The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-11-08
open case and snapped the door. "Ant

Opcu case ana Sudppcu tuS OOoA. Anu
1t stays there, get me-"
You're nut p" growleds Zepp. TAX
ing another tack. "Y're ruinin' YER
self, ats all. Amt she settin' y back
the cost of a new suit? An didn' she
cali you. a hobo?'
Mackay smiled ruefuily.
o1"I guess she's right there" he ad-
mitted, Anyway, that's no reason
why the poor girl should suffer. Why,
Charlie, <lais engagement means a lot
to her. It'll give her a big boost Be
a sport, Charlie. Give tn kid chance.
Fh' mere fact that it's costin' me a
new suit, just cause her town folks are
gonna be here, amt maxim me sore.
An besides, it's costin', me money, an
you not red. C'mon, be sport. I'll
go you fifty-fifty. You give her five
lines, an I'll buy tn suit. What dye
say?' .-@-
Charlie faced the young oboe player
shamefacediy. and held out his hand.
I You win,'. he said, huskily. and
hurried out of the lobby.
- Helen, having heard every word,
turned with a white face and a sob in
her throat and opened the door to the
managers office.
"Mr. Forrest, please, can I see you
| a minute? ?" she pleaded, and Forrest,
| noting her anxious face. banished his
frown and bowed her smiling to a
/! chair. -. Il
mo. I can't sit down." she told
| him h iedly 81 want TO tell you
something" And then, into attentive
| ears. size poured everything she had
seen and heard. "And now, Mr.. For
rest, can you-will you do me a
| favor?"
"I'l try" he promised, smiling. He.
too, couldn't resist the appeal of those
| soft blue eyes.
will you call Mackay in and give
! him present Of $500" she asked.
Hes done SO much for me, and ]
| want to repay him. Here it isl And
\ she held out some bills to- the man.
ager. who waved them aside
"Take 'em away" he replied gruffly,
to hide a choke in his throat. "I'll
give it to i'm myself" He choked off
| her protest quickly Nonsense, it's
nothing. I'll charge it-up to house ex-
penses. And now-I'm busy" =
"Fhapk you-so MUCH she wfii2-
| pered and then turning fled from the
office.
In a little restaurant around the cor
| ner-patronized lagely by the Olympia
theater family, from stars to stage
hands-after night show twqnweeks
later. two men sat nibbling alta late
supper, and nOdding meaningly at q
young couple nearby. One of them
Charlie Zepp, laid a chicken bone or
| his plate reverently, and whispered to
the other.
FORESTS an awful gossip" he con-
fided to his companion, the O,Brien OF
the fiddle pit He did that"
q ~Stop choking and say somethingy'
! urged O'Brien, tartly.
Am sayin' somethin'," insisted
Zepp, warmly Forests spilled TIL
4 beans"
1 Look this way" ordered the other
t"Y're SEEM things. D. It's AGAIN."
X 'Naturallysy wouldn't see nothin','
| retorted Zepp. oI'n wise y up. See
tn flasher tn ,Lawder kids got on heI
left fiand?"
O'Brien looked and nodded disinter-
estedly.
Forrest gave her that"
O'Brien, being nearsighted, leaned q
little forward. ,.
| "G'wan,t he snorted. That's
Mackay with her. He's TIL fall guy
| Fall guy. h-th' dickens:" Zepr
corrected himself hastily as two ladies
his voice. "It wuz Forrest, I tell y
| She asks Forrest t. slip Mackay fifty
fish fer a new. willie-rig. Forces,
! thumb. down on her roll, gets glass.
in tn la ps IN slips Mackay a fake
raise. Then he spills it to tn oboe
! boy that Lawder's ready t retire from
tn three a day to a nice iii Harlem
flat. providfn' she amt alone"
:! "Wen?"
'well. she amt playin'. is she?" de-
mands Zepp. AM she amt alone. is
she?"
4 Copyright, 1913 by the Mcclure News
= paper Syrdicate.)