Evening star., 1923-05-06

than he had done for a week and
| the two men drove to the hotel in
| silence. In their rooms Bert turned
to Harry.
Pm going out" he announced
briefly. You can stay and order for
the monk
The other surveyed him for a mo-
ment, a. cruel CLEAN in his closely
set eyes.
"All right" he said at last "A lot
of good it'll do you. You've thrown
the act already. We haven't had a
/ curtain call this week But it's your
funeral and not mine"
"Meaning-?" Bert asked
That when Chino, the headliner,
! has gone back to the park benches
I'll be managing another act" Harry
finished calmly
\ HALF hour later Bert faced Ma
1 sic across a table. There had
been defiance in her manner and
n.
We'll, what's happened? he de-
manded.
Davis got word to close up this
week"
"And?" Bert waited for the rest of
her disclosure.
"Harrys going to stake me until 7
can get to working He says he's
nf
get some one else to do it If"
She stopped abruptly in her en-
barrassment.
IF the monkey act don't go on
the rocks" Bert finished. NO, he'll
stick to that so long as he's draw
ing down good money"
Masie colored. She could not have
neen In the theater that week and
remained unaware of the cause to
which the disaster had been attrib-
uted
i played fair. didn't -" she chal-
lenged. Right from the first ! told
you how it was with me. never
kidded you along. I told you that
hrst day You were too good-too good
to help me-"
Did you mean too good or Just
that l couldn't
She saw the pain in his eyes now
and thrust an impulsive hand across
the table.
1t isn't that" she answered. ITS
something else. 1 can't explain 1t. /
need a man like Harry Ayers. Oh. 7
know how you feel about him. but
I'm going in with my eyes open.
Harryll make me glad and mad and
sorry and then maybe 1 can dance"
BERT crumbled some pieces of bread
with nervous fingers
The significance Of her decision
went deep. In her failure she had
turned to Harry. She had chosen not
the monkey but the master.
Back Of his own pain there was a
savage rage that he could do nothing
to keep this fresh-eyed girl from the
experience she damanded.
I Masie watched him.
'oh, L know what you're thinking"
she suddenly burst forth. Il know
what you would like to do for me
buy me a ticket and send me back to
prison-sentence me to a thousand
years more of teaching"
1t wouldn't seem like prison." Bert
answered slowly. AT least. not after
you've been through what-what he
VIII send you through. I'd have been
glad to do it-just like I'd build a
fence around some flowers"
"A fence" she repeated. I'm sick
or fences! I've been behind one for
four years I guess 1 know what I'm
getting into and maybe 1t won't turn
out like you're thinking"
She arose from the table and as
Bert watched her. her head thrown
back. her cheeks flushed. the joy of
courage in her eyes. he felt sudden
warm rush of pity and admiration.
Maybe" he mumbled, as he arose
to follow her out of the restaurant,
but it would have to be your kind
he'd love to break"
X X
DERT found his partner waiting
- for him at the hotel and as he
passed on to his own room he caught
Harry's quick look of inquiry. but
Bert said nothing. In silence he put
on his makeup and in silence the
two walked to the waiting taxi. drove
to the theater and entered their
dressing room.
without speaking they waited for
their call and the silence became
heavy with unspoken thoughts. throb-
bing with savage rage and vicious
triumph.
AS they began their act Harry was
the usual urbane trainer getting off
his pseudo-scientific patter in his
usual convincing way. Bert went
about his work mechanically.
At last the time approached when
Bert was to simulate monkey disob-
edience. Always they had prepared
the groundwork carefully, Bert work
ing gradually into a petulant reluct-
ance to do his tricks. But tonight he
roovod ontor, Io rry