Evening star., 1934-05-30
,re than his share OF disreputable

more than his share OF disreputable
deeds in his shady life span, out 10
the lonely girl he was VerltaoIe NE
saver. Obeying some obscure ana
unusual instinct OF decency. he had
not sought to modest the desperate
girl, had not permitted others 10 do
so. Perhaps he was Snowman enough
to realize the virginia. appeal she held
for the homesick aud homeless men
who nightly filled his cafe.
1t was due 10 Scalmininl's inSpira-
ton that she was booked as Ihe
Rose Of Shanehai'-a title which
soon became Shanghai Rose to the
regulars.
1t was at Billy Scalminini's that she
had met Harvey TherrOld.
Thinking back upon all this now,
Rose wondered il it were not because
he seemed so lonely that she had been
attracted to Harvey in the FIRST place
He had been alone the first time she
had seen him, a pathetic young hg-
ure. hunched over a cafe table. the
elaring electric light cleaning on his
Thick, fair hair. He had seemed more
alone, more unhappy. than she her
self. She had married him.
A hectic few months followed when
she. too. was caught up on the tide OF
recklessness which was sweeping Har-
yey through HE. II was vain TO at
tempt 10 check him. To go along
with Harvey. one must 60 al Harvey 5
pace. He drank heavily. He alterL
mated between moods OF feverlsh
gayety, when all men were. his friends.
when no scheme was too Wild OF IAN
tastic TO receive his enthusiastic In
dorsement, and moods OF blacklist de-
spair, when he hated and dlstrusted
the world. He flung money about
recklessly, squandering 1t upon the
adventurers who crowded about hlm
for their own ends. When Rose tried
to curb him it led to scenes so bitter
that she WINGED now as she brushed
them aside in her thoughts.
A child arrived to compllcate mat
tiers. They had named her Kathe-
rine. after Harvey's mother. name
soon shortened 10 the child's own
hsping Kitten" Harvey's money
was gone now. He was forced to
break through his stubborn pride and
appeal to his family for help. jeffrey
had sent a check. accompanied by
letter which burned Roses cheeks as
she recalled it. Harvey had cursed
the sender and torn up the letter.
But he had kept the check.
Bv the time it was exhausted Rose
had been able to return TO her old
lob at Scalmininis. Her love for
Harvey had lapsed into hopeless pity.
How could she leave him? He would
be so alone. He was as dependent on
her as Kitten was. . Nothing 10
do but See it through to the end. l..
She had not, however, expected the
end would come SO soon. Too close
to Harvey to realize how dissipation
had undermined his health. she had
not believed his illness dangerous. let
alone fatal. The pneumonia which
found Harvey an easy victim stunned
her with its suddenness.
When she cabled the news to the
Therrold family she was forced TO APP
peal to them for aid. The reply had
been a curt letter of Instructions TO
send Harvey's body home for DuI1al In
his native town. A check, generous
in size if not in spirit, had accom-
panied the message; the Therrold
manner of buying her off.
Beyond all doubt, Rose thought bit
terly now. as she reviewed it, JEFF
Therrold had thought he was through
with the annoying fact OF Harveys
wife and child. The amount would
have been sufficient to provide
modest livelihood for Kitten and her
self but for a matter which came TO
light with Harvey's death.
Frantic for money, made reckless by
drink. Harvey had forged check for
a staggering sum intended to capi
talize one of the wild schemes which
he was always certain would make
their fortune.
Recalling this now. Rose knew
again the mingled terror and anger
she had felt when Austin Deering had
come to her. threatening to expose
the fraud. Capt. August Deering,"
he had been called around Seal
minini's. where she had first known
him. Whether the title were real or
assumed she never knew; but she did
know of more than one shady deal in
which Austin Deering had been mixed.
A tall. -good-looking adventurer,
he had made advances to her when
she was dancing at Scalmininrs.
After her rebuff and her marriage his
manner had taken on an edge Of re-
sentiment and personal spite.
She had bought him off-an i'm