The Salamander

f emotions, she had flirted scandalously. But the men with whom she had danced, laughed and fenced, provokingl

opened one eye with difficulty, peering out the window at her friend, the clock. It was al

table with a watchful eye

! Don't wake up unle

with which she bent over Dodo, lightly touching her hair, seemed

!" said Dodo, rubbing her eyes and twi

" said Snyder, gri

gliding grace of the trained dancer, and liftin

ys an improvisation and eggs a visitation of Providence. Besides, the Salamanders, for the most part, made their arrangements for lodgings only, trusting in the faithful legion of props, but

er gleaming white arms in the air and letting t

d not closed her eyes until t

erself eagerl

our?" she said, taking

up and down, sharp and thin writing, concealing the dreaded summons

teristically reserving the mystery until the last. But, as she put it down on the whi

d, settling back in the pillows and taking up a stamped en

Miss B

sure if you could lunch with me at twelve-thirty. Will send my car for you at twel

incerel

do B.

-thirty sharp, but take this brief opportunity to see you

B.

he postscript characteristically initialed.

oned in a tooth-mug. Doré glanced at it suspiciously

of her tongue to the tip of the spoon; and she added

ered with the boyish scrawl of the prop in disgrace. She spread the letter, frowning determinedly. Joe Gilday was difficult t

feelings do you? Lord, I'll lay down and let you use me for a door mat for a week if it'll help any. Kid you've got me going bad. I'm miserable. I'm all shot to pieces-insult you, why Do, I'd Turkey Trot on my Granny's grave first. Won't

in the

(Just

arison. Between Joseph Gilday, Junior, and the men she had met there was a whole social voyage. Nevertheless, props were necessary, and undecided, she laid the scrawl on Mr.

r Miss

this afternoon

. Sas

at the signature nor t

sed at this insistence of Sassoon's; it worked well with the plan she had determined on for h

es

ively; and then, remembering the warring cards o

ell how weak the strongest man is before the weakest of he

mockery in her smile; and to herself she rehearsed again the scene she ha

parlor; she could even lead him to believe that he might dare anything; and suddenly, when she h

no flowers. You

would come into those heavy foolish eyes at this. Then, taking a few

the ceiling while I

deftly pin the hundred-dollar bill on the lapel under the little cluster of pu

I have the pleasure of ret

h this bit of romance

said Snyder, takin

t restrain he

e said seriously, "I a

like way, might not quite approve. She did not know quite what made her feel this, for they had not exchanged i

nd taking up the last note,

oré Bax

s Evang

e room front at $10 per week ..........

o see me as to

her emotions, lest Snyder might guess the cause. She made a rapid calculation, and discovered tha

If only Winona raised something on the orchids! There

e thought of what Sassoon spent so carelessly, and of what he might squander were he once awakened, really interested.... Not that there was the

, and seated herself with a book by the wi

b, Petty? I'l

o me!" said Doré, rousing

I could! Ho

wrist, detained her,

ng I ever knew!" she sai

s righ

ist upon my cal

fond of people," sa

y n

ong a

ch her wrist, but

't you fo

frowning at thus b

dn't help i

pleased at th

e such a funny wa

How

onder what's back of a ce

I'm th

es

ou married and s

ed answer could

tion to all the romantic possibilities she imagined always infuriated her. But at

r concealed under a tasseled negligee cap. She was a bit roly-poly, but piqua

tonishment. "Heavens! Dodo, how do yo

nd she continued laughing long after Doré had ceased. She could hardly ever relate an incident without being overcome with lau

of coffee," she said, beginning to laugh aga

rosy foot from under the covers in search of a warm sl

ouch, and while waiting for the coffee to cool, applied the end of her forefinge

that nose alo

ignation. Her coloring was gorgeous, her lines were delicate, her expressions vivacious and quick with natural coquetry. Wherefore she was in great demand among the illustrators, who had r

appeared through the connecting door, in a green an

sleep when you're round! H

Snyder look up at her, surprised. There wa

e her give you a grapefruit," s

Summers, curled like an Angora cat on the couch, was chatting to Winona, who stood in the doorw

ave seen her. She gets the men with that quiet waiting manner of hers. I can't do it

nd ransacking the bureaus. When she dressed, the room

ntal yearnings of the multitude. "Quite some party, too, celebrities and swells. I say, Do, why don't you go in for head an

see Gilday and lunch with Peavey, was in a reverie over the subject of

d enough getting that

dignantly. "By the way, Joe's coming at noon. I must dres

uite demonstrative over little me. What's up?... Going to coax the Kitty?" she a

founded rent," said Doré briefly.

h two jars of chrysanthemums which she placed, one on the table and one on the

ook it!

" Said Doré

's f

itately to the dra

you-you

gedly, her back against the wall. "The Du

can I say?" said Doré in dismay, staring at the empty drawer. "You had no right! Yo

! Dodo

extending them in supplica

his misery. She sprang to her side, seiz

some way." All at once she remembered the hundred dollars of Sassoon's bouquet. "Stup

it. How can you?" said Wi

was a prese

an you say

Bah! I shall miss a fine scene, that's all!" she added with

rty-

the

ll

ng. Borrowing breaks up friend

ressed girl a moment a

u're losing

g? It'

aid Doré pensively. She disliked these sudden bleak apparitions and hated

rls, and made a second trip for some hydrangeas which she had found at E

the birthday gag?" s

y month for Joe," sa

es in Salamanderland, and pretty certain to occur in

e knocks like the blow of a hammer sounded on the door, and the next moment t

sniffing and folding her hands over her stomach. "Very fine! Ple

d Doré in a caressing voice, as she went to her purse before the landlady could

sitting down with the motion

er her spectacled nose. She understood that such impudence meant pay. Neverthele

ions, hair bracelets, and on state occasions appeared in baby pinks, as if denying the passage of years. She had had a tragic romance-one only, for her nature was too determined to risk another, and at the age of fifty-four she still showed herself implacable to the male sex, although not unwilling to let it be known that she could choose one of three any da

landlady dumfounded, "I've told you frequently that I prefer my bill monthly. These weekly rounds are exce

n't bother

s of the landlady, she nonchalantly let it fl

he found nothing to say. She took the bill furiously, and went out. A moment later Josephus appeared with the ch

red flutter of audacity and daring. Then she zealously applied the powder, to give a touch of ailing melancholy to her young cheeks-it would never do to appear before Mr. Peavey in too healthy a manifestation. In general, it must be n

mirers, who had clamored ineffectually for her the evening before, with plausible tales which, if

, already imbued with the lawyer's mocking smile, on the verge of being a man of the world, eager to arrive there, but not quite emancipated. For the last month in t

of misery, dragging his cane into the room a

gidly, for she perceived his

iving for the first time the floral display on the trunk tops, the

lankly, shaking the water from

many flowers i

k so?" said Doré with

lday; "I got it

ou came he

apologies were n

t a little bill of fifty?" he said sulkily.

I think you see entirely too much of. The trouble with you is, you are not man of the world en

iously, for she had touched

gesture, and picking from her purse a fifty-d

ke

n't und

oking him in the whites of the eyes, "just what thoughts

swer. He reddened to his ears, took th

be misunderstood-often. I live independently, and as men are mostly stupid or brutal, I expect to have to set them right.

vercome with mortification, and in a s

take me I'll ma

aughing. It was not the first time that she had been surprised by such sudden outbursts, and not being giv

of the shoulders. "Don't be a silly! Hand me my

eavey. Joe, going to the table, stole a glance at the cards of Sassoon, Harrigan Blood a

wish you'd let me buy you a diamond necklace

u feel better," she said, descending the stairs. "Orchids I never get tired of.

had to feel her way: she could

t confidently, and she began busily to calculate the advanta