Evening star., 1919-03-23
The Strange Adventures

Inside the cafe. Clifford was ap-
preached by a head waiter.
Il want to see Monsieur lie Bain--at
once" he said in that manner which
headwaiters instinctively obey.
The head waiter vanished. The next
moment Monsieur lie Balm was APP
preaching.
"Joe." Clifford began, shortly, this
my eyes on it, too"
Honest to God. amt pullin' moth
in crooked here" responded Monsieur
lie Balm, lapsing from his French ac-
cent into the one more natural to
him
You'd better not try to-" Clifford
warned, grimly, looking coldly and
squarely into his dark eyes. Seeing
that he had made his impression, Cliff
ford inquired: Mr. Loveman come
YETI"
No"
But he has table reserved for
two?"
Yes"
Joe, you give me table for one.
close to it. so I can see Loveman,
without being seem"
II can AK you up with cabinet
particulier." the other said, cringingly,
IF it's privacy you want"
Il don't want to be alone in any
where l can see. You're going to fix
that up. Joe-and you're not going to
pass any tip along to Mr.. Loveman.
Otherwise you'll be hearing something
from the bureau of licenses that won't
be healthy for your business"
"Aw. now, don't get sore," said
Monsieur LIE Balm, its goin' to be
just like you say"
1t was. Two minutes later Clifford
was in nook at one end of the big
after-midnight restaurant, tubbed
palm insuring him privacy from any
save those who would purpOSelV come
investigating. A few yards away.
with a placard Reserved" was the
table that had been indicated as Love-
mans. Along the nearest side of the
frances into small private dining
rooms-Monsieur LIE Bain's cabinets
particulier." The passing Of walters
through these doors with loaded trays,
and the Issuance of laughter, in
formed Clifford that some Of these
rooms We're already occupied.
Clifford's job was now waiting job,
and while he awaited the appearance
Of Loveman and Mary Regan he took
in the restaurant, LIE Minuit, though
most titillating dishes, most astonish-
ing entertainment" was to Clifford the
same old thing; it's only individual
appeal to the imagination was that it
did not open until midnight, and that
1t was reputed to he supreme in the
matter Of naughty surprises. The pre-
tentious mural paint1ngs-the rows of
mirrors inserted in the walls, framed
with gilded plaster-the palms in
tubs-the artificial vines, with their
clusters of purple glass grapes hang
ing from the latticed ceiling; all was
to him wearisome duplication. And
lie Minuit's cabaret was the same
old thing-perhaps bit more risque
than the average-~except for its great
feature, one Molkarina, native
Ia who vCbiY1nd nd
torted and jiggled in what New York
accepted as authentic folk-danceS-
but who, as Clifford knew, had never
been any nearer the much-sung island
beaches than the Barbary coast of San
Francisco.
OF the three or four hundred per-
sons who by this time were In the
room Clifford knew some by name;
all he knew, by types There We're
few indubitab,e members of the
smartest social set for whom the
widest was becoming tame and cloy-
ing; and there were men and women
hardly less we'll dressed who lived by
every means except. honest effort
who We're looking for pleasure and
looking for prey; and In between
these snowy extremes were a few
workaday persons who had come hither
in spirit of daring exploration.
Presently Clifford saw Mary Regan,
obesquiously led by Monsieur LIE Balm
himself and followed by the urbane
little Peter Loveman, make way
through the hilarious room and take
possession Of the reserved table. Cliff
ford keyed himself to watch and lis
ten. He sensed that he was now about
to have revealed to him the heart of
this whole business.
Evidently Loveman had given full
orders in advance, for almost i'm
mediately supper, with champagne in
an ice pail, was brought to the table.
The talk at first was chiefly the
amusing, disarming chatter of which
Loveman was a master. Then by de-
grees 1t became more serious. then 1t
shifted to Mary and her plans
squarely, Mary" Clifford heard the
little man say. in his most plausible
voice. I'm perfectly willing to back
you up in the original proposition
stand right behind you--the same as
I promised-if you still want mo to.
But let's not bunk ourselves. Mary,
I'm telling you Gods truth--its
great game If you could put it over
only you can't put it over"
I've told you I'm going to try, Peter
IOVeman,' she returned, steadily,
"and If you double -cross me I'll do
exactly what l said I'd do-and that
means you'll be shown up to the Nor
tons and, besides, won't get nickel
out of them"
"Now, now, Mary. let's don't talk
threats. Whatever the play we've got
to back each others hand; and If
your play seems the best play I'll be
right with you. But let's look at the
facts sensibly, Mary. First fact, my
dear you re basing your hope of sue