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Ot T WAS n cheerily stimulating scene
A ami certainly one less calculated
I to serve as the background of
tragedy could hardly have been con
ceived. A bright mid-morning son
splashed down upon the shimmer
ing asphalt of the fashionable ave
nue, thickly dotted with a stream
of richly appearing vehicles. The
past three or four days had been
dismally threatening, and the lure
of the cheery morning had appealed to hundreds
of shopper* of the Smart Set.
Mary Burnett leaned hack in the cushions
of her taxicab, and drew a long breath of lux
urious enjoyment as her glance wandered back
from the scene before her to the face of her
chum, Mona Hartley, by her side.
“Isn’t it just—just heavenly?” she cried.
“There is no more beautiful scene in the world
to me than Fifth Avenue on a spring morning!”
Mona laughed.
“That is because we happen to have a fairly
good purse, my dear! If you didn't have money
In your pocket, I fancy you will tind Fifth Avenue
just the reverse of beautiful 1”
“You arc growing cynical !" retorted Mary.
“And just to prove to you that the store windows
have no attraction for me. I'll wait in the motor
while you do your shopping, and spend your
money to your heart's desire ! How is that?"
"But that is just what I'm not going to do,"
returned Mona, more thoughtfully. "Bo you know,
dear, that 1 ant coming to take our work more
and more seriously? At tlrst, I think we were
Both a Hit selfish in our belief flint because
had tried to wrong our ex we had a right to
make them pay the debt in any way possible.
And then when we saw jmt how much we could
do, and how easy it was for a woman with youth
and ft fair share of good looks to snare the aver
age mn -ciillnc pursuer, and when we made up our
minds to use these weapons for the good of others
a- well as our own, we both had a new view|«iint.
And it was good for 11s, not to mention the
sundry services we were nble to do for those
than ourselves. Itut lately I
have thought we could do even more, and go even
farther. Wliv, vvr can make of ourselves soldiers
for the common good 1 We can be modern Joan
of Ares.”
Monn stopped, with a bright flush on her
cheeks, and quite out of breath from her un
usually long and vivacious speech. Marv surveyed
her wondering!v, and then caught her hand.
“I lint is simply splendid! Why, I nm proud
of you ! And, of course, we shall do just as you
say. lon are making me crazy to start. When
are we going to begin, and how?"
Moan smiled at the other's enthusiasm.
"We will have to wait for circumstances to
pl-e us the me, ns we have always done. I don't
thin!, we shall have long to wait.”
I be girl smoothed back bet- hair, and straight
»ni-d her hat as the motor caine to a whirlwind
pause before the sober front of the exeluslve
Varna ill's Outfitting Stores one of those great
establishments of Fifth Avenue* which never, by
any chance, ijlsgiluv to the curious public any
thing so vulgar ns a price tag behind their mas
sive plate glass windows. Monn waved her band
to Mary, and, crossing the vvslk, was ushered
by a liveried attendant through a richly curtained
entrance.
Mary prepared for nil Indefinite wait, nnd
settling herself more comfortably on the sent,
resumed her study of the passing throng on the
vail, In the hack of her mind were still run
ning the impel nous words of Monn, and the girl's
fate clouded thoughtfully ns she scanned the new
possibilities which they opened up. And then
quite suddenly- she was brought sharply upright,
and found herself lending forward through the
door of tin- motor, watching a drama on the walk
before her. Into the cheery panorama of Fifth
Avenue, a suggestion of incongruous tragedy had
thrust itself.
\s Mary sat waiting outside a fashionably
dressed young man, with a sensual, rather super
eillous fnee, who was ambling Idly down the
walk, had ls-en brought to a sudden cheek by
a shabby youth of not more than It) or so,
whose gaunt face Imre striking evidence of either
great privation or great mental shock. The
youth hppnreutly had been trailing the other,
perhaps trying to bracts bis shattered nerves to
the point of an interview. Now. with his fingers
gripping an arm of the dandy before him, he
stood confronting him like some haggard Nemesis.
“Please. Mr. l<aldlnvv. listen to me! I have
been following you for an hour! 1 knew you
wouldn't see me n t your office, and I have siniply
pot to upenk to you !**
I !ip voting titan atldrrwhim! i\n l.nidlnw, «tr\ig-
F'ed angrily, and one of those crowds, which in
New York seem to spring up like magic. Ivogan
to surround the pair. Mary found her view for
the moment blocked, but over the heads of tln
curious onlookers, she could hear the frenzied
voice of the shabby youth raised hi shrill appeal
and then the sound of a violent struggle. Finally
an officer, attracted by the fight on the walk,
rnme shoving through, with a tine disregard of
tile anatomy of those who blocked Ids path. The
officer pounced upon the figure of the y oung man.
Mary divined from the sudden movement of
the spectators that the policeman hud taken the
shabby youth into custody, and felt a swift wave
of pity sweep through her. And then, as the
crowd parted, she saw with surprise that the
aii|>ercilioiiH young man was bidding the officer to
release his prisoner. \s the officer complied, nnd
the young fellow started off, Mary raised her
voice, as she caught the wandering glance of the
ill-dressed young man, who caused the commotion.
“Won t you please come here a moment?" she
asked, smiling down at him.
The othpr hesitated, flushing awkwardly.
"Perhaps I can help you," Marv continued
persuasively, “that is, ts you care to tell your
story to a stranger."
Ihe youth shuffled over to the edge of the
motor, and fumbled nt his hat. On a closer view
Mary- could see that his face was worn t- an un
natural thinness and pallor, and Hint in ds eyes
was the giiut of either fever or desperation, or
both.
“1 here—there Isn't much to tell," lie liegan,
stammering. “It is just another ease of the la>an
Sharks! Blok l.aiillavv he was the man I tried
to talk to ami his father have what they cull
the People's loan Agency. Ami -and when my
mother died, just after 1 lost my job, nnd 1 had
her funeral expense* to pay, 1 had to go to them
to borrow thefmoney. 1 couldn't pay them when
1 couldii t find work, and so they took all our
little furniture, and threw me Into the street. 1
tried to explain that it wasn't fair, that 1 wasn’t
trying to cheat them, that 1 would pay ns soon aa
1 could, but whenever I went to their office, they
wouldn't see me. Amt so, 1 had to wait until I
eonld meet one of them on the street, and this
ki uu f~** eha—-*e 1 g * 'tad nq trouble
Plot by George Bronson Howard, Novelization by Hugh C. Weir
for my pains!” he ended bitterly. “And 1 ought to
thank iny stars that I wasn’t arrested in the
bargain !”
Mary studied him thoughtfully and decided
that lie was telling the truth. She offered him
money, which tie refused proudly, saying he would
work tail, never beg. He did agree to leave his
address with Mary and she promised to help him.
Then Mary and Mona started out to lead the
l-aidlaws into their trap. In the case of both father
and son, there was no wife to present, an obstacle.
Mary Laidlaw, who bad been the mother of the
hopeful Biek, had died many years before, and
since her death, father and son had maintained
their own type of bachelors’ chambers.
Armed with this information, the
girls next proceeded to ascertain the
favorite restaurants of the younger
Lnidlaw, and as they expected, they
proved to lie of that flashy Broadway
type frequented by men about town,
and the young ladies of the chorus. In
one gilded food emporium they finally
located him. The girls watched him covertly take
a sent at a corner table, from which he could
command h view of the diners, without, himself,
being too much in the limelight. Mary pushed
back her chair, and rose hurriedly to her feet.
She put her hands to her lips as Monn looked
up in surprise. "It. is better at present that he
should not see us together. 1 am going to rely
on your ingenuity to make the acquaintance of
Mr. Laidlaw before he leaves the restaurant!
' on "ill find me at the apartment when you get
back !’’
And before the other could voice a protest,
she was gone.
For a few moments Mona sat drumming idly
on the edge of her tnble, nnd toying with her
fond. The problem, which her chum had set her,
vmis not nil easy one, to say the least. But it sud
denly occurred to Mona to try the old lost money
game, and as expected the scene with the waiter
soon brought Dick Laidlaw to the rescue.
“Let me pay the hill. It will lie a pleasure!”
said Laidlaw.
The girl hesitnted, then surrendered reluct
antly. “On one condition. You must go home with
me so that. 1 can pay you back nt once.”
He bowed. “As you wish,” He drew out a
bill, and banded it carelessly to the waiter, who
had renppeared as by magic at his motion. With
the gill nt liis side, Laidlaw passed out of the
restaurant, pausing in the entrance to call u
taxicab. Mona took a seat in a kind of con
strained silence, while Laidlaw strove desperately
to maintain a conversation which she prevented
skilfully.
As Mona was helped from the taxi by young
Laidlaw, - lie gave him a glance, which to him
might have spelled victory, hut which in reality
was but ii forced smile, and Monn saw that the
first act in her little deception had been suc
cessful.
By an arrangement with the superintendent
of the house, Mona and Mary had
secretly installed a “buzzer” under the runner of
the stairway, so that should either return sud
denly with a stranger the fact could lie an
nounced by pressing upon a eoneealetl electric
plate, thus giving the girl in the room sufficient
time to retire.
Hardly anticipating that Mona had been so
successful in netting her victim, Mary slipped
into the boudoir just as Mona turned the key in
tlic lock.
Young Laidlaw at first refused to accept the
money, hut Mona with a charming smile insisted
so strongly that he was obliged at last to ac
cept it.
“May 1 call again?” asked Laidlaw as he left.
“Suit yourself.” Mona's voice was still icy.
"Tomorrow?” asked Laidlaw eagerly.
"Yea," said Mona, hesitatingly.
live girl closed the door. For a moment she
stood listening, and then as she heard the man
turn, and slowly make his way down the hall
toward the stairs, she flew hack into the living
room, and into the arms of Mary, who was
smothering a yawn in the doorway of their bed
room.
"And now what of the next step in ovir cam
paign?" asked Mary, as she curled herself on the
couch, with her feet huddled up under the lacy
robe of her negligee. “\Ve have only one of mjr
victims biting, remember. What of the father?”
"That Is up to you," said Mona, serenely.
“You have left the hardest part to me. Laidlaw
Senior must lie your task."
As it developed, it was not only during the
next day. but a succession of days, that Mona's
talents as actress were called into play in the
fencing bout* with Dick Laidlaw. At noon the
telephone rang, and the young man's voice spoke
eagerly over the wire in an invitation to lunch,
which Mona promptly declined, compromising
Anally in a grudging consent to a motor ride
ill the afternoon. This was followed by tea, with
a reluctant promise from the girl to attend a
inatuiou mi l 1 V iwiU vu* afternoon. Before the
(COPYRIGHT BY KALEM COMPANY.)
end of the week it was obvious, painfully so at
titra-H, that young Mr. Laidlaw was desperately,
hopelessly infatuated, and that he didn’t care
who knew it.
From a discreet vantage point in the inner
room of the apartment, the hidden Mary watched
the progress of the little drama, or comedy. From
the first it bad been agreed upon by the two
girl- that so far as Dick Laidlaw was concerned,
Mona should la- the solitary occupant of the little
flat, and the deception was faithfully carried
out. Then Mary decided to move across the hall
so as to have a better opportunity to land old
Laidlaw.
it was shortly before noon the following day
THE OFFICER POUNCED UPON THE YOUNG MAN.
th.it Mary, attired in a trimly fitting tailored
suit for the occasion, ascended the steps of the
Laidlaw residence, and rang the bell. She was
admitted to see Laidlaw after some ceremony.
"I I Imvo come on a rather embarrassing in
terview, Mr. Laidlaw,” began Mary, timidly. She
flashed a lievvitehing glance at him from her
downcast eyes, and smiled again as she saw' the
other's thin lips part in a deprecatory grimace.
“Surely y<fu can have no embarrassment in
speaking to me. Miss ,” Peter Laidlaw glanced
at the card in liis hand, and finished with a little
liovv, “Miss Davenport. I assure you that you can
speak with the utmost frankness and confidence
to me on any subject,.”
“Thank you,” said Mary. She hesitated
again, fumbling with her handkerchief. “The
fact of the matter is, Mr. Laidlaw," she con
tinued nervously, “1 have come to you about your
soil and my sister.”
“My son?” Mr. Laidlaw frowned. “And what
has the youngster been up to now?”
"Oh, he isn't to blame, not in the least!"
said Mary quickly. “I —1 am afraid the fault is
with my sister. You see, he is infatuated with
her, and wants to marry her, and and she isn't
tile kind of a girl that ought to marry your son
and heir, Mr. Lnidlaw!” The girl's head sank and
she burst into tears.
“Please don't think harshly
of me for this confession. If you
only knew how I have pleaded
with my sister to mend her ways,
1 know tlint you would sympathize
with me! She is an adventuress,
a fortune hunter and is marry
ing your son for his money. It is
hard hard, Mr. Laidlaw, to have
to say such tilings alsiut. one’s
own sister, but I could never rest
easily if I felt thnt I had allowed
an innocent young man to lie en
trapped by her. And she is beau
tiful much more so than I am!
1 am the plain one of the family."
“I don’t believe it!" said the
cider Mr. Laidlaw emphatically.
“If your sister is superior to you
in looks, my dear young friend,
she, she ”
“You are Just saying that to
get my mind off my troubles!"
chided Mary. “But you must take
me seriously, or it will lie too
late, and we shall both he sorry.
You see, 1 had to leave my sister
some time ago. \Vo were living
together, hut when 1 saw that she
was persisting in the habits l
was warning her against, nnd
t lint my pleadings were of no
avail, I hud to part with her,
hoping against hope that the fact
might help me to make her see
the error of her ways, nnd induce
Iver to repent and reform. But, so
far, she has (mid absolutely no
attention to my urging*, and al
though we occupy npartments in
the same building, we see little of
each other. 1 wish it might be
different. I would give half my
life to make it otherwise, but I
have done all that 1 could do, and
and now——”
Peter Laidlaw rose from his chair just in
time to catch the girl's hysterically shaken form,
as she gave hersi if up to a flood of racking tears.
He soothed her with (letting and promised to coll
on the next day, bestowing an admiring glance on
her ns he left.
Peter Lnidlaw, quite evidently, ivat a man
of direct methods. It was not yet eleven o'clock
of the next morning when, watching from the
sitting-room window of the apartment, now given
over exclusively to the occupancy of Mona, Mary
saw tha limousine of the elder Lai<>— >
STORY No. 8
Sauce for the Sander
at the curb. Mona let the bell ring for a full minute
before she answered. There were two reasons
for her delay. The first, of course, was the quite
natural wish to keep Laidlaw fuming below. The
second was the need of time to complete a strik
ing change of costume.
Laidlaw paused stock still in the doorway
of Mona’s sitting-room, and caught his breath
quickly at the vision lounging on a window seat
before him. Mona turned her head listlessly.
"t ome in,” she said indifferently.
“Are —are you Miss, er Davenport?” stam
mered Laidlaw.
“ltighto!” agreed the girl. “And what can I
do for you?”
ever more dangerously. “I saw him on
the, walk, and wondered what he was up
to —but. 1 kept away from him until I could see
you first. So he has been here? And what has lie
dared to say to you?”
"He lie wants to pay me money to give you
up,” sobbed Mona. “He thinks I am an adven
turess, and a vampire, and says you are another
silly boy who has been caught in my toils!”
Dick’s hands clenched.
“He shall eat those words! So he came here
to insult you, did he? We shall see!” He paced
back and forth over the room, his face working.
“Even if he is my father, he has no right to in
sult the woman to whom I have given my love!”
“I can never forget it!” snapped Mona.
“Under the circumstances, Dick, it is far better
that we part.” She slipped off the diamond ring,
which had been his latest gift, and held it out
to him. “I am speaking for the best!” she in
sisted.
In answer, young Laidlaw caught her pas
sionately in his arms, but she drew away. His
hot breath repelled her. She sent him away. He
was to call again on the morrow.
Before the afternoon was over, the elder
Laidlaw called at Mary’s apartment, with the
story of his visit to the supposedly erring sister,
and how he had been received. Father and son
had a stormy interview as the result, and Mary
MONA REFUSES TO ACCEPT OLD LAIDLAWS PROPOSITION.
was in tears before the elder Laidlaw tore himself
away. Again the man tried to comfort her, nnd
again she permitted him to take her into a
paternal embrace, snatching herself away, how
ever. when she realized the situation. Peter Laid
law tried to renew the embrace, but something in
her attitude warned him not to attempt it again.
The next day he called again, attired as be
fore in extreme fashion, and thfs time offering a
large bouquet of orchids in the hope that the gift
would help his young friend to forget her
troubles. She accepted it with a gratitude that
“I believe that you are the young
woman to whom my foolish son has bepu
paying some slight attentions.” His voice
was cold and cutting. “We will get to
business at once. What do you want?”
“I don't get you!” Mona deliberately
extended her feet so as to expose an
other inch of her silken ankles. “If you
are Peter Laidlaw. you must be Dick’s
governor. He has spoken to you about
me. Since you are to be my father-in
law, you can come over and kiss me
Laidlaw glared.
“Kiss you !” he snapped. “Y'ou vixen.
You are juSt the type of woman that a
foolish, headstrong boy would make a
fool of himself over. And now, let us
understand one another. What is your
price? How much do you want to let my
son go?”
Mona’s hand reached deliberately
toward an electric push button at her
side. The man saw that she meant to
have him ejected. With a muttered im
precation, he turned short, and strode
toward the door.
■Mona was still busy with hot water
and powder rag effacing the paint when
the electric bell of her apartment rang
again. But this time she did not answer,
even when it repeated its summons a
second and a third time. Silence. And
then quick, impatient steps sounded in
the ball outside, and the door was thrown
open. On the threshold stood young Dick,
flushing, his eyes glittering. For a mo
ment he stood surveying the room
silently. And then with a quick cry he
sprang into the apartment toward the
window seat, heaped with pillows, on
which was huddled a girl’s sobbing form.
“Mona! Mona, darling! What is it?
What has happened?” .He tried to put
liis arm around the other’s shoulders, but
she pushed him away, and sat erect.
“You can go, too!" she gasped. “You
are just like your father. I don’t want
to see either of you again 1”
“My father?” Dick's eyes glittered
amply repaid the donor, and permitted thfc inte*»
view to approach a degree intimate enough fog
her to smooth the elder Laidlaw’s grizzled hair*
and straighten his purple necktie. It was too
muqh. Again Laidlaw’s arms were about her,
and this time all suggestion of the paternal com*
sorter had fled. Mary snatched herself away,
and for a moment stared at him in seeming un*
belief.
“What have you done? Oh, what have trail
done?” she gasped.
Peter Laidlaw’s glance fell, and his hands
opened and closed nervously. The girl really
loved him! He drew himself more stiffly erect*
and cleared his voice.
“I am older than you, my girl—old enough
to be your father. But I am a lonely man, and
need youth and gayety. If you will take me for;
a husband, you shall never regret it 1”
“You—marry you!” the girl gasped. “You
mistake yourself, Mr. Laidlaw! lam afraid you
put the wrong construction on my loneliness and
heart hunger. I could never think of marrying
you.” •
Laidlaw stared in genuine amazement. She
was actually refusing to be his wife—and the
chance for a fortune!
“But I really mean it, Mary—Miss Daven
port, I am in earnest!”
“So am I!” said the girl. And Peter Laidlaw
was forced to depart with his mind in a chaos,
and realizing that the girl had grown so tempt
ingly alluring that he would sacrifice half liis
money if she were really his.
“He will be back,” said Mary confidently as
she told Mona of the interview. “Mark my words !’*
And again she was right. The next day the
elderly suitor called again, only to be met with
the same rebusf —if a trifle less pronounced. By
this time father and son were completely es
tranged, and Dick confided to Mona his intention
of leaving the paternal roof, and moving into in
dependent quarters. --
“The time lias come for our crisis,” said
Mary thoughtfully when she heard of this de
velopment. “I shall accept Peter Laidlaw when
he calls again—and I’ll leave the rest to you.
Mona.”
Mary was as good as her word. She sent the
elder Laidlaw away jubilant—so jubilant that he
promptly sought out his son, and informed him
of the glad news that he was soon to have a
young and beautiful step-mother. Dick received
the intelligence in dismay, and an hour later
was excitedly pouring out the story to Mona's
sympathetic ears.
“Think what it will mean to us, dear! Some
designing woman has trapped the old governor.
She will waste all his money, and there won’t be
a dollar left for us!”
“Why not follow your father’s tactics to me—
and try to buy her off,” suggested the quick
witted Mona. “Such women always have a price.
Show her the money, real money—not a check!”
“By Jove, I’ll do it! You are a wonder,
little one!”
An hour later young Laidlaw, with his wallet
newly repieted, climbed out of a taxicab before
the apartment house. As he did so he caught
sight of a familiar figure just disappearing
through the entrance. It was his father. Y’oung
Laidlaw ground his teeth, and strolled thought
fully around the block, feeling sure that he had
tile cash arguments at hand to play his game.
Meanwhile the elder Laidlaw in Mary’s apart
ment was slipping an expensive diamond engage
ment ring on the girl’s finger in spite of her pro
tests that the gift was much too valuable. As ho
stepped. back into the hall, the door of Mona’s.
fiat opened, as though by accident, and that
saucy young woman, attired for the street, stood
confronting him.
“Oh, Mr. Laidlaw,” she said sweetly, “I have
been thinking over your visit to me, and I hava
come to the conclusion that you are right in
your arguments to me that a marriage with your'
son would only result in unhappiness to both
of us.”
“In other words—” said Peter Laidlaw
eagerly.
“In other words, if your offer to take care of
me still holds good, I am prepared to accept it!
But, remember, it must be cash. If I am going to
sell the only happiness I have ever known, I will
not barter myself for a check!”
“You shall have the cash!" said Peter Laid
law, grimly, as he hurried from the house, so
occupied with his thoughts that he did not see
the dodging figure of his son behind the corner
of the building.
Five minutes later Dick Laidlaw was press
ing the hell of Mary’s flat. The interview wai
short, and if not sweet, at least was eminently
satisfactory to both parties. When the younger
Laidlaw took up his hat, Mary held twenty crisp
one hundred dollar bills.
At about the same minute another interview
of much the same nature, and terminating in an
equally satisfactory manner, was taking place in
the apartment of Mona just across the corridor.
“Understand,” finished the elderly Laidlaw,
“that you relinquish all claims to my son—that
henceforth you will see nothing of him under
any circumstances!”
“Quite right!” agreed Mona as she softly
rustled the newly minted bills, which her caller
had pressed on her. “And now, is there anything
further?"
“I think not!” said Peter Laidlaw deliber
ately, as he stepped to the door. The girl ac
companied him sweetly, saw him safely into the
corridor, and then started forward with distended
eyes. At practically the same moment the door
of Mary’s apartment had also opened for her
visitor. Father and son stood staring at one an
other, and nt their shoulders the two girls.
For a tense moment the tableau continued.
Ami then Mary whirled toward Mona. “You
—-hussy!” she snapped.
“You vixen !” retorted Mona.
The I.aidlaws said nothing. Without a word,
Dick clapped his hat down onto his head, and
strode toward the stairs. His father hesitated
for a moment, and then followed more slowly,
his face contracted thoughtfully.
An hour later parent and son, in the privacy
of the former’s innermost office, took reflective
and melancholy notes. The result left them
staring at each other blankly.
“It looks, governor, ns though they played
you for the goat!” said Dick with a groan.
In Mary's apartment the two girls were
busily engaged in arraying themselves for tha
street.
“We win!" said Mona, for the twentieth time,
“We win, girlie! And now ”
‘'\\hat?” asked Mona, pinning on her hat.
"Now to give l>ack the money to the rightful
owners. I have a list of over twenty of the re
cent victims of the Laidlaw loan office. Counting
the proceeds of the presents we have received,
we should net something over $7,000. Hot bad
work at all, eh?”