The Monett times., 1921-03-11

take note of 1t at the time. H.
leaned far out so that the driver coult
get the full effect Of his modish top
lat and spoke cryptic words.
"Ten dollars worth of the park" Il
what he said
The driver welcomed the sudder
hpparition with friendly grin
honked defantly three times, anC
threw in the clutch. They were off
and trailing after them came such 8
string of blasphemous utterances as
made Mr.. Randolph vince.
The girl was laughing. No longer
! did her eyes search for a CLEAN they
thought they had lost forever. 1t was
! there within then, come back to rol
lick in her pupils and spill itself III
reckless spending.
"Oh! OH what a bump!" she
! gasped
Funny, wasn't it?" said Mr.. Ran
dolph weakly.
lawfully" said the girl.
Thereupon fell n hong silence. The
| cab cut across the traffic, reached the
Avenue, and eventually the dark park
before Mr. Randolph found anything
| further to say
| "Funny, wasn't it?' he remarked.
The girl cost him startled look
"Why," she gursled, "that's wha'
you said before"
$50 I did" said Mr.. Randolph
frownng th0ughtfully. $50 did. BY
tie way. what's your nama?"
The girl caught her breath anf
swallowed her laughter.
"Vivienne WHERE she said, after
pause.
"How awful!' commented Mr.. Ran
! dolph zone of those deliberate al
Iiterations that go with the back row
of the chorus"
''Front row." Vivenne defended
promptly, but unSmiling. Her lips
twltched down at The corners. "At
least, it was front row"
81 know said Mr.. Randolph.
you've been fired. / heard what
Beamer said to you. How long have
you known that snake?"
"Not very long" she answered. HE
got me on, and l suppose he got me
off" She drew long breath and
turned appealing eyes to Randolph.
please" she sald don't let's talk
about him. want so to be happy for
q few minutes. I love the park at
night with its border of lights. Let's
play game"
ga gamer" said Randolph doubt
fully.
Eyes. Wen guess which is Central
Park West and which is One Hundred
and Tenth street and which is the ave-
nue.. 1t is not as easy as you think
after you've been going round while.
I'm feeling d-dizzy a-already."
"You are! !" exclaimed Mr.. Randolph.
''Well, let me tell you it isn't from
buzzfng round a two-mle circuit.
What did you have for dinner?"
Miss Vivienne shut her lips tight.
''Won't you please play my game"
she asked family.
Mr.. Randolph |rowned as though
considering the subject very seriously,
but the matter that held his attention
was not the proposed guessing-match.
That would not have been fair nor
amusing, as the headlights of his own
very comfortable apartment blinked
at him every time they came to Fifty
ninth street. He was justifying to
himself very questionable move. He
wished to feed this stray damsel and,
at the same time, talk to her with q
purpose. He could not see himself
doing it in a cabaret. and every hotel
supper room had already become one
of those things. He came to a decision
and spoke.
an take hand in your game, all
right but not just as you think. Do
you-would you trust me?"
Immediately the girl was on her
guard. She looked into his face and
read it,
II would never have thought of not
trusting you If you hadn't asked that
old, old trap question" she said
gravely
"Forget that 1 asked It," said Mr.
Randolph promptly, and leaned out TO
give the driver his address. A thin
Tipped and weary scorn was still on
that individuals face when he drew
up before Mr.. Randolph's abode and
honked three times derisively to the
world in general as seen from the
front Of taxi.
'Wait," said Mr.. Randolph to the
jehu, as he handed out the girl. She
paused with one foot halfway to the
curb, but that single word directing
anything as expensive as taxi to
stand by reassured her.
Randolph preceded her to show the
way and turn on lights. He never
looked back to see If she followed, and
this implied trust in herself seemed tc
drag her after him up the single flight
of stairs that led to his rooms
"Old-fashioned but cozy," he said.
as he applied latch-key and opened
door that gave directly on large
square sitting room. II hate elevators
In place you call home."
In an zen > wa a ding woo&