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and Forty…second street； 〃Mannie〃 Day； provoked the most
marvelous rag…time； an enlarged photograph in crayon； of
Professor Vance； in a frock coat and lawn tie； a china bull dog；
coquettishly decorated with a blue bow； and； on the mantel
piece； two tall beer steins and a hand telephone。 From the long
windows one obtained a view of the iron shutters of the new
department store in Thirty…fourth Street； and of a garden； just
large enough to contain a sumach tree； a refrigerator； and the
packing…case in which the piano had arrived。
After leaving Winthrop； without waiting for Vance； Vera had
returned directly to the house in Thirty…fifth Street； and
locked herself in her room。 And although 〃Mannie〃 Day had
already ushered two visitors into the front room； Vera had not
yet come downstairs。 In consequence； Mabel Vance was in
possession of the reception parlor。
Mrs。 Vance was plump； pink…and…blonde； credulous and vulgar； but
at all times of the utmost good humor。 Her admiration for Vera
was equaled only by her awe of her。 On this particular
afternoon； although it already was after five o'clock； Mrs。
Vance still wore a short dressing sack； open at the throat； and
heavy with somewhat soiled lace。 But her blonde hair was freshly
〃marcelled；〃 and her nails pink and shining。 In the absence of
Vera； she was making a surreptitious and guilty use of the
telephone。 From the fact that in her left hand she held the
morning telegraph open at the 〃previous performances〃 of the
horses； and that the page had been cruelly lacerated by a hat
pin； it was fair to suppose that whoever was at the other end of
the wire； was tempting her with the closing odds at the races。
In her speculations； she was interrupted by 〃Mannie〃 Day； who
entered softy through the door from the hall。
〃Mannie〃 Day was a youth of twenty…four。 It was his heart's
desire to be a 〃Broadwayard。〃 He wanted to know all of those；
and to be known only by those； who moved between the giant
pillars that New York threw into the sky to mark her progress
North。
He knew the soiled White Way as the oldest inhabitant knows the
single street of the village。 He knew it from the Rathskellers
underground； to the roof gardens in the sky； in his firmament
the stars were the electric advertisements over Long Acre
Square； his mother earth was asphalt； the breath of his nostrils
gasolene； the telegraph was his Bible。 His grief was that no one
in the Tenderloin would take him seriously； would believe him
wicked； wise； predatory。 They might love him； they might laugh
with him； they might clamor for his company； in no flat that
could boast a piano； was he not； on his entrance； greeted with a
shout； but the real Knights of the Highway treated him always as
the questioning； wide…eyed child。 In spite of his after…midnight
pallor； in spite of his honorable scars of dissipation； it was
his misfortune to be cursed with a smile that was a perpetual
plea of 〃not guilty。〃
〃What can you expect？〃 an outspoken friend； who made a living as
a wireless wire tapper； had once pointed out to him。 〃That smile
of yours could open a safe。 It could make a show girl give up
money！ It's an alibi for everything from overspeeding to
murder。〃
Mannie； as he listened； flushed with mortification。 From that
moment he determined that his life should be devoted to giving
the lie to that smile； to that outward and visible sign of
kindness； good will； and innate innocence。 As yet； he had not
succeeded。
He interrupted Mabel at the telephone to inquire the whereabouts
of Vera。 〃There's two girls in there； now；〃 he said； 〃waiting to
have their fortunes doped。〃
〃Let'em wait！〃 exclaimed Mabel。 〃Vera's upstairs dressing。〃 In
her eyes was the baleful glare of the plunger。 〃What was that
you give me in the third race？〃
At the first touch of the ruling passion； what interest Mannie
may have felt for the impatient visitors vanished。 〃Not in the
third；〃 he corrected briskly。 〃Keene entry win the third。〃
Mabel appealed breathlessly to the telephone。 〃What price the
Keene entry in the third？〃 She turned to Mannie with reproachful
eyes。 〃Even money！〃 she complained。
〃That's what I told you；〃 retorted Mannie。 He lowered his voice；
and gazed apprehensively toward the front parlor。 〃If you want a
really good thing；〃 he whispered hoarsely； 〃ask Joe what
Pompadour is in the fifth！〃 Mabel laughed scornfully；
disappointedly。
〃Pompadour！〃 she mocked。
〃That's right！〃 cried the expert。 〃That's the one daily hint
from Paris today。 Joe will give you thirty to one。〃
Upon the defenseless woman he turned the full force of his
accursed smile。 〃Put five on for me； Mabel？〃 he begged。
With unexpected determination of character Mabel declared
sharply that she would do nothing of the sort。
〃Two； then？〃 entreated the boy。
〃Where；〃 demanded Mabel unfeelingly； 〃is the twenty you owe me
now？〃
The abruptness of this unsportsmanlike blow below the belt
caused Mannie to wince。
〃How do I know where it is？〃 he protested。 〃As long as you
haven't got it； why do you care where it is？〃 He heard the door
from the hall open and； turning； saw Vera。 He appealed to her。
〃Vera；〃 he cried； 〃You'll loan me two dollars？ I stand to win
sixty。 I'll give you thirty。〃
Vera looked inquiringly at Mabel。 〃What is it； Mabel；：〃 she
asked； 〃a hand book？〃
Mrs。 Vance nodded guiltily。
〃Mannie！〃 exclaimed Vera gently but reproachfully； 〃I told you I
wouldn't loan you any more money till you paid Mabel what you've
borrowed。〃
〃How can I pay Mabel what I borrowed；〃 demanded Mannie； if I
can't borrow the money from you to pay her？ Only two dollars；
Vera！〃
Vera nodded to Mabel。
Mabel； at the phone； called； 〃Two dollars on Pompadour to
win for Mannie Day；〃 and rang off。
〃That makes thirty for you；〃 exclaimed Mannie enthusiastically；
〃and twenty I owe to Mabel； and that leaves me ten。〃
Mrs。 Vance； no longer occupied in the whirlpool of speculation；
for the first time observed that Vera had changed her matronly
robe of black lace for a short white skirt and a white
shirtwaist。 She noted also that there was a change in Vera's
face and manner。 She gave an impression of nervous eagerness； of
unrest。 Her smile seemed more appealing； wistful； girlish。 She
looked like a child of fourteen。
But Mabel was concerned more especially with the robe of virgin
white。
For the month； which was July； the costume was appropriate； but；
in the opinion of Mabel； in no way suited to the priestess of
the occult and the mysterious。
〃Why； Vera！〃 exclaimed Mrs。 Vance； 〃whatever have you got on？
Ain't you going to receive visitors？ There's ten dollars waiting
in there now。〃
In sudden apprehension； Vera looked down at her spotless
garments。
〃Don't I look nice？〃 she begged。
〃Of course you look nice； dearie；〃 Mabel assured her； 〃but you
don't look like no fortune teller。〃
〃If you want to know what you look like；〃 said Mannie sternly；
〃you look like one of the waiter girls at Childs's that's
what you look like。〃
〃And your crown！〃 exclaimed Mabel； 〃and your kimono。 Ain't you
going to wear your kimono？〃
She hastened to the cabinet and produced the cloak of black
velvet and spangles； and the silver…gilt crown。
〃No； I am not！〃 declared Vera。 She wore the frightened look of a
mutinous child。 〃I I look so foolish in them！〃
Such heresy caused Mannie to gasp aloud； 〃You look grand in
them；〃 he protested； 〃don't she； Mabel？〃
〃Sure she does；〃 assented that lady。
〃And your junk？〃 demanded Mannie； referring to the jade necklace
and the gold… plated bracelets。 His eyes opened in sympathy。
〃You haven't pawned them； have you？〃
〃Pawned them？〃 laughed Vera； 〃I couldn't get anything on them！〃
As the only masculine point of view available； she appealed to
Mannie wistfully。 〃Don't you like me better this way； Mannie？〃
she begged。
But that critic protested violently。
〃Not a bit like it；〃 he cried。 〃Now； in the gold tiara and the
spangled opera cloak；〃 he differentiated； 〃you look like a
picture postal card！ You got Lotta Faust's blue skirt back to
Levey's。 But not in the white goods！〃 He shook his head sadly；
firmly。 〃You look； now； like you was made up for a May…day
picnic in the Bronx； and they'd picked on you to be Queen of the
May。〃
Mabel carried the much…admired opera cloak to Vera； and held it
out； tempting her。 〃You'll wear it； just to please me and
Mannie； won't you； dearie？〃 she begged。 Vera retreated before it
as though it held the germs of contagion。
〃I will not；〃 she rebelled。 〃I hate it！ When I have that on； I
feel mean。 I feel as mean as though I were picking pennies
out of a blind man's hat。〃 Mannie roared with delight。
〃Gee！〃 he shouted； 〃but that's a hot one。〃
〃Besides；〃 said Vera consciously； 〃I'm I'm expecting some
one。〃
The manner more than the words thrilled Mabel with the most
joyful expectations。
She exclaimed excitedly。 〃A gentleman friend； Vera？〃 she asked。
That Vera shunned all young men had been to Mabel a source of
wonder and of pride。 Even when the young men were the friends of
her husband and of herself； the preoccupied manner with which
Vera received them did not provoke in Mabe