Evening star., 1923-01-28

III INC Sluulo-llNlHS TootIi, oPChtH6
big paper box. She was just lifting
out a gorgeous white satin dress that
was fairly loaded with pearl orna-
ments. 1t had a long-train-effect in
the back and a high rufflike collar,
also plastered with nearpearls.
Whats 1t for. Inez." says I. "a we'd
ding or a coronationT'
Mask ball." says Inez. THE Hotel
Porters' Union is givin' 1t. Gonna be
swell, too"
IT that costume Is a sample, I'll
say it's going to be a ock-out."
says !. But how do you happen to
edge in on the AFFAIR."
"Me?" says Inez. 'Oh, I'm gonna
go with Mister AL Moran"
and who. may I ask, is Al?" says I.
Hes a friend OF mine" says Inez.
Hes second porter in that family
hotel over on Gramercy Park. He's
all right, too. Been comm round to
the delicatessen a lot lately, and talk
in with me and Louisa. Took me to
movie show twice last week, and
when he asked would l go with him
to this annual mask ball told him
Sure Why not?"
Far be 1t from me, Inez," says l,
ito pass on any gentleman friend of
yours that haven't even seen. Still,
you haven't much of a record as q
choosy picker. you know and 1 was
Just wondering. Assistant porter, eh?
And you are going to a masquerade
ball with him? Tell me, how long has
this been going on?"
She admits that the affair is less
than a month old. But you needn't
get worried. Trilby May" she goes on.
Hes nice enough feller, / guess
but amt crazy over him. I don't
hafta be not to miss a mask-ball, do
IT.
Yes, there's something in that"
says I. And take II that Mr.. Moran
is no double of any of your favorite
movie stars?"
Him. says Inez. Say, you make
me laugh. Why. he's got a face like
Monday mornin'. and 1 guess he was
built to carry trunks around. But he
makes lotta jokes and is good COM
p'ny."
ssT SEE" says I. "A Cork county
kidder. with the bIarney coming
easy off his tongue? Well, at a mas
querade he ought to be all right.
What is he going as?"
Il dunno" says Inez. "He don't
tell me yet. But he's comm round
here in about an hour. and IL you'll
stay to help me get into this rig
maybe you'll see. You amt got any
date, have your Il, sz-4
I'm free as-airy"says I. What
sort of costume Is tits. anyway"
Queens dress. they say at the
place where hired it, says Inez.
ITS all of that" says I. lifting a |
pearl studded crown from the tissue
paper. We'll. let's get busy"
And honest, when / had eased her
into the thing and fastened the
crown on her mass OF wheat-colored
hair and powdered her neck and
arms she could have gone as the
White Empress
You certainly ought to hit 'em in
the eye with that, Inez,". says ]. And
il this Mr.. Moran gets himself up
half as regal he's got to go some.
There's a heavy tread on the stairs
now. I wonder if that's him"
1t was. He came in grinning, with
a battered suit case in one hand and
wearing his blue porter's uniform.
'I'll have to be dressin' after I get
to the hail." he explains. mo place
to get into my rig at the hotel, for
the boys would be devilin' me all
the while
At which Inez gets pouty. How |
foolish" says she. "And I'll have to |
be waltin' round alone"
why not let him go into Uncle |
Nels' room and put 1t on here" Il
suggests.
'That'll be fine, if you don't mind"
agrees Mr.. Moran.
He certainly was a plain featured
person, with that heavy face and the
thick. black eyebrows that grew to-
gether across the bridge Of his nose.
Also he was rather bowlegged and
his long arms hung almost to his
knees. But he had the chest and
shoulders of safe mover.
TN this case" I whispered to Inez
as he went across the hall, "a mask
is going to be a great help. I'm
curious to see what sort of costumes
he fancies."
It wasn't long before we had a
private view. And we both gasped
when this ferocious-looking person.
age came stamping through the door.
For Mr.. Moran was attired In bright
red baggy trousers tucked into a pair
of high and very shiny boots. q uni
form coat that was loaded with tar
nished gold braid and with a lot of
convincing looking medals pinned
across the breast Of 1t. Into q red
sash was stuck a curved sword and
on his head was a dull red fez with
r. long black silk tassel hanging over
one ear.
"Are you Mystic shrlner, or
yhat?" I asks.
ITS more'n know, miss" says he.'
sI borrowed this out of a trunk in
the. unclaimed baggage section. The
boss says It's been there a couple Of
years, and he thinks some Turk must
have left 1t behind. Anyways, the
lock was busted. and last week as I
was movtn' some stun in there I no
ticed it So paws around bit and
finds this. That's what got me start
ed to take in the mask ball"
quite q pickup. I should say"
says ]. "That uniform looks like the
real thing. Some Turkish diplomat
must have owned that once"
Its perfectly swell" chimes in
Tnaz. "Just see how you look in the