Evening star., 1924-03-23

least because he was regular, but
because he was dark, elegant, slim
and had sad, visit smile. Yes, she
had kept the star Tor him, despite
the fact that if Me had not come to
claim it she would have had to pay
for 1t out, of her own pocket. He
usually telephoned just before the
rush, and Elaine had accepted the
risk of his not coming quite q dozen
! times.
Occasionally, as tonight, he would
try to get Il box, and If successful
would pay for both the box and the
stall. And he would show amazing
indecisions. Tonight she had no box
. to sell; the sole empty seat in the
house was the one she had retained
for him; and yet, in his rich, low
voice. he would keep talking about a
box, and also she had to repeat 10
him several times precisely where the
stall was in regard to the stage.
At length he paid, raised his hat
again and went off toward the audi
torium, followed by her benedictory,
sympathetic smile. The head door
man, his pocket gaping for the har-
vest Of sixpences which he would
shortly garner for putting patrons
into cars and taxis, winked at her
rather broadly, as if to indicate that
the dark gentleman was queer in the
head. But Elaine gently deprecated
the wink, seeing in the dark gentle
man a victim of hopeless love for a
Russian dancer.
!: :; :! =:
ELAINE had taken out the self
locking steel cash drawer from
it's niche, detached and hidden the
telephone and was about to disappear
through the little door behind the
counter when Rachel Gordon hurried
up, rather breathless, from some
where.
I'm the publicity lady" Rachel
would introduce herself to the new
artists in the wings and in dressin 6
rooms when she wanted material for
piquant dress paragraphs. She did
all the day-to-day publicity work for
the Rotunda. A pretty Jewess, with
full lips and eyes, waved hair, strik-
ing clothes, carefully tended COM
plexion and a general air of knowing
all that was worth knowing; not
quite young, but far from old. She
spent every evening in the theater,
and little in it escaped her attention.
Fec asked me to give you this
note" said she. I'm SO glad I've
caught you before you'd gone"
She handed the note, with a char
acteristic, sparkling glance that was
full of chicane and the spirit OF
plotting "Feow Thus she famil-
iarly referred to the great, the unique
Fedora. But, then, she managed TO
be very friendly with all, and she
could be highly useful even to the
greatest. AS Elaine read the note
she showed extreme astonishment 1t
ran:
My dear Miss Edar, 1 give a party
tomorrow night at the Fantasy Club,
some friends, dancing, fun. Will you
come? l do hope. Your obliged Fec. -
Indeed, the thing was enough to
astonish box-office girl. Your
obliged" Elaine knew what that re-
ferred TO. A fortnight earlier, when
a not uncommon state of war existed
between Fedora and Mr.. Walter
King, Fedora had been unable to get
two free seats for friends. She had
most particularly wanted those seats,
even if it should be necessary to pay
for them. But she was too naughty
to tell Mr.. King that she would pay
for them. and so she had herself run
around, furs and pearls and alias de-
scribed by Rachel for the presto
lat hnp
even though all seats were sold.
And Elaine. by methods known to
box office keepers only, had bestowed
upon her the two desired seats, and
Mr.. Walter King not penny the
wiser, Fedora, in the generosity of
her impulsive, poetic heart, had not
forgotten.
shall you Gomez" asked Rachel,
who evidently knew what was in the
scrawled note.
II haven't a rag to wear, an
swered Elaine, much flustered.
"Oh, stuff" observed Rachel, SIM
ply. You're always awfully well
turned out. Everybody knows that.
But evening wear" protested
Elaine, despite a secret mistrust of
Rachel.
"Oh, stuff" Rachel repeated.
Elaine could scarcely sleep that
night. 1t was an incredible happen
ing. She rose early to look through
her wardrobe.
THE Fantasy Club, scene OF Eco
l. dora's party, was in Goodge
street,, off Tottenham Court road
ElaineS had some difficulty in finding
it, since it's portal was hidden at the
end of a long covered passage and
showed no signs of festivity, but she
found Rachel Gordon in the cloak
room.
Rachel gave the names of sundry
high-brow novelists and painters and
musicians who regularly frequented
the club, and she said that in the art
of turning night into day they were
the greatest experts in London
Rachel laughed at the nocturnal pre-
tentiors of the more famous dancing
clubs; she scorned them as bourgeois
Any one could join them; but, accord
ing to Rachel, not any one could join
the Fantasy. You had to be some one
or the approved friend of some one
to be admitted to the Fantasy.
The dancing room was large, low
and very bare compared to the ornate
interiors Of the Rotunda- 1t had nc
decorations except electric lights in
Chinese lanterns, and the costumes OF
the ladies. These decorations, hows
ever, were extremely effective. The
room was full. Revelers were eating,
, drinking, dancing, chattering. laugh
ing and giggling with much gusto.
There's Feo's table," said Rachel
pointing to the biggest and busiest