Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1921-01-09

painted swtnking lamp burning softly..
| ne knocked. then stood Tor 2 mo-
tening. his head Inclined. and four
knuckles poised. Knocked again and
| the door swung back on silent hinges
and In the wavering brown shadows
small black figure peered outward
| "wh-who-"
Her hand new TO her breast and lay
there white against the black.
Don't you know me. kiddo. IT'S
me: howdy. Lo. Gee, you look 20 lit
tie and black I couldn't sec you hrst:
Don't you know me. kiddo. It's me-
'If 1t amt Lee! Come in. Lee.
Her voice was faint a. q tinkling bell:
| He entered. exhalinK loudly and
with a great ado of rubbing his hands
together in a dry wash.
| 'Well-well-well!'
"I-come right in. Lee. Gee. Eee.>
How's things9 The girls, Sit down
in that rocker. Lee. Here. femme take
s ses .o s,e eyer, V dss amt you ''s''
She was fiuttering and full Of small
| ways. Dragged the rocker q bit far
Their beneath the swinging lamp; lean-
ed his slender cane In a corner; low
cred a. shade. Pink. as delicate as
peach bloom, rose in her wan little
face
"Sit down, Lee. I-sure. knew the
show was playing Adalia tonight. but
11outZgee. you look right s slick Ian Lee
He seated himself rather gingerly
| on the edge of the seat. the rocker
| fitting forward with the weight OF his
body, his gray-top shoes firmly plant
ed and his hat cooked backward
| $50 this 10 the home-sweet-home
you wrote the girls about, Is 1t? Some
neat little shack! Some neat little
He glanced about with quick APP
praisal' then back to her rose-p'nk
| some little rest cure"
Tit. such a sight now after
Her voice died in her throat and
He leaned forward. his own voice
carefully shrouded in a croaking
How is he. 10. Won't he eves
walk? Is he nailed for good"
"Oh. Lee, don't you KNOW
Il beat 1t while the company was
| In line for wardrobes SO you wouldn't
think the gang was forgetting. we
got in just in time for makeup and
seven. The girls squealed for time
to come and see you both. but It's all
we can do to run the show on and
beat 1t out on the leven-seVen. II
Tears rained down her cheeks and
splashed to her black dress.
Don't you know" Lee? Amt you
heard? Don't you know"
Know what?"
IA week ago today. Lee. he
he-last Monday, =
| A nash of understanding shocked
him halfway to his fet and his hand
shot to his hat refiexly.
"Blinked! Aw. now whatta-whatta
you know about that. Amt the dub:
Sure, Lo. we never heard: Bhnked!
Aw-Aw, Lo! Poor guy! Poor guy!
He was strangely inarticulate ana
they sat for moment In lead-heavy
Presently she raised her tear-daub-
He was game through up-up to
the end. Lee. lit came SO sudden
like HE never let us know-but ne
must have known-he knew all the
time-but he never let out com
plant or let us know he knew. He
was the real stun. Lee. if-if ever
fellow was. He was! He was!
"He was-was the real thing. Lee.
he
She dried her eyes.
J "Ain't I the silly? Only when I get
started about him and what ne was
and all IL just can't keep em BACK.
Lemme get you some cider. Lee. Sen n
J sent US up the press and we made Il
fright here ourselves. Lemme get you
some.
mo, gotta make a dash for the
opry house. We gotta ring !a up p.owp,
"How.s the girls and all Of them.
Lee? Gee, amt we sat here winter
night after winter night and TAXED
about you all! We used to follow the
route list snowy evenings and Ian and
taft thinking about the girls kicking
and nagging among themselves ABOUT
the hotels and tanks
"rhat gang would kick In q canoe.
nearly canned them all in Lawrence
willie. Kan. We close in Sedalia next
Saturday, and there amt ten OF them
4 would get another Job out OF me WIN
Ia pair Of pinchers. Mack's meeting
me in Trenton and ,si.t then EN- ! nike DECK
MACK" .-
eyes. I told you I'd land that Am.
lsterdam Roof show Of his. didn't Il
broadway for sure. Lee! Say. your
ibe giving Belasco lessons next
He ran a finger along the top OF
III. :rm going to put on the biggest
girl show that town ever seen
"Gee. but-but I'm glad for you.
Lee" ,
| He glanced At Het S'1 x:.,-
What you going to DO, sister-s'ich
around this Dump"
II dInno."
"Fine place for a murder or deaf
and dumb school,.
TIT amt so bad. Lee. when you
get used to it,, the neighbors and
.M-m-m-m. Live spot for a kiddo
with your face"
at amt like was without any
friends. Lee. There's Ben and
You know Ars friend"
"The guy that owns the town!
1 "Yeh. he owns this cottage and
Averythinfx else, Lee. We've don't
even pay rent for 1t. He's the fellow
that gave us the chair you're sitting
on and the lamp you're seeing with.
There never was 2 friend like MIN.
Lee. Where would the money nave
| come from all the months after the>
| onerations and all if-f he hadn't
heen sent to help US just like out OF
heaven. Givin' and givin' US SO we
| wouldn't know it. Helpin' us 50 we
! couldn't see it. keeping up AIS nerve
F, helpin' him To-
BEN CollingsT
"Yeh. Gee, don't I wish you could
meet him, Lee. After the aldermen's
meeting tonight he'll be stopping in.
iust wish you could see him for
yourself. Lee, honest ! do. You never
met a fellow like him, honest. you
never did"
He REGARDED her through film OF
| ahstra ction as il her words only half
| uttered to him. His glance was for
her white throat where 1t rose above
| the black and the timber easy line
| of her silhouette.