Evening star., 1922-06-15
The Social Gangster
By Arthur B. Reeve.
One of The Stars Weekend Fiction Series.
Each story complete in three installments

than she could bear. Mrs. Bracket
was now genuinely in tears. her
/ shoulders trembling under the emo
ton. as she bowed her head. Her
| despair and .self-accusation would
really have moved any one; much less
were needed to enlist Kennedy. He
said nothing, but his look of encour-
%agement % seemed to nerve her up
agaIm assn.t to n1o,oa, 60 on She forced back her
I'VE put the advertisement that
! way because-well, now you under
stand why" she resumed; then
anticipating our question. added.
but there has been no response"
| knew from her tone that even to
herself she would not admit that
Gloria might have been guilty. Yet
| subconscious1y it must have been in
her mind and she knew 1t was in
ours. Her voice broke again.
| MIR. Bracket has repeatedly or
| dered Gloria to give up her fast
acquaintances. But she defies him.
! Even to my pleadings she has turned
1 Il deaf ear.
1t was most pathetic to watch the
] was forced to say this of her daugh-
ter. All thought Of the necklace
was lost. now.
| Il want my daughter back"
! she almost walled.
Who are these rapid youngsters?'
1
II don't know all Of them she re-
piled: There is young Rittenhouse
! Smith: he is one. The Rittenhouse
Smiths, you know. are very fine
family But young Ritter as the
younger set call him. is wild
| They've had to cut his allowance
! two or three times. 1 believe. An
| other of them Is Rhinelander Brown.
/ don't think the Browns have much
money. but 1t Is a good family Oh
she added with a faint attempt at a
| smile. I'm not the only mother who
J has heartaches. But the worst Of 1t
is that there are some professionals
| with whom they goa dancer, Rex
Du Mond. and woman named
| Eernice Bently. L don't know any
more Of them. but presume there
is regular organization Of these
! social gangsters.
! Did Signor Franconi-ever go
with them?" asked Craig.
| "Oh. mercy. no." she fastened.
'And-they can't seem to break the
| gang up. ruminated Craig, evil
IDENTIFY liking her characterization of
| the group.
Mrs. Bracket sighed deeply and
| wiped away another tear. I've done
what I could with Gloria. I've cut
her allowance-but IT has done no
| good. I'm losing my hold on her
| altogether. You-you will help me
| mean. help Gloria?" she asked Gag
erly leaning forward in an appeal
| which must have cost her great
| deal. so common it the repression
| of such feelings in women of her
| type.
| Gladly" returned Kennedy heart
| lily. Il will do ANYTHING in my power y
| Proud though she was. Mrs. Brac-
kett could scarcely murmur her
thanks.
Where can see Gloria" asked
! Kennedy finally.
/ She shook her head. Il can't say.
| II you want to. you may see her to-
| morrow. though,>at the drag hunt OF
| the club. My husband says he is
not going to take Gloria's actions
| without a protest. SO he has per-
emptorily ordered her to attend the
meet Of the Hunt Club. We thought
| 1t would get her away, at least for
a time. from her associates. though
| ! must say / can't be sure that she
| will obey
thought I understood, partly at
| least. Bradford Brackets election as
1 NJ. F. H. had been a crownins distinc-
| tion in his social career. and he did not
propose to have Gloria's escapadeS spoil
! the meet for him. Perhaps he thought
| this as good an occa sion as any to use
his power to force her back into the
circle to which she rightfully belonged.
| Mrs. Bracket had risen. How can
! I ever thank YOU she exclaimed. ex-
]
| nothing has been changed-yet. But
already | feel better"
II shall do what l can: depend on
me-" reiterated Kennedy modestiy. IF
! / can do nothing before l shall be out
at the Hunt Club tomorrow-perhaps
shall he there anyhow"
This is a most peculiar situation
| remarked few minutes later. as Mrs.
Brackett was whisked away from the
| laboratory door in her motor.
Indeed it is returned kennedy. pac-
| ing up and down. his face wrinkled with
| thought. II don't know whether I feel
more like detective or spiritual ad-
wiser" He pulled out his watch. Half
past four" ne considered. I'D like to
! have a look at that Cabaret Rouge here
| in town.
1t was a perfect autumn afternoon.
J one of those days when one who Is nor
NAL feels the call to get out of doors
and enjoy what is left Of the fine
weather before the onset of winter. We
| strobe along in the bracing air until at
| last we turned into Broadway at the
! upper end Of what might be called "Au-
| tomobile row." Motor cars and taxi
ca bs were buzZing along in an endless
! stream most of them filled with wom-
en-, gowned and bonneted in the latest
mode.
Before the garish entrance of the Cab
! aret Rouge they seemed to pile up and
discharge their feminine cargoes. We
| entered and were quickly engulfed in
| the tide Of eager pleasure seekers. A
! handsome and judicious tip to the head
! waiter secured us table at the far end
of sort of mezzanine gallery. from
| which we could look down over rail-
! ing at the various groups at the little
I white ia ables below. There we sat, care
| full to spend the necessary money to en-
title US to stay. for to the average New
| Yorker the test seems to be not so
! ,,,ucb Uhat one ia getting for il as how
much money is spent when out for
| good time"
| Smooth and glittering on the surface.
| like its little polished dancing floor in
| the middle of the squares Of tables
! downstairs. the Cabaret Rouge. one
rents unsuspected until an insight such
as we had just had revealed them.
| The very atmosphere seemed vibrant
with laughter and music. A strong
band played sharp. staccato. highly ac-
| centuated music-a band Of negroes. as
| in many of the snowy and hfgh-priced
| places where a keen sense of rhythm
| was wanted. All around us women were
| smoking cigarettes. Instinctively one
felt the undertow in the very atmos;
phere.
wondered who they were and where
| they all came from. these extensively
dressed. apparently refined. though per-
! haps only veneered girls. whirling about
| with the pleasantest looking young men
who expertly guided them through the
mazes of the fox-trot and the canter
| waltz and a dozen other steps I knew
atest and most approved devices to be-
guile the languid afternoons OF ladies'
! Of leisure.
nedy finally. "I recognize her from
~ fpiIowad the direction of his ewes