Plentywood herald. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1908-current, 1927-08-05

49,
md gestxred d~elicately. do these people
After his whirlwind finish, when he
had taken six bows. n the lights were
up again, Daphne turned to her unit.
What did I tell you, Camilla"
IF he's as fascinating as he looks
smiled Mrs. Haven. II don't wonder you
spend all your evenings In this place."
As Eddie Keedick, having changed to
a Dime jacket and a black bow tie,
came out from his small dressing room
the orchestra were quitting their stage
for an intermission. and a plump, bald
man with a detached ~saxophone strap
about his neck beamed at him.
"Hlo Keedick."
Hello" said Eddie vague.
Don't remember me, do you? We
played the same bill three years ago I
was with the Five Musical ManiaCs. I
just Joined this gang today"
How are your" said Eddie, shaking
hands.
Our act broke up last week." contin-
ued the plump little man. Say, who
d'you think / seen the other day? May
AcKay."
"Ohl' murmured Eddie, coldly.
1--WE played the bill with her In Chi
cago. May panied EN-. Sure can dance,
that gal. I see she's got herself @ new
partner"
"Yesq~ Eddie glanced away and the
expression in his large brown eyes was
not happy.
II always Said you two had the best
dance act In the country. Still. this new
fella she's got workin' with her amt 80
bad. Nice lookiu' boy"
Some friends waiting for me-" said
Eddie, turning toward the door. See
you again."
What's the matter with that Euy?"
complained the saxophone player to a
brother musician. HAS he got q svelled
head-or what2 Why, say, I remember
ain hen he didn't have two pairs Of
pantsl May Mckay. she taught him
everything he knows. An didja see the
way he high hats me when I mention 'er
name?"
AS Eddie Keedick walked away his
thoughts were not pleasant. garru-
lous vaudevillian's mention OF May Nc
Kay had cast q sudden shadow over the
expectancy he felt before going out to
sit at Daphne's table. After his canoe
he always sat at Daphne's table. He
paused, frowning. Somehow he die not
feel like going out there now. Why was
1t that hearing May McKay's name al
ways had such a peculiar. depressing ef-
feet on him?
He had not seen her since that unfor-
tunate night last summer when they had
quarreled. After the break she had gone
her way-and he, his. Her way led across
the country to the coast, playing the
Orpheum time-with a new dancing
partner. (He hoped her mother was still
travelling with herl) His own way, by a
queer streak Of luck, had brought him to
this-electric lights n two thousand
dollars q week. But why had that med
ding fool appeared out OF the past to
talk about May McKay-and spoil his
evening? He peered through the port
hole in the door. There was Daphne,
lovely Daphne, out there with her aunt
and q retinue OF men. But Eddie knew
that she would be paying scant attention
to the men-she would be waiting Tor
him. With an effort he banished pretty
May Mckay from his mind. He would
not have his evening ruined.
Pushing through the mirrored door, he
assumed the nonchalant off-stage man
ner that he had striven to achieve, and
Daphne's table. She greeted him with a
bright smile and waved an airy intro
duction toward her aunt.
How do YOU do?" said Eddie. bowling
with his most charming smile. In the
old vaudeville days he have said,
"Gladda meecha." In the accepted Iorm-
ula.
Camilla Haven, observing him intentiy,
sensed something Of this desperate effort
he was making to lift himself up by his
own bootstraps from the world of vaude-
Vile to the world OF fashion. II she
had expected to be amused by this dane
err she was disappointed, for during the
hour that he sat with them, In the in
termissions between dances, he conversed
quietly and conventionally and made but
two errors in grammar, which he hastily
corrected. There was no picturesqueness,
no flavor of vaudeville, to his speech and
II it had not been for the ~wistfulness OF
his wide, velvet brown eyes Camilla would
have dismissed him as dull. He seemed
to her not q romantic figure, as Daphne
regarded him, but rather almost a tragic
~figure-trying desperately to be some
thing he was not.
When Daphne was dancing with the
persistent Brumby and the two sleek
haired youths had taken themselves on
to somebody else's table for a drink, Ca
milla leaned forward on her elbows and
smiled at him. She was a >superbly
groomed woman in the late-but not
too late-forties. Her face. by the grace
Of God and a capable masseuse. was still
rosily young, and her short chestnut hair
clustered in natural curls. Only her
blue eyes told how weary she was of the
world. But they were smiling gently now.
II like you" she said to Eddie Keedick.
II like you" said he. He had learned
a sort OF daring honesty from these peo-
pie.
TELL me why you are doing-al thisp"
The abruptness OF the question startled
him. His eyes wavered. All what2" he
asked.
"All this" One hand gestured deli
cately to include the four walls of the
Club Parasol. do these people amuse
your"
Eddie felt q sudden impulse to put
aside all prctension and tell this woman