New Britain herald. [microfilm reel] (New Britain, Conn.) 1890-1976, 1927-07-23

from its azure walls with waves and
goldfish painted upon them, and
from its deep sapphire-blue ceiling
studded with star-like electric
lights.
There was an orchestra that spun
out magic web of jazz music from
8 to Il o'clock six nights a week,
too; and a large pale-yellow floor
that was like clouds under hun
dreds of young rhythmic feet.
All of this splendor could be had
| for the small sum of cents a
dance and that, after all. was the
thing thas endeared THE Blue La
COON to the heart of young Mr..
| Ted Sloan. For, like millions of 9TH
er young men across this broad
United States, he wanted to show
his best girl good time on Satur-
day night and did not have much
money to spend doing it.
Moreover there could not be a
better place to spend an evening
from the viewpoint OF romance, For
everything about the Lagoon
| spelled romance with capital R
the soft lights, the low, disturbing
music. the hundreds of couples
drawn into each others warm, eager
young arms for the dance itself.
'Cherie-Cherie-m own"
Ted Sloan sang low In Sally's ear
as the orchestra beat out the slow
nf 10 If OF
last Saturday night in September,
My love is for you alone'-It is.
you know, Sally" His mouth was
against the dark cloud Of her hair.
"Oh, stop" said Sally sharply,
BE yourself, Ted" She was in no
mood for ove-making tonight of all
nights. She never was, in a mood for
Ted's caresses, for the matter of
that.
And how Ted answered short
ly and slangily. But he took his face
away from her hair and began to
whistle "Cherie' TO himself instead
of singing it longingly in her ear.
And that, Sally told herself thank
fully, vas a blessing.
She looked up at his face as the
music came to an end and they
! stopped dancing. II had lost its
| look of tenderness and was grim
and unsmiling
| There was something that ] was
going to keep to myself" he said,
unlocking his arm from hers and
putting one hand into his trousers
pocket. Put l don't think l will"
He drew a pink slip of paper
and a pale-blue one from his pocket.
He handed her the pink slip, and
she looked at it under the starry
lights in the blue ceiling. 1t was a
check for $l10 made payable to
Beauregard jerome, and it was
signed with Ted's name.
But I thought you said you lent
Beau only ten buckerinos." said
Sally trying TO speak lightly. But
fear, heavy and cold as chilled
steel, had settled down over her
heart.
Yes, I did" Ted answered. steer
| ing her through the crowd by her
shoulders. She hated the feeling of
| his hands on them, but she left
| them there. But he altered it -
and collected a hundred dollars
more,-Mcn have gone to Jail for
less. Sally"
Then, in the brightness of the
hall outside, he showed her the 9TH
or check-the pale blue one. 1t was
Beau's check, and it was for hun
drcd and ten dollars, too.
He gave me that check in pay
ment." Ted said coldly II told him
I'd say nothing if he'd pay me back
-. His check came back to me
marked N. S. f.. The dirty
crook"
What does N. s. F. meon?"
Sally asked mechanically, looking
down at the letters on Beau's check.
She had expected something like
this for weeks. But now that it had
actually come she was stunned.
ut means that he didn't have suf-
| ficient funds in the bank to cash
a check like that" the boy explain
ed. "He knew it when he gave 1t
TO me. He tried to 'gip' me twice.
Well, I'm not through with him, let
me tell you. I'll put him where he
belongs. I'd been months saving
that hundred dollars"
In the bright light his cookbook
ing face with its gray eyes and red
hair, seemed suddenly rat-like and
mean to Sally. Whether it was a
trick Of the lighting or whether it
really was rat-like at times. she
couldn't tell.
"Oh, Ted. you wouldn't do any
thing TOTO hurt Beau, would you?"
she asked. and unconsciously her
hands We're clasped on her breast as
if she We're praying. Her eyes We're
soft and bright and wide with fear
and her mouth trembled.
But Ted was not looking at her.
He was looking down at the two
slips of paper-the two frail bits Of
paper that could mean so much
agony AMI punishment to Beau.
Il don't know why I should be