Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1918-10-16
HAPTE KIN toontinued)

The area gate swung ~toSsoftly be-
hind her, Inc before her the corridor
stretched its low-ceilinged, Shabby
length under the dim flare Of q single
gas jet. The door at the foot Of the
stairs stood ajar, and from above
laughter: the .wheeze Of monograph
and the odor Of tobacco. Pearl leaned
against the sill until she managed to
distinguish one laugh from among the
rest; a low. oily laugh, as though the
gift of mirth had accidentally been
bestowed upon some heavy animal
When she heard the sound Of it ooz-
ing out, flowing. a loathsome bubble
Of q laugh, she clenched her fist and
shook it at the low rafters overhead.
Damn you. Madame Orleans!!' she
whispered. straining her arms up
ward. Then 2 choking At seized her,
It was past. tears starting to her eyes.
When she had regained her self-cop-
trolto some degree, she turned to the
front room, and pushing the door
open, entered hesitatingly.
The room was hardly morA than q
passageway from this house to the
Wtne-room OF the saloon beyond. A
door had been cut between the, two,
for the convenience Of both, and was
much in use, although at the moment
it was closed. The walls were painted
2 vivid green. and bore half-a-dozen
lithographs-liquor advertisements
and calendars. for the mos part.
containing crockery inc glasses. and
the middle Of the floor was occupied
by a table with a red cloth, and sew
eral common deal chairs. At this table
stood a slim. young coiored wonan ar
ranging glasses on a tray. At. sight Of
Pearl, she almost dropped the one
she was polishing and her hands few
to- her deliberately dressed head.
"Pearlie!" b cried. Say. whatcha
"Hush!" said Pearl, warninely.
Don't make such a fuss. Lillie.'
Don't the Madam know yo' in de
house?" the gill asked. in 4 scared
'fraid to come back, after de way she
frowed yo' QUIT"
II amt come back" said Pearl sui
lenly. Tn only goin through. Party
l followed is in there!" She indicated
the saloon with a jerk, of the head.
"How's everything?
Bout de same!" replied Lille.
"Lawd. Pearlie. what yo' done since
yo' been gone? You amt dolled up a
mite, and yo' sure look q lot healthier.
Is you goin' ter see de ole girl at all ?
Mable's went. She might take you
back"
II tell you I'm Just goin' through"
She made toward the saloon, but
the colored girl seized her by the arm,
the recollection of something prompt
ing her.
wait a minute!" she said. do 20,
know WHO'S upstairs"
Me? How would II" said Pearl.
'sHa'S haoElDS soiA Tho ~,,1 -,;kH
meaning. Game down the river last
night"
mol" said Pearl, swinging around,
amazed. mot Red?"'
D same" said the girl.
"Oh, yes!" replied Pearl. cts six
months since he went in. I ought to
have remembered. What did he do
when he got here?"
The colored girls eyes fairly rolled
In her head at the remembrance of it..
Nearly tore de place up when he
found o wasn't here!" she said. "An'
called de old lady by 'er right lame
To- once. He thinks a powerful lot o.
TO- him now ?"
"Never!' said Pearl. violently. I'm
ways played the game fair with me,
though" she added. "And always
found my bail. But If he's here, I
guess III git, quick"
He's powerful fond of you.
Pearlie," said the Girl. Don't you
think you better...."
A, bell buzzed violently, and at the
sound Lille few back to her task,
piling the glasses on the tray helter-
SHELTER.
That de oil lady now" she said.
Wait till I get de wine. They getting
tired of waitin'."
She ran to the door toward the sa-
loon and pulled it open. Directly be-
yond was a "cabinet'' or box, the last
of the row Of such as ran along the
wall, n curtaaa@d at the entrance,
like the rest. Only in this case the
cubby contained no furniture and
merely served Is a blind for the door
to the house. By standing behind these
curtains it was perfectly simple to
survey the room beyond without being
observed. Lille called her order to
one of the b~artenders, and Pearl,
looking through the crack OF, the cur
tains, searched for Breck. Nor was her
search long.
He was seated at an inconspicuous
table in a corner, alone, and despite
his formal clothes. he managed to
avoid special attention save from
some OF the girls, whose advances he