this McGovern."
said Crawford. Lets get down to
business. don't want to seem rude
or to hurry you, old man, but have
an awful lot to do tonight, and 1 know
you are anxious to get away. Per-
haps you would like to put it off till
tomorrow? How about seeing me at
my Office and having bit of lunch
with me?"
Thanks" he replied. Il could hard
ly do that. l may have to start back
to Maple Grove on an early train. But
the business won't take long. I'll be
through in a few minutes. l wanted
to tell you that l guess I've landed
McGovern."
"That's good!'
Eyes; it means big thing for the
stable. When the wise ones find out
that old McGovern. the wisest one of
them all. pays US a good stiff figure
for Lady Belle. it will give the string
good boost, an we ought to get fancy
prices"
what are you holding Lady Belle
at?'
"Five thousand. l done a tall stunt
Of hagglin' with him. He was around
to see me tonight before dinner. | told
him to call you up. He'll run up
telephone bill Of IS tryin' to get you
to take four thousand nine hundred
and ninety-nine. He's gabby old
guy. but don't let him wear you out.
He'll pay the agure."
81 like your nerve. sicking him at
me!'
"Had to get rid of him somehow.
was hungry. He'd be talkin' yet. He's
one Of them chaps hard to head off
once you get 'em goin'. You know"
Eyes. know" said Crawford point
eddy. wishing Mallory would take the
hint and go.
Just then the telephone in the hall
rang and Rogers appeared.
Telephone, SIR" he announced to
Crawford.
"I'll bet that's McGovern now" said
Mallory, with grin.
Crawford laughed resignedly and
went out, slamming the door. Mallory
helped himself to cigar from a hox
on the table, cut the end of and looked
in the mirror with satisfied wink at
himself as he lighted the weed. The
door beside the bookcase had opened
noiselessly. 1t was being quickly shut
as he gazed into the mirror, and he
saw the reflection of woman's beau-
t1ful bare arm. Dan turned, but the
door was closed. A look Of compre-
hension spread over his face.
"Gee-willikins-I seer he muttered.
"Guess I'm buttis' in on somethin'."
He closed one eye and screwed up
die corresponding corner Of his mouth
with comical, knowing grimace at
himself in the glass. 1t lasted until
the match. burning low. scOrched his