Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1919-06-08


moss up at Olean before I came down
to this burg" he finally explained. 81
liked IT. was proud Of 1t. and there
was decent living in it."
Then why did you leave itT I de-
manded.
He hesitated for a moment. Then
he let his eyes meet mine.
There was a girl IL cared about.
Il came down here to take her back.
Shed promised to marry me- Shed
got tired Of Clean. she said, and had
always wanted to see the city. She
intended studying at the Art League,
and then getting into one of the big
9Th avenue houses; so that she could
follow up interior decorating when
she got back. Those two lines of
work. we'd figured out. would go well
together. hers and mine. But after
her first week or two down here she
got chance to do some extra work
over at Fort Lee. in one Of the big
movie studios. That left her kind Of
Grassy about picture stun. She thinks
she 10 successful. but it's only because
Duy ouOSOoo osAC . tAou Hos UCcH Aautcu
out to her by one OF the hackers of
that live, wirsaeompany.
mo girl can get anything from that
old he wolf without having to pay for
it." he declared, with what seemed
sudden and uncontrolled fare Of pas
Il mean Cappie Cairns" he said with
quiet hate in his voice. "Au that old
squab-hound does is prowl up and
down the way gathering scalps. He's
not satisfied with one. He's got to
have q new one about every ten days.
or there's nothing left in life"
aren't We getting q little away
from our problem? l somewhat icily
inquired.
But don't you UNDERSTANDINGS just
finished his roundup of that Vachel
woman, getting her roped and brand
ed, after loading her down with
enough rings on her fingers to make
you think she was eating cracked ice
every time she sits at q table in this
dump! Cad, but hate that man."
Twas beginning to see little light
"And since she had so much. you
thought 1t was only fair to tighten her
load a little?'
II want nothing of that old round
er's. But he's not goin' to drag Bar
bara Hilton into that aviary of his so
long as I'm above ground"
who's Barbara Hiltonr' demand
ed, again impressed by the fact that
had failed sufiiciently to assess my
companions cleverness.
That's the girl 1 intend to marry.
the girl I've been trying to tell you
about"
"How do you intend to stop it7'
could see his fingers shut up Into
ball. ft,
"In make her get away from all this
muck. Ill take her back to olean'"
"But howc persisted.
II don't know--now. But an hour
ago thought It would be easy" AMI
as listened I secretly rejoiced at that
dawning promise Of extenuatton.
"She's always been coming back with
the taunt that l couldn't take care
Of her. And when I saw that over
decked vachell woman brooding over
that big yellow diamond knew 1t
was worth thousands. 1t couldn't be
small stuff thatd pass between her
and Cappie Cairns. 1t came over me-
in q fash, that ia never stolen any
thing before. that I can remember. IN
all my life. But tonight simply
didn't seem to care. I knew things
had about come to the turning point.
I thought I saw my chance. And
Jumped at It"
didn't intend to melt down like
sugar lump III coffee-spoon.
But we still have our problem OF
what to do with it," l reminded him.
what had we better do?" he said.
about the best thing to do" told
him. us simply ind that lost pendant
pick it up from your floor, and take
It. say. to the head waiter.
He shook his head.
"why couldn't you take the thing
back to Cappie Cairns?
required moment or two for the
proper digestion of this.
"All right" announced.
where will he be found?"
I'm that den of his on the top floor
of the Asteroid building" was Willie
.1xt q s~xNd "a