The Press., 1919-03-20

1t. She hurried into her stage cos tune and went downstairs, her fac red with anger.
 Meanwhile, in the back alley, And. Scobell, the Olympia's property man sprang up from his chair with a CT. and flung a lighted cigarette stuml from his trousers. "What tn -" he yelled upward , at the window above, and counted it
 relative position so as to place its oc
 cupant. Why, it's J|." What's tn row, Andy?" chimed 1T
 bass voice and Andy turned ant
 faced Bart Kendall.
 "She's smokin'," gurgled Andy, hot
 ly, gesticulating madly at the upper
 window. "Y'r partner, and it's against
 tn ru--"
 A bottle fell between them, and
 Bart, stopping, picked it up and sniffed
 in horror at the contents.
 "Its whisky" he muttered, dazedly
 and then turned mortified glance
 above him. "Jean '" he called, but nc
 head appeared at the window
 "She's havin' party" growled
 Andy. Fine li'l country kid y're
 with"
 But Bart, entering the stage door in
 sort of stupOr, missed ScObells
 mocking leer Was this Jean, the
 little. happy-hearted, pretty creature
 he had promised to look out for? He
 upon her by surprise.
 "Why, Jean, I thought" he began, and then as his head bent over her
 hat he smelled whisky.
 You thOught-what?" she glanced up. at him alphabetically, and caught
 his puzzled frOwn, for he expected to smell tobacco in her breath, but met the odor of violets. Worse and worse thought he, she was trying to hide her infamy from him. 1 "Oh. nothing" he grOwled in whs per, and then they tripped on the stage.
 But the strain and the heat had taken their toll of her slender strength. and several times she nearly tripped him as they whirled around | the stage. He was horror-struck She must be intoxicated. And then, as they bowed themselves off the jeers of several in the audience smote on his ears. He hurried toward his dressing room.
 Bart" she cried after him, "aren't you going to take an encore!"
 With you" he growled over his shoulder as he hastened on. "NeverI Pm through!''
 As he disappeared in the back of the stage she gave q little cry and ran after him. Timidly she opened the door of dressing room B and then started back, for a woman's hat and clothes met her eyes and struck her with horror.
 "So that's why?" she gasped to her self, "1-I'm going-home."
 
 An hour later, as Bart Kendall dis consolately passed the parlor in the Garden boarding-house, he heard two loud voices, and then at what he heard he stood transfixed.
 9Th poor simp," one was saying, and he recognized the voice as Flo Darrett's. ''Th' idea of a country Jane comin' up here an grabbin' all tn favors. An then cryin' about it in tn bargain. She's talkin' about quittin-goin' home tonight"
 "Y' can't please some people," came the indignant answer. 9Th lucky stiffs crabhed jes' cause you shot your cigarette stump in her room, an now she's yelpin' cause she got some hnp hn% r xI,t time when I'd "a been tickled stiff t get whiff O tn joy-water." |
 Guess she's a prohibition pill," agreed the other, matter-of-factly. l How'd she grab Bart Kendall, won- der? It gets me how these guys Fl | fall fer baby-doll milkmaid."
 Bart had heard enough. With four bounds he cleared the steps to the sec ond floor and flung himself into a room at the end of the hall. A tired, disheveled little girl with moist eyes and dropping figure turned in surprise to meet him.
 "Jean, I'm so sorry," he gasped, brokenly. q didn't know, T."
 She drew back stiffly, but her eyes had hurt look.
 Don't apologize-Bart," she an- swered in low tone. fl suppose you like her. IT don't blame you. I'm such a-frump."
 Like herr" echoed Bart, puzzled. "A frump-you? Never! You're the sweetest, darlingest girl in North America, Europe, Asia. Af-"
 "Don't-Bart," she protested, as he leaned toward her eagerly. q know all. I--I can't blame you. Mabel's an awfully pretty girl-a-'
 "What's all this?" he queried, dag edly. Mabel? Mabel who?"
 II savior myself" she asserted quietly. TT was looking for you in B, and, I saw her things. Then I de- cided to go home-back to Salisbury"
 Bart stared at her dumbly, then his vision cleared and, leaping toward her, he drew her into his arms, despite her weak resistance, and laughed aloud.
 You saw her in B?" he guffawed, shaking with laughter. "Oh-oh." Then he grew serious. "Why, you lit tie dear, they changed dressing rooms on me tonight. gave mine up will ingly. as I'm going to take a vaca- ton. IT thought I'd work couple of weeks later-to get little honey moon fund-for you and me. Err got fooled on a stump and you got stumped on fool. Why, Mabel can't hold a candle to you-you little darling. So let's both quit being fools md take to tn stumps-th' old moss- grown stumps down by tn cool Chop ank-just you and I-come on-will yuh?'
 And the answer she dreamily whis- 'ered partially accounts for the Dane ng Darretts' present occupancy of the