The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1916-03-13
CHAPTER I.
you gonna have?
w To this inquiry tn,

| \ you SOlh6 udfcs
wv To this inquiry the
| patron made no response
head bent. she pored sedulously
over the magazine.
The waitress renewed her de-
maud.
Say. lis'en: what you want?"
white satin, yelled with point
d'Angleterre," Miss Manvers re-
piled. distinctly.
Pardonably startled, the waitress
demanded with the rising inflec-
ton: "Wha-a-at"
"The court train" Miss Manvers
pursued in abstraction, SIS dotted
with bouquets Of orange bios
SONS"
She checked herself suddenly.
"Ham-and, please"
plate Of ham.and. Cawfy?"
Eyes, iced coffee and"-Miss
Manvers hesitated briefly-"and a
napoleon"
The waitress withdrew.
For the next few moments the
customer neglected the fashion
magazine which she had found on
the seat of the chair next her own.
She stared blankly at the spotted
bill of fare. She was deeply in
trigued by the mystery of human
frailty, as exemplified by her reck-
less extravaganza in ordering that
superfluous bit of pastry. Miss
Manvers' purse contained a quar-
ter OF dollar; being precisely the
sum OF her entire fortune. Her
ham and beans would cost 10 cents,
the coffee and the napoleon 5 cents
each. She would be penniless
when she had paid her score.
In due course Miss Manvers de-
livered at the desk of the blonde
cashier, and, penniless, wandered
forth into the brutal sunshine.
She went slowly, YEARLY, as suit.
ed drudge. The burning air beat
up into her downcast face from
sun-baked stones that scorched
thru the soles of her shoddy shoes.
A few doors north of Lexington
ave. she climbed weather-beaten
steps to a brownstone entrance,
and addressed herself to three
long flights Of naked stairs.
She gained at the top an open
door whose panels sported a sim
pie rectangle of cardboard adyer-
Using the tenancy of lin engraved
script Miss Lucy Spode, Tin ink
M. A. Warden, and Tin pencil, a
scrawD Manvers.
Near the windows, on the end of
box couch, a young woman was
perched, thin shoulders rounded
over the ink-stained drawingboard
resting on her knees.
Interrupted, she looked up with
a start and cried in a voice of the
Southern born:
MY land, Sally! What time ia
it,"
In the act Of unpinning her hat
Miss Manvers paused to consult an
alarm clock on an adjacent shelf.
Twenty past three" she report.
ed, sententiously.
The artist busily scratched once
more.
Scared me-" she explained, com.
ing home so early!"
1
wrench. Got a date?"
Sure; with Sammy O'clock
announced Lucy Spode.
Where's Mary Warden?"
Lyric all-rehearsing."
Lucky Nary"
The artist looked up in aston
ishment. Lucky" she protested
dancing till she's ready to drop
In this awful heat, and no pay for
rehearsals!"
"All the same" Sally contended
She's got some chance She's an
understudy, and her principal might
fall ill-or something. That's bet
ter than maWying man you don't
care for-which you are likely to
door clerking at Huckster's for
81 week."
Something's happened to you to-
day, Sally. What is it? You
haven't been"
Fired again? Not exactly. Just
laid off Observation-Disclosures all
With good luck I may get my job
back next September"
"Oh. but honey!" Lucy explained
crossing to drop a hand on Sally's
shoulder, II am sorry"
"Of course you are" Sally re
turned stonily. But you needn't
be. I'm not going to let this make
things any harder for you and
Mary Warden"
Don't be silly, Lucy! You know
you're welcome"
"Of course l do. All the same
I'm not taking any more. was
laid off last Saturday. didn't say
anything, but I've been looking fol
something else ever since-and this
is Wednesday, and I'm thru"
We'll, WE'LL" said the other in
diligently, have 1t your own way
What are you going to steal first
A diamond sunburst? But II stoI
here listening to you I'll be late
for Sammy. So I'm off, Pausing
In the doorway. she looked back
with just trace of doubt icoloring
her regard. Promise te do nothing
rash before l come home"
Promises made forE keeps are
specifically prohibited BY article
nine of the Social Pirates. letters
But / don't mind telling you the
chances are you'll find me ion the
roof when you get back, unless this
heat let's up. I'm going up now;
this place is simply suffocating!"
Pint har anila 0raW dim soa ob a