The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1922-01-25
BY FANNIE HURST

where's be now IL hadn't salved
1t on when Lee tried to drill me for
the swinging ballet7 Gee, l wasn't nim-
BILE enough to climb a match, much less
do a turn on a crossbar and swing out
the horizontal for your fly. Where'd
/ be now. sucking my thumbs"
Beneath the rumble of the train
her voice was throaty and full of
tears.
"Where'd / be now, I'd like to
knowf"
"Shh-h-h, Lo. Lee hisself don't need
to hear you"
'T'm an ambitious girl, 1 am. /
amt ready to settle down yet in a
tank by long shot. gotta keep my
stand-in. I'll be doing a single on the
Amsterdam roof by next summer, see
IL don't. And salving 1t on is whatll
get me there. I gotta look ahead. I'm
keeping my weather eyes on Broad
way, ami"
Take It from me, hon, and I'm your
friend for telling you, you're cute and
all; CAD, 1 never seen anyone could
little soubrette and chorus stuff like
yours. You amt got the voice, hon.
You're pretty as peaches, but"
"You-you'd take the life out of any
girl with your joy killing. Ever since
we left Higginsville and you came and
crowded Lee out of this seat, you been
sittin' here Joy killing"
"But, Lo, darling"
"Lemme alone"
Cant you understand, dear, that
Maybe I'm nothing but a little baby
doll and maybe amt! Maybe I'm all
the names you call me right here on
this seat and maybe I amt. Maybe
I'm nothing but little fiirt and maybe
amt. Maybe I'm going to flirt with
Lee In the wings tonight and maybe I
amt. Now whatta you going to do
about it?"
She threw down the gauntlet from a
high hand, the rod of resolve straight
ening her back.
Il don't need to stand for no man
sitting here and running me down to
my face all the way from Higginsville
to Adalai. I'm an ambitious girl,
am. and no man can say the things
you said to me right here I'm this train
and get away with them. Lemme out p
He unwound his feet and jerked his
coat lapels together angrily. Beneath
his tiny clipped hedge of mustache his
straight lips were compressed.
"What you need. my little lady. is a
good spanking"
you try It."
"a good garden-variety Of spanking
to bring you to your senses !"
'Lemme out. you! I don't have to
sit here and be talked to by a fellow
that amt gent! Spank me! You
just dare to tlay hand on me. You !!
You'll"
She was edging past him to the
aisle.
"Shh-h-h, you don't need to air your
temper to the company, Lo. Here-put
on your coat. Here we are at Adalai."
Down the length of the coach, heads
rumpled with sleep appeared slowly
"A
emerging from trenches. Bags were
swung down from racks. Voices thick
with drowsmess and querulous with
travel rose to a hum. The Forty
Thieves" company Strengthened stiff
limbs, yawned adjusted straps and
hats and sat forward on the edge of
seats In state Of'Quasi coma, luggage
1fr intn hsa
blackness.
Without, the first lights of Adalaf
began to fash past, here-there. here
there; then q necklace of lamplights;
defining an outlying street; hollow
rafting over a trestle and black wa
tiers rejecting beneath
Last came the busy twinkling lights
Of the township. an illuminated clock
in a tower, yellow as a moon; bill
boards shining in the white flare Of
street arc-lfghts sand brilliantly herald
ing the Forty Thieves Spectacular
Surprise"
Within the coach, the thirty mem
bers Of the Forty Thieves" company
damned suddenly into the aisle.
At the far end of the coach young
man whose face was cons older than
his flesh. sprang upon the first of the
plush-covered seats waving his light
brown derby hat. and then slapped 1t
on the back of his polished thatch Of
hair. A cold cigar sagged at an oblique
from his mouth. his tan waistcoat. open
its full length. swung apart to reveal
the bold design Of his shirt. He
rammed the cigar in his waistcoat
pocket and opened his mouth In a
downward slant, cuppng his hand
around 1t to inclose his voice.
"Thirty-hve minutes latA Gem