The spectator., 1921-09-23
PART W.
Inc Ascent to Mars.

junction with Miss Imogene Pamela Thornton's reprehenslble peeking oc- cupation, hurled that young lady to the middle of the sidewalk on her hands and knees, he leaped from his seat on spontaneous impulse to help her to her feet and administer every kind of hrst comfort that the occasion seemed fo demand
 1.-Two conSidera tiOns however. shot from the doube-barrcled blunderbuss of Ridicule and Honor, caught him on the wing, as it were, and deflected his flight from west to east with sharp turn due south at the corner of Fifty seventh street and Sixth avenue In the first place, out of the corner of his eye he had seen his 0ne-time friends, Mir. Nearton, Mir Nerries and MT. Berry descending the shallow club front steps in an avalanche; in the second place. he suddenly recolected that Miss Thornton was an heiress high above his present station and intent, as he had gathered from be- tween the lines in various advertise ments in the local press referring to the location of his person. on thank ing and otherwise recompensing him for turning to the right in matter earned increment
 { As he gazed for one too brief second down into the pleading eyes and ador- ably eager face of this lovable vision on her hands and knees, which it seemed unbelievable he had once held in his arms only the oft-repeated .fayorite poem of his nurse:
 T could not love thee dear, so much
 Eoved I not honor more
 im fro "e avalanche
 ale Ae eternally searching l. hes with his lantern rur for his money. As previously stated, it was not to be. Mir. Ran dolph turned from the waiting arms of the sweetest temptation ever re- niged by man and made his swift way to the sanctum of MT. Tourke 'Shaughnessy, foreman-manager of the Village Cab company.
 ''Tourke," said Mir. Randolph. "I'm through Smashed mp the two off wheels of my wagon on the curb in front of the Poppy club. Dock me thirty, please, and make out my pay check"
 Through, Slim? Whadda "a mean?" said MT. O'Shaughnessy. Think I'm goin' to sack you for a skid on day like this? Pay for your fun. kid but take another wagon
 Robert Randolph, aiins Slim Her vey. shook his head.
 You doa't understand" he said "I-rve lost my nerve"
 Host your nerve" gaspcd Mir. O'Shaughnessy. "Whadda ya mean by tellin' me lie like that? Come on. now; draw map, Did ye kill the inside:"
 "Oh, no." said Slim that's just it. mean. the young lacy is very much all right"
 'I begin TO get you" mrrmured Tourke. skirt on yaur track. eh?" A look ot pity followed by one of loyalty 1rept into his eyes Look here, Slim." he continued: T know that tr;ia' to trick a female Is liac play:n' hockey with n stick O dyna- mite. but we got a lot O hlgh cards to draw to, First shot out Q the box, all the boys here is For yoC. Then there's your frien's, the Force. I wan. to tcil you, Slim, you're the first driver ever had thut could tia.ten out a cop on busy day an make him think t was 1OSe.
 Thanks" said Mir. Randolph, but shook hIs head sadly.
 "Now. iisten," resumed MT. O'Shaughnessy: I'm goin' to nave the boys m here as they come ir m put 'ea OH. In the sntcruct. you slip out for makeup. Get Sally Painter round the corner to tone y.u: face down to the color of you: frcckles, do uttle job on yer eyebrows. an fig deer scar in the upper lip of yor speal:n' tuhc. Get me?'
 Mr 2andoiph's widely placed blue eyes narrowed !n an effort to exArnlne the proposition shrewdly from nl angles. and the light ot hope WAS just Scg;nn!ug to dawn across the troIbiC in his homes. face when there came sharp knock on the door. f0l!owec promptly hy the rattle of the loose kncb ard the unceremonious entry sf one birdilke. bald-headcd. dappel corporation lawyer and two corpulen gum-siioe pluIn-c,othes men.
 "Yere Wot the" exclaimed tht outrage. sG O'Shaughnessy.
 The legal light paid him no heed apt advance. on the fust-wllting S'lm Her ssy with eutstresched hand.