Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-10-20

George Bsllman. supposins he put up
there for the night and GET the lay Of
the landi Providing he could pass the
censor at the desk. II they baked
at his suitcase and his derby there was
always Aladdin's lamp in his pocket
--$lO,OO0. Comforting thought
Behind him stood the Shadow, srnil-
ING tolerantly. The poor boob didn't
know what to do, eh, or which way to
turn? It was great temptation to Of.
Ter the hick some friendly advice, but
sne professor had banned any such
Seeing an opening, Bancroft strobe
forward resolutely. The Shadow At h!s
shoulder, ready to give him q friendly
shove II he hesitated. The worst thinS
that could happen to the Great Adven.
ture Company would be the accidental
humping OF Of Collinyswood Jeremiah
bancroft. Lord. what moniksr
Sounded like one Of those oofty goofs
that got into the Sunday supplements
for nothing. And jeremiah his middle
name, too! The passage was made n
safety. however. But 90 Bancroft
Shadow slapped his hand to bis fore.
Holy smoke! III have to witness
this. whether he pipes me or not.
They'll give him the air with q spring.
board. Oh the. poor hick -
"A room with bath, please" said
Bancroft, adding a smile to his pleas.
antly modulated voice.
One glance was enough for the clerk.
The intelligent face, brown and clean,
the clear gray eyes, meant nothing, car
ried no message. In the great hostel
ries Of New York clothes along make
the man. That derby
Just moment" interrupted Ban.
croft, still smiling. MY hat and
clothes are the fortunes OF war. I
cannot 30 rowing about the streets In
this attire; Chaplin is too we'll known.
! want a room and bath II you haven't
that. whole floor" NJ NJ
There was simple and dignified way
out for the clerk. He could have asked
II reservation had been made. and, on
being informed to the contrary, an.
nounce that there was no hope. In.
stead, he believed he might very well
nave, a little Joke to recount later to
tighten the tedium.
There is nothing left but the am.
that" go
Very WE'LL" said Bancroft, who
hadn't the least idea what the ambassa-
dor,s suite signified, socially or finan.
cially. He extracted his packet Of bills,
so respectable in thickness and 70 for
midable in numerals that the clerk was
rendered speechless. "IIow much will
1t be-" asked the victim.
The clerk, finding himself hoist on his
own petard, named the extortion. Ban.
croft counted of the sum, then signed
the register. He had come through
but he never realized that the victory
had been due not to his personal mag.
netism, but to the strength Of bis wal.
let.
The change on the clerks facs--from
hauteur to astonishment-was carefully
noted BY the bell ll-boy, who darted to-
ward the recent object Of bis contempt.
When he took the key, which he recog-
nized: his eyes popped. He knew in
stant!y that here was a British duke
who had either gone into the movies or
was the victim of hold-up.
This way to the lift, sir -
The suite appalled, Bancroft. Mir.
rors and gilt and plush and mahogany !;
Oriental rugs and tapestries, paintings
and bedroom after bedroom, bath
after bath, comparing favorably with
some palace he had seen In the home
boJ ai,,sU. dau.s s Ss nancIo.t it
sonsot;"ns ,,,,on u &C. n.., au. 'Iat Ioy ~ .
tbr"wn acrmss "'I b,s s"e shouhnr, h1 hIu geea zen
soms .i,m,nor rom ""'"'u'''' ne "au
s'. -. 'o"'
The SHADOW on the Job
His ready laughter broke out. His
sense Of humor was we'll developed, and
had, in fact, served to keep him on the
optimistic side Of the fence, despite the
periods Of depressing unhappiness. A
good start: to storm New York In this
fashion. and to squeeze q laugh out Of
1t. The Great Adventure Company
couldn't have done anything better thsn
this. That bed there, with Ito sultanic
splendor, was almost immoral. Hevine
satisfied his curiosity, he searched the
1 walls for the bells and rang for the
| valet.
II want evening clothes, with short
coat, a fifteen collar, shoes six and a
half, and a brown or gray fedora, size
seven also dark gray business suit for
morning :.
Yes. sir. You be wanting top.
coat, too, SIR said the valet. respect.
tuily. A man wearing the habilments Of
the ragpicker would have been treated
respectfully-in these hallowed con.
hnes.
At half after 3 ne re-sntersd the
lobby and went to the desk, with the
Intention OF depositing the bulk Of his
noney. His appearance-the ease with
which he wore his borrowed plums.-
completed the Generalization Of the
clerk.
Having deposited his money and 70.
ceived his receipt, Bancroft sailed forth
for his first lecture In the University
Of Streets. He wandered west, peered
| into shon windows vlon,sd n,.tovsIv