Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1920-01-14
,,,,es BY ,S,s sgsetel MIgim qTrGrVS@'"' So. "''"
lore, bv -Leroy Scott.

..fsN H..
,,I notrr breathed Jennie
lnyoY Do just as You please. Blu
,,,,t ask me up to your old home
Hyou J' smoke a cigarette or two
sniis ~ s.,,its the people in the Pekin ou
III NV. oot an old friend. This Is
there 70 laei in the Pekin, but there'll bt
dead houl ~ or so in there who. re,
bali uvS ..o,, and who will be delighted
4 member yU"u-Nand also surprised.
70 meet sv% out Of the car and made
lie sIeP Ppot;n's entrance. She re
for the fash that although he hat
cslled u Jackson Holt" as a stag
adop''Ih he had never tried 10 hiae M M
nanntity and that thereiore ne nat ..,
,asRi r,antSing to fear. Instantly Sn' wac 'u
el ,tSIim tss eq'' :, she called huskily Slim !
uo turned back and closed the you,
a., he ta car II knew you. wouldn deny
o. ns 'iirht a request he said gIa
Ss Ssiss,sy, sI and guided her across 'ne ''u'
walk; .,,onber the last time we stood
fIon9" he whispered in good-hu-
bere, sr srremipiscence. "Five. years ago
norea q hum actor pulling down fifteen
was from Black Jerry--and yop
we;n Inst Jennie Malone. And ! tried
YER, y,.S suIy Ton and you came back with
70 S,s' nm uppercut. You sure hae
leaen en- u in the old days, Jen-same as
ihe ps psp cot OF it now" ,.
goua se cSSuckled softly and directed her
he Hack stairway. At Its top be
spcRns sponnsss ~s YOU and Jerry never knew
snt ua'ii' cot hold of a key In the good
" ~. pa.ssoEaud still have it,
old H. .'D unlocked the door, pressed her
nrh ne Locked it, and lighte& the gas.
lulTus Tna iittle sitting room was furnished
I've Hf of old, only to her new eyes
W.. ps.,r,sd % unbelievably dingy and shabby
MM,.s Msssh he ewes of the trained house
WIZ % she saw everywhere the careless
M ,k Of the cha-woman; ana snarl
asns nv,s cut her through that her father
RsS SS' to live his lonely life amid such
JSt drt and inattention, -,
sI sbe was brought out OF her swift
.,t,Osnect rOs by Sims voice beginning to
tum HBe It ever so humble"
nuS' she turned upon him quickly. why
da you bring me down here!' she de-
nI4I''ii His look was still bland. "Well,
~ bit like this. Jen," he drawled.
nJ,vp been wanting to come to a real
understanding with you this long while,
Srt % Won haven't given me fair chance.
n struck me that you and l might
- down to business a little better
h both Of us came back. to the spot
=. hoth started from. We might then
,nnreciate @ little better the place we've
,,,cbpd. and how unpleasant it would
4 III 10 return to what we used to be.
Int well tried stage device, my dear,
10 bring two extremes into immediate
sootrast. The Park avenue apartment
and Mrs. Shipman's swell tea on the
one hand-on the other hand, the old
lone above the Pekin. Always an
elective bit of business, Jennie, one Of
he first things l learned about the
stage"
II have been fooling with you long
enough, Slim" she returned, regard
NJ him squarely. 1--WE might as well
eone to real show down right here. "
"a show -down--that's just what
I've been wanting, Jen. A real, sure
/ enough show down - that's why l
brought you here.
'sIm here, and / say you'll get moth
/ ing more out of me-" she replied sharp
F II. 'There are my cards. face up
"That's sure nifty place you and
! Kenneth have uptown" he reminded
her softly, his narrowed gray eyes very
bland.
"You could have made your threat
more direct, Slim. In spite of it all
my answer is the same. You get moth
ihs more out of me-"
His bland expression did not change
Mind telling me why not, Jen?"
"lt's not necessary to pay you." sht
said, Now that she had decided tc
4 defy him she felt more substance t
an argument her hurried mind had more
than once urged upon her. 'And it!
enly because my nerve left ME thai
I've paid you what I have. AS Jennie
Malone, back down here, I'd not bt
worth a cent to you. AS Mrs. Ken.
meth Harrison l may be of some value
% you. By exposing me you'd bt
throwing away good thing-by your
mrn act you'd turn me into dead loss
for Yourself / know you're too wise
crook actually to do that. There
Slim Jackson--that's my hand!"
She waited He did not speak for q
moment or more, and when he did il
vas with the same bland drawl.
"And good hand it is, too, Jen.
had an idea that some day you'd cal
ne. In fact, I've rather been wanting
|1gou to call me. I have only dinky
two pairs. Yol. take the pot"
She managed to control the relief SHE
fdt "Since you admit that to be the
case, then I'm going home-whethel
you take me or not.