Evening star., 1934-06-09
SHANGHAI ROSE
By ANNE FORESTER
author OF Spite Wife"

"I'll get Bill Price" he announced
with decision. You'll like Bill. Rose,
and he'll like you. He's got wild. dark
voice like honey dropping off a
spoon And" he finished softly,
as though to himself, hes Incl
dentally the best editorial writer the
Mercury ever had"
His cleaning blue eyes and forceful
gayety were again asserting them
selves.
And we'll get Bills girl. Can't
have old Bill without Bessie. Rather
a mess, Bessie, but she'll amuse you
if nothing else will. AS for the other
couple-let's see-I might get the
McClOudS-"
Tell me about them" Lottie de-
manded with satisfying interest. Il
declare, I'm all of a-twitter" She
had left her beloved cards and come
out to the porch. her blue eyes glow
ing with childish delight in the pink
expsnse of her face.
Larry laughed.
George McCloud," he said, "is the
high bright light of Forty-second and
Broadway-when he's at home, which
isn't often. Looks like dub. Tent
city trousers, ball-and-chain waist
coats and wears tight little hats with
no brim. He's a sketch but
George" he added again. with a
hint of something wistful in his
eyes, "is undoubtedly the highest
salaried sports writer this side of New
York today"
George got wife?" demanded
Lottie the literal
You would think of that" Larry
said with a reminiscent grin. And
maddeningly forebore to say more.
Georges wife, they gathered. would
undoubtedly have to be asked. But
it would be worth it, just to have
George.
No matter what hour he arrived in
the evening, Larry always took metic-
ulous care that he ratified away in
the noisy flivver somewhere in the
neighborhood of 10 o'clock-under the
watchful eye of Mrs. Basset opposite
and the quivering front window
shades of the Slade cottage next door.
Cant have the good souls getting
all hot and bothered about your Uncle
Larry" he explained, with an elab-
crate carelessness that deceived no
one Not to mention ST. Luke. Tch,
tch. tch! when I think what would
happen to st. Luke's arteries if ever
he heard of any one calling on lady
after 10 o'clock"
"Blue-nosed old he-gossip," Bertha
Harris had characterized Luke Hewitt
to Rose. with venomous ferver so
unlike her usual placid manner that
Rose had wondered. Always seeing
wrong where nobody else does
sanctimonious old crow!"
Larry, himself, had characterized
the man in a somewhat more pithy
fashion. Some one" he had said
on one occasion, "has described man
as an indecent incident in the life
of one of the meaner planets Well,
that's what most people feel like when
Luke Hewitt gets through with them
of a morning!" His usually laughing
eyes held an odd light. How should
love to take him out some night and
get him soused to the gills! I'd do
IL. Ilc lullSllCo ICllCStlNCly, oAAAy
I'd be finding myself from then on
with more time on my hands than
a man with two wrist watches"
You mean-youd lose your job?"
Rose asked.
Lady, you said it. Liquor and Luke
just don't mix"
Rose had had a glimpse once OF
this employer of Larry's. A swift
vision of long, narrow face, beetling
brows and an expression of satirical
malice hard to describe. But why
Larry, the debonnair, usually SC
f1auntingly independent. should seem
approval, Rose was at loss to under
stand.
Its his job," Bertha had said en-
lighteningly. Larry Morgan's got
his heart plumb set on buyin' a
newspaper somewhere. I don't know
when. but I do know it means a
terrible lot to him, Miz' Therrold
Larry we'll, Larry's just Gods
own good salt earth: but he aint
never seemed to be able to keep a
job before this one. Way get it
he's sort of making this a test for
himself. Says If he can't hang onto
this job. he's going to give up tryin'
All of us has been tryin' to help
him"
The advent Of a drummer, demand
ing his morning ham-and-eggs had
cut short these condolences, leaving
Rose to wonder anew. To ask Larry
himself was something she could not
bring herself to do. 1t was his bust
ness, and years Of living in a profes-
sion which respects the privacies oi
!