Belington progressive. [volume] (Belington, W. Va.) 1912-1927, 1916-10-12
bergman saws Mrs. Thompson-Bet

tOlQ hin 10 IelcH you dEOuuu LOT sup
| per. She owns d piece of this show.
and the theater belongs to the estate,
SO you'll just have to 60"
mercy! Mrs. Thompson ellaire, the
college boys giddy godmother," Lilas
Knocked. 81 suppose she's out slum-
ming, with her kindergarten class"
Slosson frowned at this levity. "Will
you go?' he inquired. Eyes or noT'
"Um-m-rn have to say yes 1t
seems"
"Good. I'll phone Bergman"
When the press agent had gone Lilas
regarded her companion with open
compassion. Gee! But you're going
to have a grand time That bunch
thinks it's smart to be seen with show
people, and of course they'll dance all
| night"
"And / did so want to go straight
| back to my new home" When she
| Joined her employer after the show she
| was In no very agreeable frame OF
mind.
Mrs. Thompson-Bellair was a YER
milion-haired widow with chest like
blacksmith, who had become famous
for her jewels and her social eccen-
| tricities. She and her party were es-
| tablished at one of the uptown "Trot-
torres" when Nobel Bergman and Lo-
relief arrived. Three examples Of
blushing boyhood devoted themselves
to languid blonde girl of thirty-fye,
and the hostess herself was dancing
with another tender youth, but she
| came forward, painting.
$50 good of you to come, DEAR" she
cried. "This is Miss Wyeth, and these
| are my boys, Mr." She spoke four
| meaningless names, and four mean
ingless smiles responded; four wet
| combed heads were bowed. She turned
to her blonde companion, saying "She
is pretty, isn't she, Alice?'
every" Alice agreed, without remov-
ing her eyes from the youth at her left.
Bergman invited Lorelei to finish the
dance; then he inquired, "What do you
think of her?'
"Her hair fascinates me; she looks
| as if she had just burst out of thicket
| of henna leaves" Bergman laughed,
II told her to-
"You?''
"I knew you'd refuse If I asked
you"
$50? Then I'm really your guest In
stead of hers"
well leave whenever you say"
Throughout the rest of the dance
Lorelei was silent, offended at Berg
mans deception and uncomfortable at
her own situation; but the hostess had
ordered supper of the unsatisfactory
kind usual in such places; little as she
liked the prospect, she could not leave
at once.
The meal was interrupted regularly
| each time the music played, for dane
| ing was more than fad in this set
| it was a serious business with which
| nothing was allowed to interfere.
| There was considerable drinking.
| Bergman, who devoted himself assidu-
ously to his employee, showing more
| effect from it than the others. AS the
| night wore ON he became more and
| more offensive; he grew coarse In a
sly, tentative manner, as If feeling his
ground. He changed the manner of
! his dancing, also, until Lorelei could
| no longer tolerate him.
"Getting tired, my dear7" he queried,
when she declined to join the whirlinS
| throng.
eyes. I want to 60"
"Still on Amsterdam avenue?"
| StNJo I'm Jfvipp oInno-nouy
Bergman started, his eyes bright
ened. "Ah! Then you've come to your
senses finally. Merkle Hxed it-ehf I
can do more for you than Merkle can"
"MerkleT She eyed him coolly.
ooh, play your game with strangers,
but don't put me of. Weren't You
caught with him at the Chateau? Well,
| then"
"You needn't finish. I'm going home
now"
| He laid a OBTAINING hand upon her
arm. "You never learned that speech
in one of my shows" he said, land
you're not going to say good night to
me. Understand" He grinned at her
with disgusting confidence, and she
| AuuS OA LIS LOQCu. 1uC
dancers offered welcome diversion.
Lorelei dreaded an open clash with
| the manager, knowing that the place,
the hour and the conditions were i'll
| suited to a scene. She had learned
to smile and to consider swiftly, to
cross the thin ice of an embarrassing
situation with light steps. Quickly
she turned to Mrs. Thompson-Bell
who was bowling effusively to new
conner.
"My wordi What is Bob Wharton
doing here?" exclaimed the widow.
Bob Wharton? Where?" Miss Wy
eth's languor vanished electrically; she
wrenched her attention from the wire
haired fraternity man at her side. Lo-
relief felt a sense Of great thanksgiving.