Evening star., 1922-02-12
at the Maison Noir?

eH
Inez mods careless. why not: she
asks. 1T amt much to do.
Not when you say it quick says
!. But it strikes me as some cieVer
little act. l expect. though, when you
get on some of those gorgeous gowns
you look the part"
THAT Pierre say so." admits lnez,
ducking her chin cay. is.
"Eh?" says l. Who's Pierre?
The boss-Mister Lefleur." says
1nez.
You don't mean it," says l. ITS
come to that so soon, has it? You call
. the boss Pierce Or is that just the
way you speak of him when you're
back in the dressing room with the
other girls?"
He asks me to cali him Pierre,
says Inez Yesterday. when he takes
me out to tea dance
"wha-a-at:" sasps Say, you are
fast worker, Inez. WHAT'S your line
with him. anyway
II don't do anything" protests 1nez
''But yesterday comes some aW1ui
rich customers from Texas-what you
call oily rich ones Mother and two
daughters Big girls. And homely!
You should see. Lotta diamonds on.
though, and they talk loud. That Ma
dame Beauvoir, head saleslady, she
put her nose up and don't show 'em
much. Only called out some of the
tall, skinny girls. They was goin
away mad, too, when Mister Lefeur
comes in. He knows rich folks when.
he sees 'em. you bet. So he asks 'em
I'D hn
back to me to put on that DuBarry
model
THE which," says /.
tsTHE DuBarry.' explains lnez
That's just the shop name OF
the dress IT'S bare, all right. Not
much but Jet beads and black voiie
And YOU know how much it cost, Tril-
by May? Fifteen hundred dollars!
saw it on the ticket. Swell. though
And when the dressers get me into it,
with nv hair ell fixed. and long
black ostrich fan in my hand. l walks
out with my shoulders swingin' slow
and NV chin up Say! That fat old
lady almost falls of her chair. Just
YOUR style, Mabel she says, I'll say
40 saws Mabel Wouldn't 1 knock
'em for a goal if ] wore that to the
Easter ball in San Antoine. Mommer"
You shall.' says Mommer HOW
much? And quick as winkln' Mister
Jef1eur steps up to me. snips OH the
tag. and SAYS. L make you special
price. Madame, for the pleasure to
know that it will be worn by your
charmant daughter. This costume
was designed by FIammeur himself
the great Flammeur. We should get
for it twenty-five hundred. But to
you-' Then he whispers in her
ear. 1 heard. Two thousand! And
Mommer acts like he'd made her a
present. Then 1 have to show some
more evening gowns; one for other
sister, and one for Mommer. Send EN-
to the Plutoria Hotel. suite b. she
tells him, and writes check for whole
shooting match right off. Well! When
they are gone Mister Lefleur smiles
all over his face. 'Vive lie Texas" he
sings out. Also vive Mamselle lnez!
1t was your wonderful figure that
helps make the 50 grand sale. Come,
ma cherie. We shall go to the tea
dansant for a celebration. Wear any
IhlnS you "lSH wv AANSS oS'o>~
YOUR hat And say, you oughta seen
them other girls when walks on
with the boss and gets in taxi cab!
We went to swell place, and that's
when he says 7 must call him Pierre.
Yes. he's nice to me all time now
Listens that way, I'll say, says l.
"But you know these Trenches. 1nez.
Watch your STEP" (
Huh" says Inez. Hes all right,
that one. Mushy. that's ALL I could
spank him easy if Ne got fresh But
he don't. He knows l got rich uncle
and thinks 1 do this just to get him
mad Kinda soft, eh?"
with your boss buffaloed like
that" says 1, 'soft is the word. Hon
est, Inez. 1 didn't know you were
such a vamp. And you haven't had
much practice lately. either"
I shouldn't have added that last. for
1nez is a bit touchy over the fact that
for several months past she's had no
male admirer dangling around. I be-
lieve she's even bit green-eyed be-
cause I've gone out SO much with
Barry Platt, for perhaps you re-
member that at first Barry could see
nothing but those gray eyes of 1nez
ard her pink and white complexion.
OF course. she never was strong for
Barry. He wasn't tAr ideal at all. Not
dashing or romanti" enough for her
But his quick shift to me never set
very we'll with Inez. And here she
had a chance to come back at me.
& x !: X
ksX1yHAT'S happened to that Barry
w Platt"" she asks. Il don't see
him comm around so much now.
"Barry?" says I. ~Oh, I expect he's
working on his new play"
"Yes?" says Inez 'He used to
come snd read you pieces"
II know" says i. Don't you worry
about Barry, though"
Yet 1 couldn't deny that it had
been nearly two weeks since l had
seen him; not since We held the wake
over THE Prince and the Flapper.
And that wasn't at all like Barry.
He'd been consistent. If nothing else:
at least twice a week showing up at
the theaters to see me home. and al
ways with some little party planned
for Sunday evening. my only free
night.
True. he'd rather given up urging
me to name the date when Id let him
take me to The Little Church Around
the Corner For you know there for
a while Barry used to spring that on
all occasions. Oh. yes. He was
persevering youth. but short on dis
cretion. He would shoot that over at