The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1927-08-29
Tale
OfLOve and
Thrills
By RAYNER sEELIG
CHAPTER /

yHIS is q story that is
told IN the restaurants of
Broadway, especially by
ladies of the chorus. They
tell il Understandings and
obviously, too, for it is . ro-
mantle story such a story as
any Of them would gladly
have for her own.
Indeed, it is q story Of one
who was for a time in the
chorus Of a famous revue /;
the story Of Rebecca 0Brien
McCloskey, child Of the ghet-
to and Of the great White
Way called Broadway, and it
is also the story of John Car
roll Estabrook, third, Of the
Maryland Estabrooks.
What Happened Before
It is necessary, however,
that it should be also to some
extent the story Of what hap
pened before they met, for
history has recorded some
black pages in the life of.
Becky McCloskey, black
pages on which are Inscribed
such words as hunger, and
cold, and want. And history
has also inscribed on those
early pages, as well as on
later ones, the name Of Dan
Scarlet, called the Dande-
lion.
So it is with Dan Scarlet
that we walk toward Fifth Ave
nue., in the city Of New York,
ct 8 o'clock on a New Year
Eve that was cold and bleak,
and cut with an icy drizzle.
Dresses For His Part
Scarlet walked toward the
avenue because he had put on
Fifth Avenue clothes and be-
cause he wished them 60 be seen
and appreciated. The pinch-back
suit and checked cap familiar
i to- certain q1axtars west of
Broadway were locked iii Scar
let's wardrobe. Tonight he
wore i stupendous raccoon coat
and his gray felt hat was pitched.
at an angle exactly in accord
ance with the tips Of his waxed.
blonde mustache.
New Year Eve and the huge
stone quadrangle that was Beld-
ing's department store was dis
gorging its hoard Of employees.
Scarlett watched them with a
faint contempt girls in mended
stockings and high heels run
down and aslant. He glanced 1T
his own shoes brown, shining,
and waterproof. He wiped q
4 silk handkerchief. He turned
up his collar and reflected, while
waiting, upon the gracious
warmth of his coat.
Admiration ROuses Pride
Mr.. Scarlet could very well
have progressed, thick as the
throng was, but he remained.
tapping his stick. and swelling
with pride at the glances Of half
envious admiration which were
his tribute from weary eyes. The
line of girls was thinning now.
The laughter and chatter had
ceased. Shuttle of tired feet,
mummur of wind from the North
river, pid-pad of rain drops. The
girls who emerged now went
off with tagging footsteps, and
Scarlet construed their story.
Taken on for the. holiday rush
and now-New Years Eve and
the holiday rush over-laid off
again.
The last knot of figures dis
persed, and the street was empty
again. The wet. stone stairs
cleaned coldly in the flicker of
the corner street lamp. Scarlet
swung his walking stick and
prepared to go on.
And then he saw it. There, on
the stairs, just beyond the sickish
yellow glow of the light. It
might have been a bag, a black
sack. not stuffed very full, either.
But Scarlet, being person who
lived by his wits, recognized it
at once as the figure Of girl
with her knees drawn up, and
her head bowed on her knees.
Girls Grief ROuses Him
And, If this dismal and desolat,
sight was not enough to- spoil the
merriment of New Years Eve, a
low. but unmistakable sound, a
sort of repeated gurgle. came
from the dark mass.
Now Mr.. Scarlet was supersti
tious, so although he would have
prsferred going by, and putting
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