Evening star., 1922-01-22
Mary of the Brave Eyes-By Sewen Ford

1NEZ had been out scouting q 3oo
L in some 9Th avenue department
store and when she blew lpeo
the studio painting and excited
thought she must have landed some
thing big. But it seems she was Workeo
up over something else.
"Trilby May" says she. as she
eases herself into a chair. who you
think I see just now by 34th street?
Judging by the wild look In your
eyes" says I. "it must have been Mary
Pickford herself. or maybe Bill Hart
and his BRIDE Which. was it?"
NO." says Inez, scorning to notice
any trivial cracks and sticking right
to the point Its that Mary Nc
Gucken."
"Eh:" says I. ''McGucken? Sounds
family familiar. but I don't place the
name at all. Go on. though; you've
sold it to me. Who was Mary?
Jaw, you know" says Inez. "She
was head waitress in Druots by Du-
luth, when we first go there to work.
And then she get married. That one
with the brave eyes"
And of course. after an adjective
like that, couldn't help but remem-
'ber. Inez had always called them
brave eyes, in spite Of my trying to
tell her the word couldn't be used
in that way. Shed won out, too, Tor
was finally forced to admit that
Miss McGucken's eyes were just that.
Not bold, or starey, or simply wide
set. That didn't describe 'em. They
were brave eyes. There was courage
in them-a hard, desperate glitter In
their clear depths that couldn't be
mistaken, once you Rad seen it.
X + X X
rERHAPS that's why she was head
L waitress in Druots. why we used
to Jump to our work when she
snapped her fingers, and why old man
Druot never dared bawl her out when
he came down with a Monday morn
ing crouch and growled at everybody
else, including Maeame Druot.. They
were blue eyes, incidently; Irish blue
with heavy black lashes.
Beyond that there wasn't much
about Mary McGucken to impress or
attract you. At least, 1 could remem-
her her only as a rather slim, dark
haired, snub-nosed girl with wide
mouth and eyebrows that ran to-
gether. She had looked fairly well
in her black work uniform with the
white apron and cuffs, but in her dress
mn Sunday clothes she had been 1ar
from a home wrecker. About as plain
as they run. if you ask me.
Lets see," says ], didn't she mar
~ soldier?"
= Inez mods. "A rainbow sergeant
that got medal in France" she adds.
ssLot in the papers about him when he
comes back; how he drives ammuni-
tion truck up to gun battery that the
Germans thought they'd cut on. He
gets hit, too, that Mr.. Slattery; once
In shoulder and once in right hand.
hut that don't stop him. And when
he brings in ammunition them Ger
mans get it in the ueck. Brave feller'
that Sergt. Slattery. They nix MIN
up in the hospital and he comes home
with red stripes on his arm. You
know, Didn't we all stand in front
and wave when he comes back that
time?"
you're right. Inez," says I. Il get
the whole picture now. And Miss NC
Quicken had been engaged to him all
along. They got married right away
after the parade and she left Druots.
But didn't he lose his job, or some-
thing?'
"Sure," says Inez. Anyway, he
don't have the one he had when he
70 to war, because he was bartender,
and while he's gone we get prohibi-
tion. But he's such a smart feller and
such a hero and all he thinks he'll get
something better to do. He don't,
though. Nor he amt got much money
left. heard the girls talking. They
said him and Miss McGucken had to
20 live in one little room. Then they
move away and I don't hear about
'em any more until I meet her to-
day"
"well, I hope she's not looking for
work in New York now" says I. IF
she is she's up against it."
"Her!" says Inez. Say, you oughta
see"
How do you mean, ought to seer
I demands.
"DREssED swell" says ,y,s t''e, 1ne.' furs 1's
rich lady. Ridin' in automobile too, with
little Chinese dog. And Mr.. SIattery
dressed sporty in coonskin coat smok-
In big cigar. Say"
"You don't mean it?" says ]. well.
that's good news. I'm glad some
body's prosperous these times. How
do they get that way?"
Inez shakes her head. Il dunno"
she says. II don't like to ask"
NO" says I, zone doesn't. Not right
off the bat. But what are they doing
here?"
"Oh, Just buyin' things. and livin
at big hotel. and goin' to shows" says
Inez.
"Wha-a-t" says I. Miss McGucken
snlurei1As around New York like one
Of the oily rich! And a little over
two years ago she was on the rocks
in Duluth! Listens bit like a tale
from the Aquarium. Sure 1t wasn't
some other party you saw. 1nez?"
"Don't 1 talk to her." demands 1nez,
..and get introduce to Mr.. Slattery?
How would she know me If she was
somebody else?'
But do you mean," goes on. that
ahe doesn't throw out single hint
as to how she comes by all this mag
nificence: no clue, no explanation"
Inez says she didn't offer word.
.'Then you're a wonder. Inez. says
I. "For I'm sure should have jabbed
in a question or two. even II I was
snubbed for it,
Maybe" suggests 1nez, "She finds