Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1917-03-22
His a" Star''

his chorus in the musical show, for
which Lee had written the music, and
so thought he had a right to his opin-
ion.
eyes, sir; don't need to hear a girl
sing to tell whether or not she will do,
and I don't need any more than a
glance to tell whether they can throw
their feet a little"
Lee smiled. Your cocksureness al
ways gets my nerve; but take this girl
just coming in-what do you say?'
Lee asked.
Coming in from the wings, where the
anxious candidates were kept in sus-
pense, was a slim girl dressed in
brown; her eyes to the two men sit
ting at the side of the stage seemed
abnormally big. She gave her music
to the pianist and stood ready to sing.
"She'n never do; her voice will be
as thin as a watered beer, and her
figure-thinner than that" Graves an
nounced briskly.
Lee leaned back and watched her
In his mind slow decision formed
if he could only put one over on
Graves; the girl looked to him as if
she had possibilities.
The girl began to sing Graves grunt-
ed and looked at Lee with a wide grin.
Her voice was thin, Lee admitted to
himself, but something in it attracted
! him.
When the song was finished Graves
asked her to dance a few steps. She
danced a few steps, lithely, gracefully,
but-Graves grunted again.
While the girl was waiting for their
decision Graves leaned over. "My boy,
you're a mighty good music singer,
but you can't judge girls!"
He turned to her and waved her
away. She seemed to sway and shiv-
er a little, then started for the wings,
her face white.
Lee said sharply: Call her back,
Graves, I want to talk with her; and
I'll bet you $1O0 that the next time
she comes to you you'll be anxious to
take her!"
Graves stared at him. "Son, you're
crazy; I could cheat you easy Of that
hundred"
'But I know you won't; so how is
it?"
Graves face softened. "Bil-ly, it's
go"
Graves had halted her with a sharp
call near the wings, and he now called
her back. Miss Reddon, this is Billy
Lee, who wrote the shouting for the
show. He wants to talk with you a
moment"
Lee drew her a little aside. 81 have
a sort Of proposition" He looked
into her face, and what he saw there
made him jump-starving, she surely
Iooked-"perhaps, if you are willing,
We'll 60 to the restaurant below. We
can talk better there, and I'm deuced-
ly hungry"
She did not demur, and soon they
were hidden from eyes and out of the
reach Of tongues in one of the booths.
Lee sent in an order that made the
waiter, who knew him, look startled
for a moment.
I'm somewhat of a hearty eater,
Miss Reddon," he said, smiling, "and
no one is a friend of mine who doesn't
keep up with me-"
81 think I can," she answered, smil-
ing for the first time.
When the food was spread before
them he began to talk and eat, and
she followed his example as far as the
eating was concerned.
"My proposition is this, Miss Red
don, and hope, too, you will favor it:
I am interested in another musical
show in which there is need Of a girl
like you-somebody with brown hair,
brown eyes, and-well, you'll do, and
can give you the position; the wages
will be the regular; you'll play once
in the evening only. How about it?'
She was listening as if her whole
heart and soul were in the words he
was saying. "Will I accept ito II
do I do"
She stopped as if seeking to master
her feelings. Lee switched the con-
versation onto other things; for he I'M
derstood. She had been near the Dor
derland, and was struggling to keep re-
spectacle, yet starving in the attempt.
So it came about that Billy Lee had
q talk with the manager Of the show.
II want her to be put on anyway, see
paid right on the dot, and, Fred, sort
Of hint to her that she is little I'M
der weight and that she better rest
for a week under full pay-Tll pay it,
see? I've got q bet on, and If win