ng, a sort of slow panic to escape from this finished place and move on to the next event

struggle. In the lazy ooze-out of the crowd he was gradually shunted to the side of Persis, and willing e

d to, for she could not have helped hearing, yet showed no sign. And now Forbes recapt

ther. "She's got a sister who's a Countess or Marquise, or something." Then Forbes learned by ro

Enslee with h

uess

y call that big fe

joke,

worth twenty mi

look

mensely to be called so far out of his name and

they assume that any man who was with Persis Cabot was sur

w him for what he was, the situation was intolerable. Marry this dream o

hat the women in front were inspecting her with even more brazen curiosity. It astounded Forbes to see such well-dressed people behaving so peasantly. But Persis seemed as oblivious of their study as if they

ndant at the switchboard a punctured carriage check,

tor slid up and slid away as soon as its number had been bawl

chest. But Persis stood with throat and bosom naked to the wind, and to all those staring eyes, and never thought to gather about her even the flimsy aureole of chiffon that took th

other people's numbers, held up a timid fi

was evidently rich enough to afford a shabby car. The three women bent their heads and

orbes should not be omitted. Ignoring his protests, he bundled him into one of the little extra seats and crawled i

his head

u want to g

rse," came from t

don't

home and go

to the chauffeur dolefully, then app

s to be no

ost," said Winifre

on my lap," s

set him there. The footman, reassured by the tip in his hand, grinned

bes noted that they were as informal and good-natured as yokels on a hay

n left the theater when

omebody, quick-

oduced a concaved golden case an

y God, it

have some. Give us a ligh

llie had a c

't you think you

was, "Murray,

d Willie in the arms of the big man while he fumbled in his waistcoat for a book of matches and passed

: "It's so conspicuous holding a match to you

don't mind I don't. I fancy these cigarettes of you

service he performed for the other eager women, and the three were soon puffing the clos

cigarettes; but it was an ostrich-like concealment, and Forbes could see other women in other cabs similarly e

e melancholy Ten Eyck, fallen ill there on a jaunt around the world, that his courtesy in the wilderness would be repaid with usury in the metropolis. Nor had he learned from Te

midnight he was literally in the lap of beauty and chummin

reets were filled with all sorts of vehicles till they threatened the sidewalks. Guiding a car there

escribing a short curve, came to a stop. A

p with somebody, I don't know my own legs." Like a wise man of Gotha

re not!" sa

en Eyck, then Forbes. Ten Eyck dropped into the gutter the three lighted cigaret

p and read with difficulty a great sign in

f other cars. Ten Eyck led the flock into a narrow hall, and filled the small elevator with as many

they spoke, and then so plebeian that their own beauty seemed to fl

never sor before,' and I come back at him, 'If you was a gempmum you'd 'a'

t no trust in them kind of Johns. Beside

a crowded anteroom. While they waited for the car to descend and rise again with the rest of the party the wo

ings the seven climbed a crowded staircase into an atmosphere ri

hrob of it. They could not see the danc

of the mob, he was pitifully regretful at losing Mr. Ensle

regain the wraps and coats and hats, and make two

the Plaza or some place

d a tango if I have to hunt

t had the car recalled, and

s," she said; and they h

eber's," Winifred pouted. "I was dying to s

ted by now to ask: "Pardon my i

is dancing between the tables at the Café de Paris or the Pré-Catalan with some girl or other. Then s

g in theaters and restaurants and

y makes fifteen hundred to two thou

would you marry me, P

ourselves. You dance as well as he does, and y

engaged," sa

fellow with an income equal to five pe

fred. "You get several times as much, and y

d," said Mrs. Neff. "He

aid Bob. "Instead of Willie working for

e he sleeps,"

as earning as much in a week as the government paid him in a year, after all his training, his

nks gold rained where pennies dribbled into Forbes' meager purse. And it was not a precarious salary such a

e air grew oppressive. He felt like a tenement waif patronized for a moment on a whim, and likely to be tossed back to his poverty at any moment. He wanted to get out before he was put out. The very luxuries t

it was welcome. Forbes moved to escape. But he was kept prisoner while Bob was sent as an

difficulty, and went to Bustano

re. To think of us going about like a gang of beggars pleading to be taken in an

e," said Persis. "T

ecorated with winged bulls and other Assyrian symbols. The huge space of the restaurant was a desert

ed Persis and her cohort up t

ar, "If you don't get us a table h

nd indicated the crowd inside and the crowd outside. Willie fumbled in his pockets, and his hand slyly met

oached the captain with the pouting appeal of

, "you've got to

tz. "Do you weesh to seet and watch the

o dance,"

it. I shall lose me my poseetion, and he will tear down the beeldin

rope. The barrier was removed, and they were within the sacred