The Adventures of Sally

ble apartmentwhich, as soon as she had the time, she intended to find and make herpermanent abode. But when the moment came and she was giving directionsto the taxi-driver at the dock, there seem

illmore, was to go back temporarily to Mrs. Meecher'sadmirable establishment and foregather with her old friends.

t asshe drove through them. It was a perfect, crisp New York morning, allblue sky and amber sunshine, and even the ash-cans had a stimulatinglook about them. The street cars were full of happy people rollickingoff to work: policemen directed the traffic with jaunty

Meecher, who informed Sally, after expressing her gratification atthe news t

t play of his being tried out there,you know, Monday," resumed Mrs. Meecher, after the handyman had bumpedhis way up the staircase. "They been rehearsing ever since you left."Sally was disappointed, but it was such a beautiful morning, and Ne

a in the comp

," though, unlikeeverybody else, not one of the original Sextette. "Mr. Faucitt was downto see a rehearsal, and he said Miss Doland was fine. And he's not easyto please, as you kno

rning I been to see him and hedon't look well. There's a lot of this Spanish influenza about. It mightbe that

d black," admitted Mrs. Meecher with regret. "Theysay they t

she had strong views on Toto. This quadruped, whostained the fame of the entire canine race by posing as a dog, was asmall woolly animal with a persistent and penetrating yap, hard to bearwith equanimity in health and certainly quite outside the range of asick man. Her heart bled for Mr. Fa

You know his room. You can hear Toto talking to him now," saidMr

, as Sally entered the room, turned wearily to thedoor. At

had long outstayed any welcome that mightoriginally have been his: but that the caller should be

ng questioningly atthe cracker. He was a suspicious dog, but he allowed himself to be luredinto the passage, upon which Sally threw the cracker down and slipp

ever, as an angel of

, with womanly resource which I cannotsufficiently praise, you decoyed him hence. And each yap went through melike hammer-strokes on sheeted tin. Sally, you stand alone amongwomankind. You shine like a good deed in a naughty world. When did youget back?""I've only just arrived in my hired barouche from the

constant need of cooling refreshment. But what ofthat? Your presence is a tonic. Tell me, how did our Sally enjoy foreigntravel?

andthe pavements ooze with a perspiration of mud and water, and you seethrough the haze the yellow glow of the Bodega lamps shining in thedistance like harbour-lights. Not," said Mr. Faucitt, "that I specifythe Bodega to the exc

And the rest of the while I was down by the sea. Itwas glorious. I don't think I would ever have come back if I hadn't hadto. But, of course, I wanted to see you all again. And

ellent. It hasfat. But the acting...""Mrs. Meecher said you told her that Elsa was good.""Our worthy hostess did not misreport me. Miss Doland ha

on to feel that she had warned Gerald. "Is she veryterrible?""She has the face of an angel and the histrionic ability of that curioussuet pudding which our estimable Mrs. Meecher is apt to give us onFridays. In my professional career I have seen many cases of what I mayterm

edat Wigan, our leading lady got the bird, and the show closed next day. Iwas forcibly reminded of this incident as I watched Miss Hobsonrehearsing.""Oh, poor Ger--poor Mr. Foster!""I do not share your commiseration for that young man," said Mr. Faucittausterely. "You probably are almost a stranger to him, but he and I havebeen thrown together a good deal of late. A young man upon whom, mark mywords, success, if it ever comes, will have the worst effects. I dislikehim.

had meant no harm, after all. Howc

the conversa

en for some time past. I may be wronging him, but therehave been times of late when one might almost have fancied him a trifleup-stage. All that was gone at our last encounter. He appeared glad tosee me and was most co

ite and tell you? I suppose he was waiting to inform youwhen you returned. Yes, Fillmore is betrothed. The lady was with himwhen we met.

et.""You've made a mistake," said Sally decidedly. "She can't have beenlike that. I shall have to look into this. It does seem hard that Ican't go away for a few weeks without all my friends taking t

orning, if you can believe what you see...""I wonder," said the doctor, "if you would mind going and bringing me asmall glass of water?""Why, sure.""Not a large glass--a small glass. Just let the tap run for a fewmoments and take care not to spill any as you come up the stairs. I

ination did not take long. At the end of

ows. I can do that. Is thereanything else?""Their principal duty is to sit here and prevent the excellent andgarrulous lady who has just left us from getting in. They must also beable to aim straight with a book or an old shoe, if that small woollydog I met downstairs tries to force an entrance. If you are equal tothese tasks, I can leave the case in your hands with every confidence.""But, Sally,