Phoenix tribune., 1919-04-26

'Tt is paradise TO every actor whit
happens to be on tile road, Mr.. Jones',
said Barnes, slipping his big pacl
from his shoulders and letting it slldt
to the floor.
''Hear that feller in the taproon
talkin'? Well, he is one of the lead
ing actors in New York-in the world
for that matter. He's been talkin
about Broadway for nearly a weeh
now, steady"
'May 1 inquire what he is doing up
here in the wilds?"
"At present he amt doing anything
except talk Last week he. was treddini
the boards, as he puts it himself. Bust
ed. Up the fue. Showed last Satur-
day night in Hornyille, eighteen mile
north of here, and immegiately after
the performance him and his whole
troupe started to walk back to New
York, good four hundred mile. They
started out the back way of the opery
house and nobody missed 'em till next
mornin' except the sheriff, and he
didn't miss 'em till they'd got over
the county line into our bailiwick.
Four of 'em are still stoppin here
just because amt got the heart to
turn 'em out ner the spare money to
buy 'em tickets to New York. Here
comes one of 'em now. Mr.. Dilling-
ford, will you show this gentleman to
room eleven and carry his baggage up
fer him? And maybe he'll want a
pitcher of warm water to wash and
shave in" He turned to the new guest
and smiled apologetically. "We're a
little short O. help just now, Mr..
Barnes, and Mr. Dillingford has kind
ly consented to-"
''My word!" gasped Mr.. Dillingford,
staring at the register. Someone
from little old New York? My word,
sir, you Won't you have a-er-
little something to drink with me be-
fore you"
"He wants something to eat" inter-
rupted Mr.. Jones sharply. "Tell Mr..
Bacon to step up to his room and
take the ORDER
"All right. old chap-nothing easier,
said Mr.. Dillingford genially. "Just
climb up the elevator, Mr.. Barnes. We
do this to get up an appetite. When
did you leave New York;"
Taking up lighted kerosene lamp
and the heavy pack, Mr.. Clarence Dill
lingford led the way up the stairs.
He was chubby individual of indefi-
mite age. AT a glance you would have
said he was under twenty-one; sec
ond look would have convinced you
that he was nearer forty-one.
Depositing Barnes pack on chair
in the little bedroom at the end of
the hall upstairs he favored the guest
with a perfectly unabashed grin.
'T'm not doing this to oblige old
man Jones, you know. / won't attempt
to deceive you. I'm working out a
daily board bill. Chuck three times a
day and bed to sleep in-that's what
I'm doing it for, so don't get it into
your head that applied for the job.
Let me look at you. [ want to get
good square peep at 4 man who has
the means to go somcNlli ere and yet is
boob enough to come SO this gosh
awful place of his own free will and
accord. Darn it, you look intelligent.
/ don't get you at all. What's the mat
ter? Are you a fugitive from justicef"
Barnes laughed aloud. There was
no withstanding the fellows sprightly
81 happen to enjoy walking" said
he.
"If I enjoyed it as much as you do
I'd be hmping into Harlem by this
time said Mr. Dillingford sadly. ''But
you see Pm an actor. I'm too proud
to walk"
The cracked bell on the office desk
him, somewhat peremp-
torily. Mr.. Dillingford's face assumed
an expression of profound dignity. He
lowered his voice as he gave vent to
the following:
"That man Jones is the meanest hui
man being God ever let Yes, sir,
coming, sir" He started for the open
door with surprising alacrity.
Barnes surveyed the little bedcham-
ber. 1t was just what he had expected
it would be. The walls were covered
with a garish paper selected by one
who had an eye but not taste for
pink flowers that looked
more or less like chunks of a shattered
watermelon split promiscuously ever
a background of pearl gray. The bed
stead, bureau and washstand were Of
fensiyely modern. Everything was as
clean as pin, however, and the bed
looked comfortable. He stepped to the
small, mapy-paned window and looked
out into the night. The storm was at
its height. In all his life he never had
heard such. a clatter of rain, nor a
wind that shrieked so appallingly.
His thoughts went quite naturally
to the woman who was out there in
the thick of it. He wondered how she
was faring and lamented that she was
not in his place now and he in hers.
What was she doing mn in fhis God-