The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1922-08-04
CHAPTER III

he did not understand.
 CHAPTER III
 seThe Mill of the HaH-Gods.''
 If his ears were sealed in this city of strange tongues. his eyes were not. Everywhere he beheld votaries of his old underworld at work, hunting or hunted, but Kane never had been able to identify one of their strong holds. His own criminal instincts enabled him to detect unhesitating1y the spurious character of such Apache dens as had been pointed out to him.
 Then. one night, paying two francs entrance fee to one of the innumera-' ble dance halls = The Mill of the Haf-Gods''-he sensed different at mosphere the instant he stepped on its big square of waxed parquet. It would have been impossible for him to explain wherein this differed fro0 the others. There were the same vast mirrors; the same walters; the same effusive directeur with black spade beard, and shining hair. The patrons, too. were seemingly Of the usual types. Many foreign tour ists. mostly Englhh and American, with a sprinkling of Italians and | Russians.
 The sightseers began to mill around the dancing space, where a young | girl was executing a pas seul. She | was almost boyish in her lack of curves. yet with a kind of plfant an gularity. Her impud entity pretty race was crowned by an almost absurd wealth of black hair. whose sole adornment was a little twinkling green incandescent bulb. Green was her chiffon costume, too, and her | stockingless feet were incased in | green suede and strapped slippers There are dancers who credeitably | execute certain intricate steps they have learned. Others originate new and more difficult ones. A few only | are able to ar'ticulate with their limbs | Of this limited circle was Andree l Duphot.
 Extemporizing, so to speak, ac- cording to the moods of her audience, | Andree talked at them with her toes, | mocked them. Heels or head in ar mattered not; her legs were quick | silver, her entire body defied equi1ib- l rum, and seemed to scorn the very | laws of gravitation.
 She beheld Billy Kane, open-mouth- l ed, a lighted match burning unheeded | in one hand; and with Ia f1irt of one | green-shod foot and a saucy wrink- ling of her nose. she picked his heart out of his breast as deftly as he had ever, during his professional career l removed twenty-four jeweIed watch from a waistceat. Less than two min ues later he had the girl in his arms | before a ring of cheering compat- I riots.
 Billy was a good dancer of the Coney Island school, and was natur- | ally 1.-the and cat-like; but perform ing with his little partner was like embracing a soap bubble. Her mouth | opened, showing nl1Jch Tod l ivory; her eyelids closed to slits l through which jet black rays of flame played upon his flushed face. Now shy and demure. Andree danced like a little school girl after half a dozen lessons from a second-rate master In flash she wriggled free, and, re-
 treating, swaying, kept always 2
 hands. With a leap like a trout her arms clasped tight about his neck she forco1 him to become a human pivot, about which she revolved in 8 cloud of green and white.
 Suddenly he found himsef holdins her left hand, and lowing to the
 ''bravas" and "encores" of the crowd, and the delighted smirks ot the lowering directeur Upon the floor at their feet rained francs, boxe,
 of monogrammed cigarette, and flow.
 ers Billy hastened to gather them
 up for her, dropping them into his
 hat, and gently urging her to a little
 table in one of the alcoves ranged along the wall.
 A small regiment of walters, Howe,
 girls, candy girls, and vendors of sou. venirs, hemmed them in at once Kane was prepared to do his fuM duty; but
 Andree scattered them with a vo1le,
 of French idons. To his offer of a | ho eryr -I, ,I, her head.
 shall be fat. no?" she explained
 She accepted a tiny glass of grena-
 dine and water. slipping it daint1Iy and
 ey1ng Kane above the rim of hel glass She knew him instantly fol
 an American. but was puzzled to set
 Die his social status. He was clean } cut, good Hiking, and amiab1e; he wore excellent clothes, Ee was as DO lite as the average Yankee, yet he was not utte gentleman Kane, meanwhile, conscious of hel scrutiny but indisturbed by 1t, smok
 ca quietly, and feasted his eyes on hel
 radiant little self. They danced again and, after another brief rest, for the third time. For the first time since
 arriving in Paris. Kane was really en , toying himself.
 Then, abruptly, something hap : pened.
 They were standing idly at the rim
 or the dancing circle, watching
 pump and agile Spanish gitana , Anoree's and rested on Kane sleeve About them rose a babel O smaM talk The air wtas heavy witt : mingled odors of musk, tobacco. cor , dials, patchouli. wilted roses. an, , persp1ration. Out from the TUCK O :. all stepped figure familiar enougl
 10 the habTUues. but in Kane's eyes a
 welrd as character from vaudeville il CHAPTER "