The diamond drill., 1921-02-19


room girls. and dress-models. and per
haps you think they mirror the l.ss.
Why, Madge, the taunts that those
girls fling indfferently at virtue and
M vice are so vile that they couldn't
he repeated even among half-decent
men. And the other way, the private
door for the private secretary. That's
road OF burned bridges. Every
man. decent or indecent. feels queer
sinking of the heart when he hears OF
woman taking IT," He looked at her
shrewdly. And yet you may do it."
he said half to himself. III you are
one OF the hungry women. God help
you. for they all walk blindfolded"
"'rhey don't walk" said Madge.
flushing. and her eyes cleaning
strangely. That's Just the point: they
rush, whirl, and"
"And crash" finished Bobby.
That's the very word" said Madge
III youll only keep on the way you've
started, I'd love 10 talk TO You all
night"
"No chance of that" said Bobby.
straight-Iipped I'm through, and I'm
going" He turned toward the door.
"Not without kissing me good-by.
Bobby p cried Madgc.
he looked over his shoulder with
polite but impcrsonal smile.
I'm not much on kissing strange
women" he said lightly 1t would
take me years to learn 10 kiss you
again"
lie left the room and the house.
With his top-hat pushed back on his
head, the ends Of his muller flying
loose. his overcoQt half unbuttoned.
he swung mp the deserted lower
reaches Of the Avenue. punctuatine
his thoughts with the solid rap Of his
stick on the pavement II might be
supposed that he was thinking and
mourning over the sudden demise Of
the Miss Van Teller he had thought
he had known for many years, but
such was not the case.
Mr.. Randolph was not built on
mourning lines al the moment under
review, he was thinking about himself
and the strange fate that had made
him a foster-chlld OF fortune. He pro.
ceeded 10 look back ten years. Just a
decade ago he had had his one meet.
ing with the young lady whose dlsap.
pearance had brought him an unstable
ahluencc. Il had taken place on this
very avenue aud less than forty short
blocks away He had reason 10 re-
member the encounter FOR IL had
brought into sudden conjunction n
lovely Persian cat, lovely wire haired
terrier. a lovely child, and himself.
The cat had dashed from proud
front door 10 cross Forty-something
street under the nose OF taxi-cab
the dog had flown In yapping pursuit
and. In the act. yanked his young mis-
tress on her pins. He. Mr. Randolph,
had seized one OF her flying feet,
hauled her and the terrier back to
safety. and no sooner placed her up
right and smoothed down her absurdly
short skirts than he. she. and especial.
ly II. the dog. became the center and
circumference OF an animated pin.
wheel
Her unshaken determination 10 hold
10 the leash, whatever happened,
brought disaster. The said leash
wound three times round her ankles
and those of Mr.. Randolph. bringing
them both down kerplunk and fnclng
each other my, what bump she
had cried. In startled tones, and then
thrown back her curly head and
laughed
Ii was so that he remembered her
n child OF ten or eleven summers and
no winters, merry as a sunny day
dark haired. dark-eyed pink-cheekcd
pampered but unspolled She had
risen and taken his hand. told him
her name. thanked him, ordered
furried nurse 10 thank him. shaken
her finger nc the terrier. aud said,
"Good-byn and "Come on, Maggie" all
while he was stIll rubbing the seat OF
his first long trousers
on that day she had been Miss Imo
ane Pamela Thornton. petted darling
OF the gods and Mr. Brewster Thorn.
tdh, banker and wldower; two months
later had come Thornton's financial
smash and, Immediately afterward, his
spiritual. moral and bodily collapse
Everything that had made for life IN
him having been swept away, he died
as matter OF course, and was buried.
For sole Inheritance, little Genie
Thornton found herself possessor and
possessed Of one Maggie O'Rourke, a
nurse of long standing. Of earnest and
faithful face, and a monster heart i'm.
prisoned In pitifully thin chest.
II had taken Genie's great-uncle.
Asa Thornton. six more months 10 for
get quarrel OF sixteen years stand.
ing with his nephew. and by that time
child and nurse had been seeped into
that lower world which can't afford
morning and afternoon editions and Is
too busy praying for daily bread 20
look for a rain OF mamma In the daily
praqa