The evening world. Newspaper, September 14, 1914, Page 13

BEGTE 4 FOGHO HG ONGYHS (Copyrigtit, 1913, by Louis Joseph Vance.) CHAPTER 1. disconsolate girl. Uberation which suggested that notice the woman in the doorway. whistle—his head cocked critically to one side, ‘Th “Tsay! What's the matter?” kerehief, terrogator. A man * * She nous a ceased instantly to cry and shrank fort. * . hastily out of his way, into the full nothifg, but eyed him with furtive subdued murmur of voices, “Bee he! "he the bell.” "Oh!" ho said thoughtfully — “You wanted to see Miss Dean — yes! ~poised in indecision. “Please do sit down,” oughly the door after 12 o'clock, you know: [ong table. She says people have no right to call in that, too, you know.” He wagged "émember, Joan sank back, his head earnestly. her parted lips. concluded with animation. sympathetic, if something original. shadow—a keen, strongly Joan found courage to inquire: face with deep-set eyes “Miss Dean? Ah . . with her — what?” “Yes, very!” the girl insisted eagerly. light in color, "m. sorry eee her!” “I'm sure she's in, then!” the man prat, at least. They're not declared in accents of profound con- back for several weeks. vietion. “Possibly asleep. But. at Rope 2a home. © positively!” He Inserted a Pier ves wide and dark key in the lock and pushed the door may, told him? too. plainly open. “If you don't mind coming in waa. She made no effort — out of the weather — I'll see.” Joan eyed him doubtfully. The light was indifferent, a mere glimmer “Please don't hurry; you from the corner lamp at Elghth a’ sternation, moved as {f to He wore a Panama hat with dark place to sleep to-night?” clothing. His attitude was more ex- man with whom she hadas yet come = * into contact; she could detect if it no’ no pice to sleep?" 6 least trace either of condescension or STaclously. of an ingratiating spirit. Te was. mostly through fatigue and helpless bewilderment that she at you haven't—have you?” length yielded and consented to: pre- “ “No 1 naven’ cede him into the vestibule. Here he “But what's that—" opened the inner doors, ushering Joan into a hallway typical of an old auavely. “But Td be sorry admitted. “I'm sorry. . —when there's no reason need be," “No reason! i PSY ing if she ha He led the way to the rear of the all. hall, where, in the shadow of the etaircase, he unlocked @ door and di lescent. . “If you'll be good enough to follow she echoed, the green lamp-shade until strong glow flooded her He moved through the darkness millar ground. In che middle of the that, and curiosity. room a match spluttered and blazed, with @ slight plup! a gas drop lleht that seomed not at with a green shade leaped magica‘ly +1 seo no reas! sithouette of a tall, spare figure hend- | merely dropped in to get presently grew strong and even, dif- on the door. fusing a warm and steady g! the green penumbra of its shade, sidering tho circumstances, The man turned back with his after a good rei quaint alr of deference. “Now, if make up your mind whe you don't mind sitting down and ,, fog Sry waiting a minute, I'll ask Madame 149 smiled with a vagu Duprat about © Miss—ah— your ested geniality, and added Of course, “Miss Dean--Maisie Dean.” “Thank you.” ‘With this he left the girl, and pres- she demi 3 2, led hotly. know. But it wagn’t suc! Bhe found @ deeply cushioned arm- eas—now was it?” chair and subsided into it with a wigh. ‘The intensity of her weariness Muttered sulkily. He ran his long fingers with her. Her very wits shirked the of Leds pene labor of grappling with the problem “I can’t quite tell, m, of'what she should do if Maizle Dean yj. aan h mY faulty) s! were not at home. * * * Job to-day: Wondering incoherently, she stared in the same store with me. apout her. The rich, subdued glow of the shaded lamp suggested more than it revealed, but she was im- pressed by the generous proportions stood on a long, broad table littered not go home to-r With a few books and a great many UP—or Is there? Papers, inkstands, pens, blotters, ashtraye, pipes; all in agreeable dis- “Probably 1 don’ he ing machine. thes if you want to ge two immense black walnut book- jji¢ you. My name is John the cony. Joan grew sensitive to an anody- The Even Joan Thursday - [ HE atreet was all but empty. For some time none remarked the Then a man, with a handbag but without an umbrella peared from the direction of Longacre Square, walking with @ d was either indifferent to or uaconscious of the rain. Turning up the steps of No. 289, he jingled absently @ bunch of keys, Not until he had reached the platform of the stoop did he Promptly he halted, lifting his brows and pursing his lps in a noiselen: through the waning tempest of her grief Joan Thursday heard Gulping down a sob and dabbing hastily at her eyes with a sodden hand- jo caught through a veil of tears a blurred impression of her in- here of quiet and .com- Drowsily she heard a quiet knock. ewing of wind and rain. She said ing at some door upstairs; then a distruat. He made no offe. to move. ing of a door, footsteps returning expos.ulated. down the long staircase. When these “You're in trouble, Anything J can last sounded on the tiled flooring the do? girl spurred ber flagging senses and she said, with a catch In Sot up in a sudden flutter of doubt, y I — 1 wanted to @nxiety and embarrassment. The but nobody answered man entering the room found her so — quietly, with a smile that carried ro. as though he considered this a thor- “88Urance; and, taking her compll- actory explanation. “But ®C¢e for something granted, passed Madame Duprat never does answer ©" to another armchair near tho With a doollity and total absence of on us after midnight. ‘There's a lot ‘“strust that later gurpriked her to “Really!” he @uent with the question, unuttered by Her host, lounging, turned to her a His voice was pleasant, his manner face of which one half was in dense whimsical and thoughtfi “Do you think — perhaps — sh® mouth thin-lipped but pS ht be in?” wide, He rested an elbow on the ; Miss Dees iad, tarusting elentie Ree ee i" ie Ble ingers up int + 1 infer you “ave hair ‘straight, not long, and bather i ; to have to report," he 28S0e6 * or... I must & gently, “that ‘The Dancing If I could only see her Deana Maelo she Mant or ee 80 your road. So I'm informed by Mme. Du- you are nat greatly disap- He detained her with a gesture, She stared In surprise and puszied | “Bi A resentment. A warm wave of color trust me with all your things: plicitly impersonal than that of ANY tem--varily cisplaced her pallor. dropped his hand to the tabi “Perhaps I was impertinent,” he >anged t she said sharply. and for a moment stood’ doubt! Without warning the man tilted script. I think you'll be quite com- ing low to adjust the flame, which frais here—and there's a good bolt ‘s below converitional, but I hope you'll be kind enough to overlook that, con- be wiser to stick to your first plan friend—" ‘Now don't say no!" when. he saw that the girl had lkewise risen. “How do you know I've left home?” writer behind the closed door to his “Well"—his smile broadened—"de- had made her move into a hall bed- duotive facuilty—Sherlock Holmes— ently she heard his footsteps on the Dupin—that sort of tommyrot, you room at Mme, Duprat's the day after “{ don't see how you knew,” sbe fancied The drop-light Itself Moda tinie of the room; @ drop-light Itsel ‘i re wy you should me Ha aR ey ‘morrow "ne patch At her the cost of an evening meal by in. ing NOIesser008 PEODOOGOOHUNGS: the clot he said eyes elo- modelled at once topping here won't incon- piece me sa the least.” 3 * ie a LC up @ mass of! apers expected from the table, folded them hastily aud se T thrust them into a coat pocket. nighnat manuscript 1 was after. Good ” vids o t= with ate. 2ught io hope you'll be comfor that she — Before the amazed to speak, herseif he had his irl could collect and handbag but after an instant of dumb con- and was already in the hallway. rise, She ran after him. “But, Mr. Matthtas—” needn't, He glanced hastily over his shoulder you know. Of course, {f you must, I while fumbling for the night latch. won't detain you; the door ts open, nue; but {t enabled her to see that he y,,, way clear to the street, ut was passably tall and quite slender. wh.t are you going to do about a “1 can't let you"—— “Ob, but you must—really, you had the door op “But why do c how can you “Tut!" he said reprovingly ‘om the t makes you #o sure I’ t yestibule—“nothing there but play ‘asked. tat ‘scripts, and they not worth anything. You can’t get anybody to produce ‘em. He lifted his shoulders slightly and 1 know, because I've tried.” i. He closed the inner door and uter behind him. Joan, on the point of pursuing to the street, paused in the vesttbul + . But Then, with a bewildered look, “As you quite reasonably imply, it’s Teturned slowly to the back room, nothing to me,” he Interrapten shut herself in, and shot the bolt. to think | On the platform of the stoop, Mr. order of dwelling, now happily ob0- of you out there—alone—ih the rain Matthias delayed long enough ty tren why you UP his coat collar for the better pro- tection of his Mnen, and surveyed wonder- With a wry grin the slashing rush misjudged him after Of rain through which he now must needs paddle unprotected, “Queer thing fo fellow to do,” he a broad, mused dispassionately. face. A “Daresay I am a bit of an asa, I co a tigne” 2BAFK of indignation kindled: In the might at least have borrowed my ute’ I'll make a " girl while she endured his brief, im- OWn umbrella. But that would hard- “Half a min nal, silent examination, Sheer ly have been consistent with the from ris- egregious insanity of the perform- with the assurance of one on old, M- ing “and walking out of the room— ance, “IT wonder why I do these awful He replaced the shade, and got out things? Jf T only knew, perhaps I of the chair with a awift movement could reform.” a Running down tho steps, he set ,"" he announced out at a rapid pace for a hotel, which out of the obscurity, discovering the coolly. “I've got to run along now— in due time received and harbored a@ manu- him for the night, very un- CHAPTER II JOR several days the girl had And & haunted the stairs, the hall if wont and doorstep, alert to way- lay Matthias, before sud- denly she sbecame aware disinter- that it was long since she had either Pleading caught a glimpse of him or heard the syncopated murmuring of the type- back parlor. Memory of Matthias a she had met him. But not once since then had she set eyes on him. She was now close upon the end of once or the fortnight's residence in the hall was indeed @ very serious matter twice through bis huir in @ manner bedroom; before long she would have to murrender another four dollar, a week's rent in advance. Of the twen- ty-two dollars with which she had left home, eight remained in her purse, By She told dint of adhering to a diet largely vege vee tarlan she had managed without se- nous discomfort to keep within an ex, they penditure of four dollars per week for it tooa. And twice Maizie Dean had saved viting her to dine out-at the expense She gulped convuisively: "You of friends in “the profession.”, But a concedea, COMtnuance of such favors was not to order, Beyond this table was one “Still, things may ‘look very much be counted upon, and the problem of . otherwise in the morning. They gen- staaller, which supported a typewrit- Craliy'do, 1 notice. One goes to hed was one serious and importunate, al. Against the nearer with reluctance and wakes up with # ways assuming she would fall to se. wall stood a luxurious, if worn, headuche.. All that sort ef shia, leather-covered couch, There were !f you'll liste 49 t23 = Bint da. Shebad no resources ih any way do. living @ fourth week away from home cure work before her money ran out Matthias, péhdable; she possessed nothing worth cases. The windows at tho back dis- My trade is writing things-—plays, Pawning, and Maizie Dean had taken closed a #ection of iron-railed bale mostly, | know tt sounds foolish, but 1 hate exercise. 1 live-—sleep, is—ah—elsewhere—-down the She was willing to do anything inex- ‘This 1s merely my workroom. pensive for @ budding sister artiste, occasion to make it clear that, while HOME OHUOOODEGOSSS ee a) gazi e. Monday ‘© co} TERK 1OONNNC I VOEE her tolerance would stop short of financial aid. “Take it from me, dear,” she an- nounced soon after their first meet- ing, “there ain't no people in the world quicker to slip you a live tip than folks in the business; but you gotta make ny your mind to pay your own keep. They work too hard for their coin to give up any with- out a howl.you could hear from here to Hollum; anyway, everybody's always broke inthe summer, If you don't 4d somewhere before you; cash runs low.you. might Just 's wi make up your mind to slip back jnté the chaingang,behind the counter.” She had deVeloped--or changed— amazingly In the brief ‘period of her § public career. Joan experienced difficulty in recognizing in her the warmhearted Ir.sh girl Who had in- itlated her into the dutfes of sales- woman in the stocking department, She had hardened more than super ficially; she was now ag artificial ab her make-up, ag the ;hue of her ashen hair: The world to her wasa desert threaded by “circuits,” life an arid waste of “open tim: unctuated with oases of “booking and the fountainhead of temporal power was located in the innermost sanctum of the United Booking Ottices, Joan's idie hours, both day and eve- ning, she grew accustomed to waste in the double bedroom U'second floor front") occupied by the Dancing Deans. c At times tbo aoi-disant sisters were rarely without company, Seldom did a day pass but they, entertained sev- 1 callers, with all of whom’ they seemed to be on terms of the. most candid intimacy, So Joan grew accustomed to being the sisters’ room, with a formula hat varied little with repetition: “Why, if it ain't the kid! Hello, arie—come right in id stop awhile, Say, Iis'n: want you to shake hands with my fri Charlie Quard. L guess you hnow who Charite is, all right; you must of seen him of'n—played leading juveniles with the Spangler Stock, I dunno how long. Charlie, this is my little friend, Miss Thursday the business I trust toin’ to be before long. Just lookin’ round.” ‘Well, Ll) wish ou luck, Miss fi Thursday. This is the rottenest sea- son I ever struck, There's eighty people for every job that blooms, Why, yunno, Maisie, I was. talking only sterday to Percy Williams, and Perey said"—— About this time Joan would ordl- narily be forgotten, and th would rattle on through & cloud of cigarette smoke, wh! sat and listened with grave if not al- ways comprehending attention, And in this manner she met and grew familiar'with the persofialities of an astonishing crew of minor 's, dancers, pat~ ter comedians, balladists, coon shout- ers, performers on weird musical iIp- struments, monologists, and an un- including a liberal sprinkling of p! actors and actresses, the pendulums of whose lives alternated between small parts in popular price stock companies and smaller parts in so-called dramatic sketches presented in vaudeville houses.. Of all the population of this new world, perhaps the most prominent in her eyes, aside from the saltatory sisters, was Mr, Quard; or, to. give him the fullest benefit of the printed cards, which (detaching them dex- terously from the perforated edges by which they were held in an imitation leather cover) hi istributed regard= less of expensd. r, Chas. Harbor- ough Quard, Spangler Stock. Coy Brooklyn, Varlety Artists’ Club, New York." He was a@ long, rangy animal, ro- bustious, romantical, with a taste in the qu Mi that crew face was large, open, boldly featured, his smile genial, his laugh constant and unctuous. Something less than thirty, he had heen on the stage since childhood; with the training of an'ac- tor of the old school, ha combined tm- PPDWDDDPOGOHDOHOOOPSOGHHGOODHOGOOPOGOOTODOH/.NGOSHOGOS GOaVSUA A Complete Novel Each Week in The Evening World The Story o! a New York Uiri’s Struggles to Make Good 4s an Acires. ency, it was four or five days later be- fore ghe saw Quard again. Ho called talk b early in the evening—but after din- landed anything yet? ner—and sat chatting amiably with the women for upward of an hour before the real purpose of his visit Make to you, Yunno that fetch I jounced auddenly, y Y. terday ‘and read it to bim, touch tty end nate ath before he'd says he can get me four or five weeks who slipped mo that other Temon, t DOOKIng at least if 1 can put it over told him merrily where he could go you?" and went home and wrote it mynelf* "You didn't!” Maizio exclaimed still mystified, "You bet your life I did, jolin modesty. reat stunt, writing: and besides it’s all old junk {he,first things you gotta learn in thie I've done before, only hashed up a All I had to do was to cop, lines out of shows I've played in —sure-fire stuff, yunno—and write in names of characters. Tha Disregarding protests he drew a manuscript from his pocket and began to read aloud. His voice was floxible and sonorous; instinctively he decl poke al hog h its ay Lue. Now and again he lent emphasis to a phraso with an eloquent ‘hand. | But 10, SE PR Ne Be earns to Joan the composition was quite ” incoherent. She attended with won- With summonelse Just like you, GIDODOUSSGIGOS: the Dean: It was, In fact, mined the: adi fo of the rspired freely. ceeds ting gave the thing became a trifle, a mere trifle, more BE beldpnpe ls ‘pene sty coat, yelled Impresmively beneath pink: 1can teach you, Now the most Ioan ped ‘When he lifted an count on dragging down for this act arm, the clinging sleeve moulded it- 1s sixty a week. self to an admirable biceps. As he of that for myself. thin summer bt itself leaves twenty for. ert It ain't much, thin summer trousers shaped pains muok stron# teeth. hair curled jenga; ples and over*h! His jet-black ingly at his tem- about acting—anyway, I know enough generous pink ears, to show you how to put across any- She liked ‘hin. big, mtiscular, mobile thing you'll have to do in this piece, She started suddenly, to discover that-he trad concluded and was fac- ing her with an Sipectant expres ie ce and sat up and emt intly, A with embarrassment, trying to re- to-night you can ‘start in learning. member what it had all been about. To-morrow we'll drawied languid): is that the fin- pat, we'll let Schn er she opened the door. Quard waved an arm. he said; and s: thoughtfully. die laughed uncomfortably: “As self to make @ wonderful chaser,” Mazie commented without lifting her eyes from the counterpane. Quard turned Miss Thursday * ‘I think 80 too, the animation other women ed and adde: desperately back to 0 you think of it, trick of stage-craft or to detail with I don’t know what standing of the nature of the a! so long as it eats till something else turns medium of a brief soliloquy. Enter (CHAPTER III. JN that day when she discov- serving tim ered the disappearance of Share now!" John Matthias, the house later than had jit wont, and re- —Quard.) turned earlier, after a faint-hearted abortive attempt to interview ratuitous box of property ciga the stage manager of a now musical out shadow of excuse, husband Production then being assembled to cused wife of Infidelity, Indignant rehearse against an early opening in “enials; wife exhibits portrait of The Deans were out place to Ko other than to her bare him I fought my was and lonely room, and she felt uncom- A ladder; he h monly hopeless and friendiess. Sub- reserve, a8 a last hope, an appeal to hand the generosity of Matthias. He was fuses her offer of assistance: Toward evening she steps on the stairs September 14; 1914 1 FOGOOOGE By Louis Joseph Vance CVHIOQDODIH’GOS HGHSD16 9999S soDIQEOTAOIECR GOOHTG® 4 HTODOHOOSE DOOHT NT IG OHs ® mense vitality, an ample, dashing alr, enviable self-complac: perament of a tomcat. Any competent stage director could swered to find Quard on the thres- have made much out of him; but in an hold. @ age when managers cast thelr pro- auctions with types who “look” thelr thoughts, Darts in preference to pinyers who can speechless, act them, he found few chances to demonstrate his ability outside the actor genially. “Can I came in?” cheaper stock organizations; for the only character he was physically glance round the poor little F fitted to portray was that of an actor. deposited his hat upon the bed an An ill-starred impulse had lod him himself beside it. Leaving the door bis latest stock connection in open and murmuring some Adventure in vaudeville with late response, Joa &@ one-act sketch written to his order her one chair. by @ hack manufacturer of such trash, Ita “try-out week” » they paused by her door, upon which m- fell a confident knock. Jumping up + from her bed in a flurry sh nm No one had been farther from her She stared, pe and “Hello, Miss Thursday!” said the Ho entered, cast a comprehensive inarticu- turned back to “Hope I don't intrude,” Quard in a provincial rattled on cheerfully, “The girl told town had elicted no offers from other me the Deans was ‘out and you in, Managers, and in the meantime his 80 I took a chance and sald I'd come Place in the stock company had been fight up.” Mied. At present he had a little money —_“I--I'm sorry Matmle isn't home,’ jSaved up, no immediat» prospects of stammered the girh. % ‘an engagement, good-humor, no il- lusions whatever, Once he took the Deans and Joan to Want to see either of ‘em, rei an, italian table d'hote, drank too much and mildly disgusted With you." ain't.” Quard’s eyes looked her over with open admiration. “I didn't where he What I wanted was a little “With me’ “Surest thing you know, | wanta ness. I don't guess you've Joan shook her head blankly. “Well, 1 got a little proposition to wrote and you liked so much the other “I was talking to Reinhardt about !E2t?", an idea I got for Yon.” “Well, T got hold of Schneider yess nd he at the try-out. How does that strike “Why—I'm glad,” Joan faltered, t muat be fine to get something to do.” “Well, I haven't got tt ye course, maybe L won't get I tho actor and of One of business is, never spend your pay en- velope till ju got it in your mitt. And in this case, a lot depends on you.” « . “I don't get you,” Joan returned fay. “What've I got to do with tr Quard smiled indulgently, offered her a cigarette, which she refused, and lighted one for himself. “If L can't get you to play the wom. an'’s part,” he said, spurting twin g FE 3 “it's all up—uniess I can “You mean — you want me—to— der and ® feeling of impatience be; , Yc cause of her ina’ y to understan > ‘what Quard seemed to relish with so | “Right, the very first time outa the much enthusiasm, Rorthless farrago of nore laughed at ford to pay much for @ turn, even box! Yunno, it’s this way with these cheap houses; they can't af- & good one—and this one of ours is going to be about as bum as any act that ever broke through; take that from me. So It's up to me to find somebody who'll work with me for ‘bed “and the marble mantelpiece. The little enough money to leave same- thing for myself, after I've squared up with, the agent and stage han “Yes; but 1 haven't any experl- It . “That'e just it; tf you had, I couldn't afford you. But you gotta tracted Joan, sturt sometime, and it won't do you his chest no harm to get wise to what little ff of his fix the agen’ but its a long sight nothing.” “But—how do you know I ean do it?” “wThat'il be all, right, I know all it of large, Now how about it?” “Why, I'll be giad"-— “Good enough. Now here: I've had typewritten, and here's your t's run through it now, and ve a rehea ave @ pipe at it, Don't worry. It ain't going to “Curtain!” bo hard, ‘Thus reassured, but still a trifle May Dean 4nd just as soon’ observed May dubious, Joan accepted @ duplicate of the manuscript and composed her- Quard’s second reading. ‘This time he took less pains with tion, scanned the Ines and frequently inter- wit in order to explain a genuine gusto some bit of business she said with all which he counted upon to prove espe- cially telling. In consequence of this exposition, Joan acquired a much clearer un It concerned two persons only, Maizie ex- markably successful stage dancer, to in tones of acute commisera- be played by Joan; her convict hus- an act put on in the con- band, fresh from the penitentiary, by tinuous houses to chase out thechair- Qui ‘d, Scene: The dressing-room of the dancer. Time: Just after the lancer's “turn. Joan, discovered ‘on,"’ informs the audience of her fortunate circumstances through the Quard (shambling gait, convict pal- lor, &c.) to inform her that she has been living in the lap of luxury dur- ing the eight years that he has been “I'm goin* to have my ow!" Comedy business: Hu-~ morously brutal attitude toward Joan lett wite; siangy description of prison (They'll simply eat that up! More comedy business involving a and a cuspidor, Suddenly and wit ehild born after commitment of hu " band, and of whoae existence he b She had no heretofore been Ignorant: “It was for ntinently hush experiences @ change of heart; kisses photograph: consciously she had been holding in snuffles into cap, crushed. betwoea slavers over wife's hand; nounces he will go West to “m ® playwright, an intimate of man- man of mysclf!" before returning to surely he mould be able to claim his wife suxgest something, poorly paid or Inconspicuous, with the date of his return indefinite, bunk stuff, but we can put tt serous she feit unjustly bereft of that last all rigt nd child. And the ttoer how Clrtain falls atpon him,in the act of = going out, all broken up, .- ow, "Of course,” Quard admitted, “it's I'm going to cajl it ‘The Convict'’s Return’ and bill it as by heard foot- Charles D'Arcy and Company. You'll To her surpris® be the company. I don't want to use low to the beat of her ability O n® my name, because It ain't going to do me any good to have it known I've taken to this graft, and if I'm lucky fo one's going to spot me through my make-up.” Suddenly apprised by the falling Neht that the hour was wing late, and rose. business dinner, We'll talk things over, and I'll fetch you home early, no's you can start getting up on your line: Tho next daya were full of re- hearsals, Joan was an apt and docile debut occurred within the time limit set by Quard and before an audience of two, not counting a tew grinning stage hands. The two were the agent Sehnéider and the manager of a small moving picture house in the Twenty-third street shopping dis- trict; on the half-lighted, stage of which their “try-out" took place at 10.80 of a rainy and dishearteging morning. The judges sat in the dark- ened auditorium, staring apatheti ally and chewing large cigars. Joan, though a little self-conscious, was not at all nervous and remembered her linen perfectly; better than this, she looked very fetching indeed in her makeshift costume. Guara forgot several of his speeches, floundered all over the stage, and in a frantic effort to redeem himself clowned hie part outrageously, Nevertheless they were engaged. Convinced of their failure, Joan had only succeeded in removing her make-up and struggling into shabby street clothing, when Quard knocked at the door of her dressing room: He had played without make- up, and consequently had been able to catch the manager and agent be- | fore they could eacape. Lounging in the doorway, he breathed a spirit of congratulation strongly tainted with ‘sof whiskey. re on!" he declared exultantly. ‘What 'd I tell you? You needn't have changed, because we're going to stick here, and open to-day. One of the turns on this week's bill fell down at the last minute, and so we cop thia chance to fill in. We go on after the first fiime—about 12.45; and then at 4.30, 7.90, 1045. Now whadda yunno know about that?” Joan gasped and shook her head, her eyes a little misty. For the frat —ch time she began to perceive that she bad counted desperately on success, “{ think—we're awful lucky!” sbe eaid faintly. “Lucky nothing! I knew I could m t away with it—always providing bad you to play up to.” “Tl tt. After we'd fixed eames up Le artes Sean t! 7 He saltct dunno as I ought to tell Xeetoh was ‘pum (ced knows It iep and never would ‘ve @ if it hadn't been for you. He all the womeu ‘om | da, would go crasy about you—you'd got For all that, his nd all that. You make me now?" he'd ttiest seen in a non ot Sundays. Yunno they get most of their afternoon houses from the women shoppers down bere.’ He paused, and after a moment ad- ded moatiotvalys ve course, you "t act jucks.’ oan, looking Dairy tierra uard drop a Sees her Proulder ahd infused « caressing note into his voice, “T guese I'm @ bad Iittle guesser— —wit dearie?” “Yoda ‘stood motionless for an instant. His hand seemed as if bural through her shirtwaist the flesh o! her shoulder. And she resented pas- sionately the intimacy of his tone, Of w sudden she shook his hand o% pace or two away. any hg a ne,” she sald Tullenly. “What's the mass web you, any- a deman tly. wtNothing! she replied quietly: * 't want to be pawed.” OONor he exclaimed with sarcasm. Recedlecttn himself, Q' Recailecting . tempted to carry off his discomfture with a shrug and @ laugh. “Oh, al right, Don't get buffy, I didn't mean anythin; CHAPTER III. OAN'S firat theatrical en- gagement ended in its fourth week. Quard was too drunk to go on, and bis sketch and booking was cancelled, Joan spent the next three days tn a futile-hunt for work. In the deepening gloom of the third evening she climbed the steps of her lodging house just as the tall and slender figure of Matthias turned out of Longacre Square, the length of the blook away. With growing consternation she watched bis ap- proach, and when at last he ran lightly up the steps, she * 19 so bam- pered by embarrassment that the words she bad formed to address him went unuttered, and her tentative movement to rise was barely per- ¢. stible—e start, a sinking back. So that Matthias, in his preoccupation, received only a faint impression that be bad somehow disturbed the girl (whoever she might be) and lifting hie bat, murmured an inarticulate word of apology and brushed past her into the vestibule. As the door of the back-parior was noisily closed, tears of ang and - mortification started to Joan's eyes. Then prompt- ly temper overcame that which had daunted her calmer mood, Before knew it she was knocking at Matthias's door. Ho answered Immediately and in raon, with his coat off and his col- jar unfastened by way of preparation for a long night's work, Staring blankly, Ne said “Oh?” in a mechani- cal and not at all encouraging man- ner. “Mr. Matthl a& slight, det —- Joan began with he = stam- Seeing him more at a loas than her- self, her self-confidence returned in some measure. “You don't remember me, Mr. Matthias,” she asserted, with @ cool smile, all “Not necessary. Your He shook his head sorry—I've got « shocking m It'll come back to me in # Won't you—ah--come in?” Joan said “Thanks” in a low and entered. “I am Joan Thi she added, with a hint of chi in voice and glance. “Oh, yes, Miss Thursday—ot courad! * Won't you sit down?” jatt..las offered her an easy o but the girl was quite accepted it, that he wi racking his memory for some to the identity of Joan Thursday, “You were very kind to me Night about #ix weeks ago,” she outa, A choosing her words carefully in . not to offend his faatidior “Don't you remember? It wan @ night and 1 had nowhere to go you let me stay here” ‘onr" ing up. “Of course, | remember Joan Thursday—to be sure! You Me a little note of thanks. I've wi red what became of you.” ’ ‘© been living here, right ia “9 house, ever since.” 7 “You don't mean it, fT should think we'd ha this, If that's the cas T camo back here because I J know where else to go, and there was my friends Dei co you know. ‘Oh, yes, to be sure. And did Loo Pay find work on the ou did want to go om the T'm not mistaken.” _— “Yeu, that's why I lett know. But they didn’t help me the Deans didn’t—at least, not actly, though it was through ¢ met @ fellow who took me on for. vaudev! turn. “Why, that's sprendi wald thias, affecting an enthusiasm which’ be hardly felt, ~And—you da little con- y aa 1 did make “ But he He was a booser 3 they threw us out of the bill ‘ ee ¥ “I don't ees ts ‘siete you have save Sey shook her head. ins you need @ job pretty hard ‘Oh, I do!” she cried, “I ven't. ‘diy any money, and the "Deane! ve just ne away, and the icles won't pay any attention to rr % “I understand,” he interru jalé a minute; I'll try to th something.” He pawed the litter of \on table, and presently bro to | Nght 4 typed manuscript in blue pas “This,” he sai p94 “ia the first act“ of “The Jee eee, @ Week or ten da; There's Farv'in the trate Degeee | office—a slangy, sum. Clent girli—you might be abi to fs As I say, it's small; . important. It's Staait Casta ud £2 Tete caste and no vital to the ‘action. it yeu ae bungie, it would ruin the first might kill the play, But willing to try you out at an 4 the atin unders! a don’ be yo pre 't At precisely , all 1 sak, “You—you're awful kind.” ‘Nonsense; I'd rather have than anyone else I can think of now, because you're pretty, Bait sBomen help a lot; an 10" man at ti would rather Fave You tecd ise get you for leas money than Rave to Pay an actress of bepleasea. = * F0ds all hands “Shall I begin to study now?" asked, offering to take the z given bard when the first rehearaal te a called. merely want to mafory, to see how much youl have He ran hastily through “Aa I thought; you are Opening for about ten minutes, near ti of the act for a minute scene. Twelve minutes’ & day for, say, twenty-five week; that isn't bad. You'll be the theatre by half-past nine night. . . You the point n ti to make?" een oan, assented. “It vw T hope I can do it.” "m sure you can,” said “But—how are you going to live. ‘om tween now and the opening ?* reer eyes were blank. ” he lave you any money’ E aisted. us be “A very Uttle,” she faltered, “You won't get 4 for and they'll last three weeks; re oes it will be another week ‘haps better go back to your old jo! we start.” “I was fired from the li would take more than two weeks me to find anything like it, I knows' “And there you are!’ ty “Unless,” she ventured haif-! ediy—"ui I could help you is way with Mp Pegg Steyr : me? we exclaimed, at ones. 7 4 amused, mean, copying—if you ever have any. “Typewriting?" ‘ She nodded, with a Mush of “When I was a kid—I mean, IT studied a while at | ollege—nights, you S ht me typewriting by the touch system, but I couldn't seem got the hang of shorthand, and so to give It up and go to work in & ato ‘ elpful thought! ried, turning back into the room. Wait 4 minute, There may something in this, Let me think. But his delibetation wi “It can be they ought to be copied—I'd been thinking of sending them ovt to some publlo stenographer—but ifyou wamt._ the work, it's yours.” (To Be Continued.) Next Week’s Complete Novel in THE EVENING WORLD 00000000000000000000000 MISS WEALTHY, Deputy Sheriff. b) 9000000000000000000090000000000000 This Book on the Stands Will Cost You $1.25 You Get It for 6 Cents