The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1919-11-27

furs. With her was another girl, also
from the chorus, but Dave could not
recall her part. He was suddenly
aware Of being introduced.
''This is my friend Belton," Con-
ward was saying.
Dave was about to correct him when
Conward managed to whisper /:
''WhistI Your stage name. Mines
Edward. Don't forget
Coward took the first girl by the
arm, and Dave found himself follow
ing rapidly with the other. They cut
through certain side streets, up a stair
way, and into a dark hall A door
opened. Coward pressed a button,
and they found themselves in a small
but comfortably furnished room-evi-
IDENTIFY bachelor apartments.
The girls threw off their wraps and
sauntered about the place, while Con-
ward started gas CRATE and put some
water to boil.
''SOrry I've nothing for you to eat -
he said, ''but I've some good medicine
for the thirst"
'Eating's poor business when there's
the girls with yawn. "And, believe
me. I've long one"
The glasses were filled and raised.
'Ho" said Coward
Here's lookingr' said one of the
girls.
Dave hesitated, but the other girl
clinked her glass against his. Here's
looking at you," she said, and she ap-
peared to lay special emphasis on the
last two words. Certainly her eyes
were on Dawes as she raised her glass
to her lips. And under the spell of
those, eyes he raised his glass and
drained 1t.
Other glasses were filed and
drained. The three were chatterfng
away. but Dave was but vaguely con-
scious of their talk and could weave
no connected meaning into it. His
head was buzzing with a pleasant,
dreamy sensation. A very grateful
warmth surrounded him, and with it
came disposition to go to sleep. He
probably would have gone to sleep had
his eye not fallen on a picture on the
wall. 1t was a picture Of a girl point
ing her finger at him. No girl
could point her finger at him. He
arose and made a Iunge across the
room. He missed her, and with diff
Guilty retraced his steps to the table
to make a fresh start
'She'S maxim fun of me-" he said,
AN 1 don't stand for that Nobody
can do that with me. Nobody-see ?
I don't low it."
''Oh, you don't?" laughed one of the
girls, running into a corner and point
ing her finger at him. You dOn't?"
He turned his attention to her,
steadying himself very carefully be-
fore he attempted an advance. Then.
with wide-stretched arms, he bore
down cautiously upon her. When ne
had her almost within reach she dart
ed along the edge of the room. He
attempted a sudden change in direc-
ton. which ended disastrously, and he
| found himself very much sprawled out
upon the floor. He was aware of
laughter, but what cared he? He was
disposed to sleep. What better place
to sleep than this? What better time
to sleep than this? In a moment he
was lost to all consciousness.
It was later In the night when he
felt himself being dragged into q sit.
ting posture. where am I?'' he said
blinking at the light. He rose uncer.
tainly to his feet and stared about the
room in returning consciousness
'sWhere's the girls?" he asked.
"Gone," said Coward suIkiIy
Couldn't expect 'em TO stick around
all night to say goodby. could you
i and you sleeping OF your drunkY
/ Dave raised his hand to his head