Evening star., 1922-09-24
A Damsel In Distress
Duress Vile-A Rescuing
Knieht-A Fairy Godfather.
n \ r. DANIEL GRANT. house de-
IVA tective of the great McMulpin
Hotel, had, among other du-

leCIlVe OF lne great
v Hotel. had. among other du-
4 4 ties, to keep his eye out for
unattached ladies. This little. one
with the thick black hair, dressed in
mourning. who had registered three
days before as Mrs. Coleman Proud
foot of Baltimore, was a puzzle to
him.
She looked more like a schoolgirl
than a married woman. and i, would
be difficult to think evil of her.
But when. at the end Of three days.
the promised husband had not ap-
peared and Mr.. Grants Investigations
had revealed that the only Mrs Cole
man Proudfoot of Baltimore was a
woman of twice her age. his unpleas-
ant duty was to secure from her at
once the amount of her Indebtedness
to the hotel and request her'to go.
His advances In this direction, made
in a remote part OF the lobby Of the
hotel, were met with a perverseness
not unlike that CT a spoiled child, and
he felt that the time had come to
puncture her bluff.
You know il you don't do as we
ask you we will arrest YOU"
ARREST mc?" she said. you
wouldn't dare to-
II wouldn't" said Mr.. Grant grimly.
you watch me!"
He saw her dilated eyes suddenly
grow more diiated
There he is now she cried.
THANK heaven" And Mr.. Grant saw
her rush with open arms toward a
handsome and we'll dressed young
man. who Immediately received her in
his arms.
= beg your pardon. Mr.. Proudfoot,"
said Mr.. Grant stif1y. But we have
our rules And We could have no
guarantee until your arrival that this
was Mrs. Proudfoot."
Say I'm Mrs. Proudfoot." prompted
the whisper
II see." said the newcomer to Mr..
Grant And now If you will leave
me alone with Mrs. ProudfoOt until
hear her story of this l will see you
later If you don't mind" he added. o
Thus Mr. Cahart found himself pre-
cipitated into an amasing adventure.
where can we go:' the girl asked
him. For l must-must> get away
from here and that mani" she said in
low voice.
"The only other place 1 know" he
said. "is the restaurant. I'd be glad
indeed. II we could take dinner to-
gether."
"Oh. yes. Yes. Let's" she sail
'"Then I can tell YOU She stopped
abruptly, for she saw how red he was
getting.
Il forgot" said young Mr.. Cahart
that the smallest charge per cover
here is $3.50, and only have IS with
.me"
"Oh. Oh. that's all right" she said
'"1've got 81 left. and coolies and oodles
more" she added. eff can only get al
1t! II you'll only tell me how
He noticed for the first time the
elegance of her dress and the costli-
ness of her rings.
"Come on" she urged, lets go:
And you can tell me-advise me
what to do to get my money"
Tn the restaurant, their heads close
i together. she started in rs soon as
their order had been given.
Listen" she said, reaching into her
small bag and bringing out green
slip of paper. IT'S this way-what
do you know about cashing checks?"
AS she handed it to him young Mr..
Cahart repressed the start he gave on
seeing the amount Of 1.-THE figures
: Of $1,000.
Whats the idea?" he asked her.
Don't you seer she asked. "I
cant-I can't cash it. I'm a perfect
stranger here in New York"
This was too preposterous. What's
the idea?" he began. do you think
I'd fall"
Don't" she said. Don't talk to me
like that. Don't look at me-lfke-
why-I thought seeing you, that you'd
know-just know-seeing me"
"'But-but this name!" he stammer-
ed. Upon the check! Loura Dins-
dale"
That's mine," she told him.
Mrs. Proudfoot? he asked inquir-
ingly.
"oh. Oh! I didn't tell you, did 1?
I was SO excited"
Wait" said young Cahart. Here
come our oysters"
They sat still while, the mousse
footed waiter was lowering around
them, going off with a significant
wink at him, behind her back.
That's my waiter" she told Mr..
Cahart He'll do anything L say.
I've given him oodles of tips. I was
going to say-about that check, wasn't
1? That's my name. Laura Dinsdale.
But you mustn't tell anybody. 1t was
this way: There was just this three
days from the school-Hardback Hail,
you know! And I was supposed to be
going home to Cleveland. But I was
never in New York-alone-shopp
and all that-without some older per-
son tagging along. And $3.50 you
see what did was to telegraph her
was just going to visit the Dod-
mores. The real Dodmores Of 5th
avenue The rich ones-in society,"
DO you know them?" asked Mr.. Ca
hart.
''oh, no." she stated II only tele-
graphed 50 to mother. So they
thought at school I was out there in
Cleveland, ana out there In Cleveland
that T>was here at the Dodmores.
: There are two Dodmores-and didn't
telegraph which one-so mama
couldn't write
But wouldn't she worry?' insisted
Mr.. Cahart.
'Oh," said his companion. "all
have to do with mama Is to tell her