Show il in t 1 fi j Y t iLl FN gARP BEGIN HERE TODAY I Audrey ort l Morton n and a a. San Francisco Fran Francisco Fran Fran- cisco stage girl named Nona each ea a ti tiis is deeply in love with Audrey's Ys Y's guardian Harry Morton lortOn Morton Immensely attractive to women unmarried middle aged and andrich andrich rich m maintains an expensive home In Salt Lake and an apartment InS in S San Sn n Francisco between which he divides his time I Trying to avert Audrey from her het love for hIm he directs his his' secretary secre secre- tary John Parrish Parish to jo be her com coin companion O pardon panion whenever possible Audrey treats Parrish with disdain SeeIng SeeIng SeeIng See- See Ing that Morton Is much in the company of ot ses Audrey herself herself herselt her her- self decides to g go on th the stage and she and Iona ona f m in a dancing team At the en end l o o the last chapter Abo Abt Sunshine producer of revues lies has just just- me Intone where room whEre Audrey and Nona are r hears and says that an angry woman haS haS' been on the telephone asking for Audre Audrey NOW GOON GON ON WITH THE STORY The parries and situations in this story are fictitious CHAPTER The girls halted v Goodness More trouble troubIe asked Audrey faintly Who was It Nona wanted t to know Abe shook his head Sh wouldn't leave any name She she was waa sure sure you yot were here or were going to be here I suppose shell she'll drop in 1 think I know said Morton You remember the young gentleman gentle gentle- gentleman man we had on tho grill here her this morning Abe and Audrey nodded Nona at them in Inquiry Inqui- Briefly Morton 1 told her what had occurred Well Welly you OU J know how the girl who d dances with him is very much at attached attached attached at- at to him The chances chances' are that he has told her that we ab abused sed him and she blames the whole thing on Audrey I He lIe laughed as he ie turned to the girl You WOULD go on the stage would you Nona Kona breathed a long sigh Vell Well the poor fish She was Indignant Ran nan right to the girl to tell ell hi his troubles A And now she's Jealous because Audrey was his dancing partner artner for tor three Mr l Sunshine bobbed his head with vigor You get a girl like that started he said about a fellow she's stra struck stroOk k on on and you cant can't tell what shell she'll do Audrey ey sat down q quickly as s It her knees had weakened under her What will I do she Vall wailed d. d Nona patted her soothingly on the back Well Wen look after you she said But you'd better have someone someone some someone some some- one along with you all the time The dancing lesson went on on with Audrey somewhat Il absentmindedly obeying the instructions that Nona Nonal ona gave ga her The two men sat and watched with Abe offering a suggestion sug sug- aug- aug now and then Once going to the piano Morton waved wa n n. pianist aside and himself sat down and pla played At the end of a bar or two he turned Stop a moment Audrey AUdre he saidon said None Nona on will you do a a. a few steps o of one orte of your own dance dances dancea Audre Audrey sat down and Nona poisIng polsing pois pois- ing an Instant on tl tiptoe toe swept Into an intricate movement with grace grce- ce- ce ful eake sate ease Morton I speeded the tempo and for lor a few moments Nona was whirling swooping bending In a dance wilder vilder than Audrey ever bad seen lit Morton I stopped tho the music with a crash Youve still got it It Nona he said She bowed to him as If it she were acc accepting applause from a crowded theatre a tre Absolutely youre you're a great dancer dane dane- er ci said Abe with si sincere cero tion How com come youre you're only doing little parts and teaming In up cabaret cabaret cab cab- aret shows shower 1 Nona shrugged her shoulders Things t don always break right tight you yott yO know she ahe ald She sat down beside Audrey and the younger oun er girl put her arm ann n abott o t Nonas Nona's waist Youre lo el lovely a as asA asae as as- as A HA Ablack black ck panther supplied Mor Mor- ton tun Ive thought about L t. t c simile before In connection with Nona Noun She he IS like a panther panthel said Audre Audrey Au Au- drey she Mr 11 Sunshine About p panthers I khoW know nothing noth noth- ing lug said Abe but I 1 know a dancer when I see on one ond lt It Its It's a shame she aint using her stuff Why dont don't you help her he lie asked Morton Audre Audrey's s guardian looked at his W ward rd thoughtfully and then at Nona na Audrey Audre he said aId lets be beNon beNona's Non Nona's Nonas s 's angel and get her starred Before she could answer r Morton l turned to Jo Abe Will Audrey AudLey be all right You saw her dance The producer producer pondered Well Vell Sh she vont wont be any Pavlo a exactly but shell she'll dd def all right in this show v were we're putting on But Nona she's a ili Ills His black eyes eyes shone Personally Iq like to mix into it Jt if It somebody could could get her a real engagement Morton arose Maybe you can pIx tilix Into mW It he replied Nona had been listening to the conversation gravely gravel She rose to her feet now and extending her hand to Audrey said Come on Well We'll have to work For two hours the tho girls labored Nona patiently l leading ading Audrey followIng following following fol fol- fol- fol lowing the orders ordel's she received Both were tired when Morton 1 finally final final- ly lIt told them to quit Mr Sunshine long since had go gone e back to his own desk Morton w waited while the girls changed their clothes again behind the curtain and accompanied themas them themas as they passed through Abes Abe's office Mr Ir Sunshine held Morton a mo mo- mo- mo ment Miss l Morton wont won't stay on the stage he said hes hes he's the marrying marry marry- A ASage ing kind Sage words from an expert laughed Morton Audrey bowed her head In confusion confusion confusion con con- fusion ane and hurried on but Nona Nema paused Were all aU the marrying kind she said but we dont don't always get the right chance Mortons Morton's car cal was waiting outside the chauffeur napping at the Hie wheel Th The The- authentic breath of oC sp spring was in the air now anti and nd small boys sho shooting ting dice on the pavement were using the running board of or the c car r as a Q convenient ben benh h o 0 o obit sit bit upon Morton poked at the boys good with his cane If U it wouldn't attract so much attention Id I'd like Jike to shoot hoot craps with them h he confided to the two girls They entered the car cur and Morton told the driver to go t to the office Ill I'll get Ket Parrish he be said and well we'll all take dinner together Audrey objected Why d do we have to have him tagging along Non Noni watched the younger girls girl's face tace her eyes halt half closed dosed wrong with him she sho asked Morton answered the question Nothing really feally except that he h has s undertaken to to give orders to Audrey That is always ahva's a ke r In dealing with young women There was a a. change in his voice that attracted the attention of oC both girls His tone had dropped as if It in dejection He bowed his head hea and stared stated moodily at the floor What is It daddy asked Audrey Au Au- di drey diey ey squeezing his arm aria anxiously He lie shook his head Oh Just a n thought though t. t Audrey Audrey- he turned and looked at her Intently intently ln In all your life have I actually forbidden you ou to do anything Why no no I 1 think not Why Thy His gaze dropped again and anel there was a a. long delay before he an an- answered an- an Once he s said ld there was a ayoung ayoung ayoung young man who vho tried to give orders to the girl he loved And ho he broke his heart a S C Parrish eagerly accepted the InVitation Invitation in invitation In- In to dinner and while while- Morton Morton Mor Mor- ton waited he arranged his desk in ina a it hurry and prepared to depart My Iy new dress suit and knicker backers are are done sir he said taking his hat office closet Shall I g go and put them on Both of oC them Morton l Inquired facetiously No sir I mean Just th the evening clothes Parrish said without smilIng smiling smil- smil ing Miss Morton has not seen me In them yet jet et at all all She has been deprived of a great pleasure the older man responded gravely gravel Well Vell drive you t to your home homo and leave you there while you primp and make yourself b beautiful Then well we'll go on to my apartment and do likewise You can Join us there Parrish stared as he saw Noun Nona sitting in the machine and care fully climbed to the far corner of ot the Morton l saw a a. curious little flash hi In the girls girl's eyes as Parrish Par lar rish settled himself He sat on one of tho small foldIng foldIng fold- fold Ing lug seats and with great care turned his back to Nona Morton dat at in the middle between the two girls Nona was quiet as a's as they rode ode to Parrish's boarding place and Audrey Audrey Au Au- drey refused to address herself to the young man at all She nodded coldly as ho got out Nona was looking out the window on the other side of the car is when hen he lifted his hat and turned away way Nona Nonn my dear youre you're planning something said eald Morton lorton touching her lightly on the sleeve as the car moved on again His tone was mischievous as he continued Black panthers sometimes some some- times Umes spring dont don't they What do you mean 1 Audrey asked Morton chuckled Nothing par par- I was Just doing a little mind reading Nona has been thinkIng think think- ing lug so hard I could hear the gears Kears working and the motor backfiring in her ber brain He lie refused to commit himself further Nona remained silent but from front time to time she cast quick speculative glances at Audrey in her corner on Mortons Morton's other side When they reached the tho Morton apartment Audrey asked Nona to I come conte in Nona demurred You people and Mr 11 Parrish are going to be dressed up festively she said Id rd better run home bome and change Take the car over Morton orton as as- as Tell the driver to wait walt for you and come back when youre you're ready He ne and AUdr Audrey y entered the building building build build- In ing as Nona drove awa away How d do you like lIko None Nona now that you ou know her Better etter Morton lorton asked a de dear r Audey said They left the elevator em and entered their drawing room Ill tell you some some- thin thing She said to tao me me once that you would never marl marry marr me that me-that that you looked on me rue as a a. child Daddy theres there's something in your eyes when you ou look at her too She wrapped her r arms arms around one of ot his and held him close for a 0 mom mo- mo m nt I know you never ne are going goIng goIng go- go Ing to marry her either I How flow tow do you ou know that he hem hem- In Inquired In- In amused Because you dont don't love her You Just like her said Audrey glee glee- fully And Im I'm so glad She ran upstairs and Morton 1 followed tel fol I lowed her more slowly I When the party wa was reassembled there developed a short argument asto as asto asto to where they should cat Andrey fast east the tho deciding vote Lets go to some near place she he said I like to look at funny tunny people people people-people people who woo act outlandish outlandish- ly Lets Let's not go t tp ono one of the big places where youre you're bored Morton cave gave brief directions t to tn the chauffeur and ten minutes late they arrived at a basement i its doorway illumined by in a huge shade This is a a Russian tea room Morton said helping the girls to alight The four of them theta descended the stair and were greeted by a youth in a yellow smock His Ills cheel bones were high and his blond hat was erect in a stiff pompadour They handed him their wraps and followed tollo him through a t noisy throne thron to a a. table at the far end of ot th I- I Another ther man in a smock mock brought brought tea and placed it Jt before them Nona while Morton ordered food idly looked over the diners I el party h had bad d attracted attention They The were th the only guests In evening clothes and Audrey dropped h her r. r eyes as she he saw the stares directed her herway way Nona reached across the tho table and tapped her on the hand Dont look now stow she Rhe said quI eUy etly but in a moment turn and see who is there thero at the second table Ill I'll tell teU you ou when To be continued Copyright 1926 NEA Service Inc Ine |