The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1922-05-25
four DANCING FEET
MURPHY FIGHTS FOR GERTIE.
BY JANE PHELPS


Chapter 81.
With her head held high, but almost
blinded with the tears she would not
! let fall. Gertie left the table, Murphy
| following her.
TN wait for you outside he said
Tremblingly the girl changed into
street clothes, her anger making her
fingers clumsy. How dare that fellow
! say she wasn't any good! How dare
hel
Murphy was waiting outside, as also
was Lilly.
{ Hello, Cert" then as Murphy
spoke, she added: Introduce me to
your friend, can't you, instead of
| standing there looking as if I were a
gEostl"
| My friend. Lilly Arnold. This is
! George Murphy. Lilly"
| Whats the row. Cert? Somethin'
happen in there?"
Never mind. Lilly. Goodnight" she
turned to Murphy. Lilly and I live
in the same house. and we go home
together"
mo thank you"
Goodnight them I shall be here
again to see you dance" p
Gertie made no answer. Afterward
when Lilly found fault she explained
that she couldn't. that had she tried
she would have cried.
Whats the trouble, Gertie? Lost
your job?" Lilly asked arm-in-arm
they hurried to the subway.
Gertie stopped short.
Had she lost her job? Not once had
she thought that might happen be-
cause of the trouble. She had been
too frightened, too angry, to think
ahead.
Perhaps. Lilly don't know"
do tell me what it's all about,
- L.
II was sitting at the, table with
George-that fellow I just introduced
you to- He's awful nice, not fresh or
anything. He's a, bookkeeper, too, he
told me-
How'd you get acquainted with
who you know"
He asked one of the musicians he
knows to introduce him to me"
THE devil he did! Some swell
manners, I'll say"
Hes real nice. Lilly-and we was
just talking quietly when over comes
a fellow and begins TO say things. He
said George was my felloW-because
I wouldn't go over to his table That
F'agin had told him I was good-and
that Fagin had lied, that I wasn't
Then oh. it was awful! I was so
frightened George hit him, and
knocked him down. Then when he
got up he took a chair and was going
to hit George with it, and Fagin came
up and took the chair away, ana
ordered George out He wasn't a plt
to blame. I lost my temper and said
things too. and Fagin told me to come
to his office tomorrow night Maybe
it means I have. lost my job. | don
know" -,
mo. Lilly. He's nice, tho, and 1
like hina He's decent, I guess-ne
actS So"
You never can tell nothin' about
their bein' decent till you get to know
'em. He is all to the merry as far as
looks go-good clothes and all.s lie
amt handsome, but a fellows face
dent count If he's got the Dough-
What will I do if I lose n7yafeb p,
Gertie asked, more of herself than OF
Lilly. She had not heard word her
companion said. She thought of the
new flat, the higher rent, the money
she had spent to paper the bedrooms
If she lost her position she would lose
that-aIl she had spent, and besides II
she left under a cloud, it might be
hard to get another place.
Get another! And make that Muir
ply stake you till you do" the mer-
cenary Lilly told her You was with
him when the row started and it's mp
t. him to look out no trouble comes
to you account of it. Don't be a eofty
any longer, Cert! It don't pay. Take
It from me, it don't pay!"
ct guess it don'ti' Gertie replied,
scarcely knowing what she said, her
thoughts on her mother-poor ma,
she mad been so happy, and now per
ilaps-
you've said a mouthfult Make
that guy help yoG cut till you get an
ether place if YOU lose your job"
81 shan't tell rIa anything about it.
don't you tell anyone Lilly-not until
I see Fagin. L was my fault. I
oughtn't to have gone to his table.
Butch well. I was lonesome. And
didn't think there'd be any trouble.
But a girl can't even talk to a man
without havin' to pay for it-some-
way"
When they reached the door, Gertie
gain cautioned Lilly to say nothing
until she had seen Fagin.
(Tomorrow-An agonizing night.)