Plentywood herald. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1908-current, 1927-08-12

box of orchids that he could i'll afford
Tor the European trip had cost more
IMAM he dreamed. But Daphne appeared
10 De avoiding him, and at last 1T came
upon his consciousness that she no long
er wished TO be bothered. Camilla Haven
had told the truth. Daphne belonged to
a fashionable army Of thrill-hunters who
recognize only success. The season be-
fore Eddie Keedick had been a dancing
sensation; now he was just a hoofer out
OF a job. 1t was unbelievable that
Daphne had once seriously suggested a
city hall elopement. All that seemed
very far away now Well, he had been
only a novelty to Daphne-and she had
wearied Of him. Her Grove had never
really taken him in-they had merely
taken him u A glimpse of that
gilded world had one to his head. He
had made the mistake of taking it seri-
ously.
Then one rainy night as he stood in
the mud at a corner of Broadway, wait
ing for the traffic officers whistle, a
cleaning limousine passed close to him,
and in it he, saw Daphne and T. Winston
Brumby. They were laughing together,
and as their car swooshed past 1T spat-
tered mud on Eddie's trousers. That
night he walked for hours in the rain
and fought the demon Of despair in his
soul. He was not, he told himself, in
AOfc WIN DdplIts Ic1IdpS Ic NEVER udu
been. Certainly he had never cared for
her as he had cared for May Mckay. He
realized bitterly that he had been a
great fool. But now it was too late. He
had lost all around.
The night that Rigburg's new revue
Right You Arel" opened, Eddie waited
till the audience was inside, with the
first act well under way, then he crept
up to the box office and purchased an
admission only" ticket and edged in
among the throng OF B~roadwayers stand
ing at the back Of the theater. From
the first moment his profession instinct
told him that the show was lover"
Laughter was loud and applause thun-
derous. They liked it. But Eddie found
himself trembling. In the lobby he had
seen a large colored portrait of pretty
May Mckay. And the portrait was smil-
ing. That smile had done something to
him.
Then she came on-with her new dane
ing partner-and Eddie saw, %unhappily
that he was tall, and blonde, and good
looking. But 1t was May Mckay, lovelier
than ever. in a glittering gown Of gold
whose dancing thrilled them. Eddie fol-
lowed her flashing steps with fascinated
eyes. This was a new dance-somethine
she had herself invented-and so feet
SAAN& iiia1il ilAat IL JAACd Z
sat up. Eddie had never heard such ap-
plause after a dance number. Then May
Mckay came on alone and danced hel
old waltz, that gorgeous, graceful waltz
he had SO often watched from the wings
in vaudeville. "They" had never seen II
on Broadway and they cheered 1t. May
Mckay was a hit-a woW-a panic. Eddie
And tingling with a queer chaos OF emo
tions, he stole out of the theater lust
before the finale.
Well, she had made the big jump from
vaudeville to Broadway and she had put
1t over. He fell glad about it-terribly
glad-for her sake. May was a square
kid, the squarest he had ever known
She deserved the clamorous acclaim thai
would be hers after tonight. Her dancinf
showed that in the past year she hao
been working hard at new steps. He hao
not worked. And yet, a year ago he. him
self. had enjoyed this same intoxicatior
of success. But the Broadway gods were
tickle. Sometimes they handed a guy G
queer break. In a week or two now his
money would be gone and he would be
forced to go back into vaudeville, taking
whatever booking he could get. Funny
how things happened. May Mckay hae
just come out Of vaudeville. If only he
hadn't been such a fool a year ago, thai
quarrel would never have occurred-they
would have been dancing together to.
night; this would lave been their tri.
umph. But now he was out Of it.
Without realizing, he had walked near.
ly two miles down Broadway, and as hi
glanced up he found himself in front O.
a little all-night restaurant. Many {
time in the old days he and May anc
Mays mother had come here for supper
after the show. He went In. The place
was quite deserted, and he walked bach
to the little curtained alcove where they
often used to sit. May. he remembered
always ate a baked apple. Drawing aside
the curtains, his hand trembled, almos'
as If he expected to see May Mckay sit.
ting there. But the table was empty, anc
as he sat down alone he smiled bitterly
at his own foolishness. After such a tri.
umph as hers tonight, she would be of
supping with q gay crowd at some night
club. Men OF the world OF fashion woulc
find ways Of being presented to her. She
would be invited everywhere. Eddie knew
the game.
Even the old waiter who had Sc otter
served them was gone. A ~listless younf
Greek came and took his order and dis.
appeared. Alone n lonely. Eddie saf
there while haunting memories cloudec
about him. He remembered one nigh
when he and May had come herewith.
out her mother. All that day they hac
I btINf WOlH "a RSlAtSkAhb "a Va
step that May had invented, and they
had sat here till nearly two, hand IL
hand, tired but happy, and dreaming
rosy dreams Of the day when they woulc
be the greatest dance team In the world
OF a sudden the curtains parted-anc
May Mckay stood there. Eddie Blinked
Perhaps his mind was playing tricks or
him. But not was May Mckay In ar
orchid evening frock and a crimson wraI
with a billowy collar of white fox, anc
she stood there, staring at him as II sht
were seeing a ghost. Then he heard hel
speak.
II don't believe it!' she said incredu
lously In that slightly husky voice hi
knew so well.
He stood up. His heart was humping
absurdly and he seemed unable to sa.
anything.
IF it isn't the pet Of society himself
In person-not a moving picture" Shit
smiled now, but there was an ironit
CLEAN in her gray eyes. DO you remem
Der me? Or shall I introduce myself
I'm the little girl you used to dance
with"
He looked away and May Mckay saw
. that she had hurt him, but mercilessl.
she went on, burlesquing q society. &C
cent, as If reading from q fashion jour
nal: Mr.. Edgar Keedick, one OF New
York's most eligible bachelors-formerl.
! booked solid on the vaudeville circuit
will spend the winter in Palm Beach
, Well, well. WE'LL" dropping the societ.
3 accent, 1.-THE amateur gentleman The,
tell me you're going to marry one OF tn
} greatest"
IT YOU only came here to laugh q