Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1920-07-20

her hand on his arm-"Of course, I
do not know what your trouble is, but
I know you are planning something
desperate. Don't decide 1t by the toss
of a coin. 1t seems too-well-too un-
godly, If you will forgive the term"
The man gave bitter little laugh.
"It's all right for you to talk that way,
lady. But what do you know about
real ungodliness-or real trouble, for
that matter7 You have probably never
been closer to it than disappointment
in your new winter hat or the incon-
venience of having your motor break
down at the wrong time. I guess you
have never had to do thing you
didn't want to do in your whole life."
Iris could have told him to the con-
trary, but she let it pass. "Is it money
you need?" she asked.
"Bless your dear little heart, no." an
swered the man. u make money
enough at the damned thing. But what
is 1t to you, If l may ask? Is 1t. your
business in life to 60 around rescuing
poor desperadoes from themselves?"
"Well-er-hardly," said Iris. "But
you see, today I'm not working"
"I'm afraid do not get you," he an
swered.
do you ever go to the movies" The
man nodded. "Well, that's my business
In life"-and she smiled at him naively.
1--WE probably seen you then," he re-
turned. "You do some sort Of Mary
Pickford stunt, I'll wager. You look
the part, all right. Congratulations"
"Don't bother with congratulations"
said Iris. I'm no Mary Pickford. I'm
Iris Ybarra, the vampire. Oh, why"
she cried passionately. "why did you
remind me of 1t today, when I was out
on a holiday, pretending had never
spent hour upon hour wrecklng home
and spelling one mans life after an
other? l did so want to be a nice
little NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
Of person this afternoon"
"Good lordl" exclaimed the man,
isn't that funny" and he went off
into peals of laughter.
'well, Pm glad you think 1t is such
a Joke" snapped Iris. "You look al
most human when you laugh. When
I saw you Tipping that coin around
YOU looked like a tragic muse-for all
the world like Hamlet, the melancholy
Dane, and
The man stopped laughing abruptly.
"Say that againl" he cried. Hamlet,
IL 1t were only trueP
Iris was too amazed to reply and he
went on-'Listen, Miss Vampire, and
I'll tell you something have never
told anybody else. All my life 1t has
been my ambition to play Hamlet
it's almost an obsession, I want to so
much"
"Who are your" asked Iris.
81 am Cyril Smith, the leading man
# the Gaiety Girls, and make my
living by jokes. Jokes-how i hate
them! was tossing that coin to see
whether l should sign a contract for
this winter and live through those
songs and dances and jokes again.
"You seem to want to solve my PROB
lens, so I'll leave 1t to you instead OF
the coin. To sign or not to sign, that
Is the question:"
Iris considered, and then-"Well, l
signed my contract for vamping yes
terday-and Jokes are not a patch on
homewrecking."
"All right, lady," said he, "jokes 1t
is."
Iris Ybarra and Cyril Smith looked
at each other in the deepening shadows
Of Central Park. Across the Mall a big
hotel loomed up invitingly, Its hun
dreds Of windows aglow, shining down
on them like hundreds Of friendly 1T
tie stars. A sudden idea flashed into
Cyril Smiths mind.
IT say-do you like tear ne asked.
'T do" answered the vampire, en-
phatically, although the public likes
to think Of me imbibing highballs by
the Dozen.