The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1922-07-27

paused, shifted his gaze. His pause
spread. included the others with all
the authority of a warning finger.
Gloria followed by Rachael was
coming out of the dressing-room.
Among other things 1t developed
during dinner that Joseph Bloeck-
man never danced. but spent the
music time watching the others
with the bored tolerance of an elder
among children He was a dignified
man and proud one. Born in
Munich he had begun his A merican
career as q peanut vender with a
travelling circus. At eighteen he
was a side-show ballyhoo; later, the
manager of the side-show. and.
soon after, the proprietor of q
second-class vaudeville house. Just
when the moving picture had passed
out of the stage of a curiosity
and become a promising industry
he was an ambitious young man of
twenty-six with some money to in
vest. nagging financial ambitions
and a good working knowledge of
the popular show business. That
had been nine years before. The
moving-picture industry had borne
him Up with 1t where 1t threw OF
dozens of men with more financial
ability. more Imagination. and more
practical ideas and now he
sat here and contemplated the i'm
mortal Gloria for whom young Stuart
Holcome had gone from New York
to Pasadena-watched her. and
knew that presently she would
cease dancing and come back to sit
on his left hand.
He hoped she would hurry. The
oysters had been standing some
minutes.
Meanwhile Anthony. who had
been placed on Gloria's left hand.
was dancing with her, always in q
certain fourth of the floor. This,
had there been stays. would have
been a delicate tribute TO the girl.
meaning Damn you. don't cut in"
1t was very consciously ultimate.
Well" he began. looking down at
her. you look mighty sweet to-
night"
She met his eyes over the hori-
zontal half foot had separated them.
Thank you-Anthony."
In fact you're intentionally
beautiful" he added. There was no
smile this time.
And you're very charming
isn't this nicer he laughed. I'VE
actually approve of each other
Don't you. usually?" She had
caught quickly at his remark, as
she always did at any unexplained
allusion to herself. however faint.
He lowered his voice. and when
he spoke there was in it no more
than a wisp of badinage.
Does a priest approve the Pope"
Il don't know-but that's prob
ably the vaguest compliment ever
received"
Perhaps I can muster a few
bromi1es."
We'll. 1 wouldn't have you strain
yourself. Look at Muriel! Right
here next to u.s."
He glanced over his shoulder.
Muriel was resting her brilliant
cheek against the lapel of Maury
Mobiles dinner-coat and her pow
dered left arm was apparently
twisted around his head. One was
impelled to wonder why she failed
to seize the nape of his neck with
her hand. Her eyes, turned ceiling
ward, rolled largely back and forth:
her hips swayed. and as she danced
she kept up a constant low sing
ing. This at first seemed to be a
translation of the song into some
foreign tongue. but became event.
ually apparent as an attempt to
I'LL out the metre of the song with
the only words she knew-the
words of the title
Hes a rag-picker,
A rag-picker.
A rag-time picking man,
Rag-picking, picking. pick, pick.
Rag-pick. pick, pick"
and so on. into phrases still more
strange and barbaric. When she
caught the amused glances of An
thony and Gloria she acknowledged
them only with a faint smile and
a half-closing of her eyes. to indi-
cate that the music entering into
her soul had put her into an ecstatic
and exceedingly seductive trance
The music ended and they re-
turned to their table. whose soli-
tary but dignified occupant arose
and rendered each of them a smile
so ingratiating that It was as IL he
were shaking their hands and con-
graduating them on a brilliant per-
Torrance.