Guy Garrick

eing admitted to the place in Forty-eighth Street. They seemed to recognise Warrington, for no sooner had th

place that was so notorious. Once inside, however, the reason was apparent. It didn't. On the outside there was merely such

ves in a sort of vestibule confronted by another

me, of heavy oak, studded with ax-defying bolts, swung on delicately balanced and

s were carefully guarded inside by immense steel bars. The approaches from the back were covered with a steel network a

artistic furnishings that was lavished on every hand. Inside the great entrance door was a sort of marble reception hall, richly furnished, and giv

ich the feet sank almost ankle deep. On the walls were pictures that must have cost a small fortune

ty ceiling and exquisitely carved trim. Concealed in huge vases were the lights, a new system, then, which shed its rays in every direction without seemi

uld imagine it doing a fine business in the afternoon. There were many other games now in progress, games of every description, from poker

rick noted each carefully. Along the middle of the large

arrick's comment after watchi

crowd in evening clothes about it, who had lost or

one hears as the croupier rakes them in at the casinos on the continent. Nor did there seem to be the tense faces that one might expect. Often there was the glint of an eye,

growth of lotto, in which cards were sold to the players, bearing numbers which were covered with buttons, as

rimly, "the 'goose' is crooked, and if I

s as too complicated for the

ed to interest Garrick most, partly for the re

ew face. It was of a tall, young man much the worse, apparently, for the supposed good time he had had already.

from his close following o

ed, as he caught sight

d gone back to the g

l. That is Forbes, of whom I told you. He's a young fellow of good family-but I am afraid he is going pretty much to the bad, or will go, if he doesn't quit soo

tanding opposite us. I was surprised when he edged over towards us slowly, then whispered to Garrick, "Meet me downstairs in the g

look and his slang certainly re

nder my breath, as he disa

him?" queried Garrick.

w, you know, who is inv

g clothes. Indeed, I felt that unless he wer

him to keep an eye on Forbes while we explored the place further. We walked le

d out anything?" ask

of the character of this place? It looks fine, but the games are all crooked, and I guess there are some pret

be pleasant. But we came in well introdu

loudly to cover their chagrin over

uble of any kind, Herman excused himself, and ret

he little bite of salad we had ord

sticking to it with a grim determination that was worthy of a better cause.

have seen enough of this for to-night. It isn't so very late, after all. I wonder if it would be

arrington thoughtfully. "Wait here a minute. I'll s

act a little effusively. Perhaps I might have liked the young fellow if I could have taken

ve looked ever so much like a "good thing" and he would not have been admitted. But such is the simpl

ly as I could make out was in a house almost

d by a negro maid, who o

ckly as possible, "we won't stay long tonight. I just came around t

e gambling fever was running high and that he had hopes of a change of luck. At

ndeed, as we found afterward, it was really in the afternoon that it was most crowded, for it was rather a poolroom than a gambling joint, although we gathered from the gossip that some stiff games of bri

er assumed names, whatever the proprietor of the place might know of them, I ma

t middle age, but remarkably well preserved, and with a figure that must have occasioned much thought to fashion along the lines of the present slim styles. There seemed t

ever, Garrick passed that over by promising to come around soon. Excise laws were apparently held in puny respect in this luxurious atmosphere, and while the hospi

ed in a soft glass globe in the center of the ceiling,

a few moments, returned unexpecte

dows. It is always just like it is now, night or day. It makes no difference with us. You know, if we ever should be dist

gambling, and perhaps afraid to admit their losses to their husbands, or, often having been introduced through gambling to far w

faces, I wondered what tragedies lay back of these rouged and painted faces. I saw broken homes, ruined lives, even lost honor written on th

uble?" Garrick asked as we

ed us all as "good fellows" to whom she could afford to be a little confidential in capturin

studied politeness that carefully concealed

There was one girl, who was the worst of all. She was pretty far gone. Why, we had to put her out-carry her out to the car that she had come in with h

he version of it, seeme

w it

sually. "Did you know her? Was

little vexed, I imagined, at Guy's persistence, "like lots o

le rooms in various parts of the house. It seemed all very risque to me, although I tried to appear to think it quite the usual thing, though I was careful to say that hers was the finest of such places I had ever s

spoke. What really happened we knew no more now than before. Perhaps Miss Lottie herself knew-or she might not know. Garrick quite evidently was willing to let future developm

iders important and scoffing at the really good and true things of life that the demi-monde despises. It was all banality now, for w

med relieved when it was over. I could not imagine that he was

leave, as Garrick, after paying for our refreshments and making a neat remark or two about the tasteful way in which the gamb

of THAT?" Garrick could not help

all such as he might have given had Mrs. de Lancey n

and said hastily, "I do

one of

as if fearing to be mi

omplished the object of the evening, excused himself, with the req

as we bent our steps to our own, or rather his, apartment, "but it