The daily morning oasis., 1920-11-19

"Please!" Priscilla begged huskily.
With a quick movement Inez placed
the glass on the little table and met
Priscilla with a straight-arm blow on
the bosom that drove her reeling back
to the bed, whose uprights she
grasped to save herself q fall.
Don't be In such a sweat. You'll
get your drink, all right-when you've
done what l want you to-"
"What-what do you want me to
do?"
Inez tossed toward her a bundle Of
garments she had brought under her
arm. II want that suit you've got
on-it's too d-n' good for you-and
your rings and that brooch and every
thin. Hand 'em over and you can
have your drink"
81 don't understand. You can't-it
can't be possible you mean to rob
me?"
Say, lis'n!" With the stride Of an
Infuriated animal Inez crossed to her
and stopped with her shrewish face
thrust forward pugnaciously. not ak
inches from Priscilla's. "rm soin'
to have them swell duds and jools II
have to rip 'em OF your back with
my own hands-and the skin OF your
face, too. Get me? mean every
word of it. You're goin' to come down
to where you belong this minute, and
you're goin' to look the part, too, or
my name amt Inez. You've come the
naughty over me for the last time.
It's my innins now, and when I'm fn-
ished with you everythin' II be per-
fectly even between you and Inez, for
ever and ever-a-men
With trembling, awkward fingers
Priscilla began to pluck at the but
tons Of her blouse.
Inez retreated to the table, picked
up the glass and ratified the ice nv
sically within it.
Hurry, dear heart !"
Priscilla removed coat and blouse
and stepped out of her skirt, then lift
ed her hands for the glass. Her tor
mentor warned her of.
"Wait-a-minute You're forget
tin them rings"
Silently the girl stripped her I'm
gers, dropping their jewels into the
greedy palm. Nothing mattered. so
that she earned that drink Of water.
But yet once again was she put of.
Don't crowd me so! I might get
nervous and spill somethin'.
Climb into them clothes / brought you
first-and If was you l wouldn't
waste no time. neither. Can't tell
when Harry or someone II bump in
here and catch you with nothin on
but your pretties. And be thankful
let you keep them
For an instant, indeed. the woman
seemed disposed to repent of thar
generosity, eyeing Priscilla's under
garments Of lace and filmy silk In
fumbling haste Priscilla covered them
with the cheap and none too clean
cotton blouse, the shoddy and Ill
fashioned coat and skirt which Inez
had brought her.
AT long last she had her reward. At
first in frantic gulps. then more slowly
If with no less avidity, she drained
the glass: while Inez at the bed
snatched up and packed under her
arm the spoils Of this her first victory
over her rival.
"Well, how about 1t, Nora? Feelin'
chirpier?" she inquired with magma
nimity when Priscilla put down the
empty glass.
Il don't know" Priscilla's feet wove
uncertainty toward the bed. Too late
she was realizing that the glass had
held something more than mere water
She sat down suddenly and began
again to nurse her head. I'm ILL.,"
she murmured-'very Ill. How did
get hereT
II guess maybe that's somethin'
you don't know" Inez laughed spite
fully. "And don't mind tellin' ,
Harry followed you down Fift' avenue
'safternOon and seen where you
stopped, up in McDougall alley. Then
he got Charlie and left him to watch
you while he 'phoned for the rest Of
the bunch. When 1t got dark and
everythin' was quiet, they picked the
lock, found you doin' q Rip van Win
kle that looked good for twenty year.
give you a shot Of the hop to make