Blue-grass and Broadway

e of a situation in which the star of a play meets the author; but she missed her cue, an

riendliness that even Violet's narrow-gage soul expanded into a variety of graciousness all its own, a

ctful awe at the Hawtry, which matched that given her by the author a second before and obtained for Miss Lindsey a cordial enough recognition

let's glance of indignation at this skilful avoidance of a climax of her scene with him,

e of diet safe to pour in quantities into a girl who had long been empty. "How'd rare steak and fresh mushrooms

ul!" she

which caused Miss Hawtry to look at him sharply and Miss Adair to repeat the blush to such a degree that Miss Hawtry, as Miss Lindsey before her, was force

iss Adair, with delighted excitement at the thought of adventuring into a l

t him and then at Mr. Dennis Farraday. The latter was beaming with mirth at the dilemma of feeding the young author who was

en glad to twist the creamy throat from which issued the creamy voice. Instead, he turned, calmly summoned the head waiter, and went into a conference

ith another of her sea-gray, long-lashed glances of worshiping admiration at Mr. Vandeford, the eminent

erous to both Mr. Vandeford and

. Dennis Farraday. The expression on Miss Lindsey's face after her encounter with the steak and mushrooms, served with an exalted baked potato, was one of decided relaxation. The look of affection in her eyes as she glanced at the author who had dragged her into this food situation

ighting Miss Hawtry's cigarette, to the intense, though concealed, interest and astonishment of Miss Adair of Adairville, Kentucky. He thus asked sincerely and interes

ly so lightly and proudly alluded to that the hearts of the listeners were decidedly t

e ended, quoting herself in her conversation with the faithful Roger, who was at that mo

s eyes with a smile of absolute confidence in his intention and ability to remove from her life forever all of her distress, which was alone poverty in the concrete, by being the successful producer of her wonderful play. Men of Godfrey Vandeford's type admit many strange fires and their votaries into the outer temple of their hearts, but they keep the inner shrine tightly surrounded by asbestos curtains. However, there is always one, and one only, closely guarded entrance through which the ultimate woman must slip in an unguarded moment. Mr. Godfrey Vandeford would never have

emes that she had no time to listen to Miss Adair's, picked up her gloves from beside her final coffee-cup, and pulled the f

of the feasters' disintegration, which she herself had given, for the purpose of forestalling a similar invitation from Mr. Farraday, whose Surreness she

barrassment in either voice or manner. "Thank you for offering to take me there, but Mr. Farraday is going to take Miss Lindsey an

Vandeford under his breath, while the Violet

sat up and looked at Miss Mildred

ss that made Mr. Vandeford suspect that he had met the fact of the eminent author's abiding-place before and had got used to it. "You a

on," Violet murmured faintly. "But I know Mr. Vandeford will adore going with you." Miss Hawtry felt that safety lay in numbers, and she p

her," answered Mr. Vandeford. His envy, apparent in his voice, of the care-free state of Mr. Farraday was very real, though none of the others could guess its meaning. "I'll see all of you later. By!" and with a si

d much to do and undo. He arrived at his offic

ops?" he demanded o

gement to come to New York at all," and in self-defense he handed out to Mr. Vandeford a copy o

d, seating himself at his desk and wil

a boldness which he himself could not understand, but with which Mr. Vandeford was strangely patient. He ended with, "It will be

s dope about the play, and if I call it off arbitrarily, where shall I stand with her?" Ignorance of the completeness of his own capitulation to the faith and tears i

was of different origin. "You had no such fear when you called off from rehearsals in the se

nd go big. I followed that purple hunch for pure cussedness against Violet, and now watch it lea

d, sir, it is not

sk where I can lay hands on it the minute I get a chance. Get eve

as a wedge before him Miss Patricia Adair and Miss Mildred Lindsey. "Got that hat-check,

ted to his for all eternity in that terrible faith and gratitude. Then he went into action as captain of the sh

iscuss a few details with Miss Lindsey, in the office," he commanded co

wasn't fair to make any definite arrangements with Mr. F

nted interest on the part of a manager in the affairs of an actor he has engaged. Miss Lin

h I give Mrs. Parkham's as my address for letters and telephone calls. It's cheap and-and

ucer, as he sank into his chair from positive weakness. "You take

that of the body had been appeased. "I've got to make good, Mr. Vandeford, and I'll do anything you want me to. I'v

perienced years. "Stop your dining-room work at the nunnery and see that she has a good time, just you and she together. I'll send you matinée tickets to shows I want her to see, and Mr

es

ow much mon

ome in from the play. Those royalties have got to come in, too, or her grandfather-" Miss Lindsey's voice was positively belligerent a

l her about what things cost as much as you can-until the royalties come in. Let me know wh

oney for-for-lo

Farraday offer y

s hungry, but I know a hundred and twent

see you get your chance on Broadway this wi

es

hat quest go

s is her out

you j

-well, you know what

ho beamed with satisfaction at the idea of the joint nesting of these first two theatrical experiences he had captured at the outset of his quest for adventure in the white li

W. C. A.," he said with a curious paternal glow in

n Louisville a few times with my aunt. I'll enjoy it if she will take me places and bring me back and forth to rehearsals," and the gray eyes beamed with relief and anticipation of b

planned in her sallies from the Y. W. C. A. "You see, it is both the duty and the pleasure of a producer of a play to see that h

rd you work, so don't have me on your mind, will you, please, sir?" The lifted curl of the black lashes and the reverential note in the soft

e her, though an uneasy little pang shot into his heart as he thought of just what befell the average author at the rehearsal

p under the gray eyes. "It would be wonderful to have you s

e, and there were dozens of wires that he must manipulate since he had had a change of-heart, concerning "The

nd a lot more people about some things connected with your play. Still, I can't bear to have anybody else get that first night on Broadway away from me. I think it is due me." Being herself entirely s

get the time to take me. You are working for us both about the play, and if you had rather I waite

om the bright lights of her first night in old Manhattan just to give a strange and reverenced man the pleasure of introducing her to the old city made a profound impression upon him. "To-morrow nigh

as he removed the girls down to his car with no thought or question as to whether his

t was to play at a distance from his labor. "I'm going to read that play, and nothing short of something that will injure its prospects if neglecte

yers, and he shut his door into the outer office

ing erect in his chair, and he ended it hunched over its pages spread on his desk with his head in his hands, his fingers desperately clutching his shock of gray-sprinkled hair. Then in a complete collapse he flung himself back in his chair, elevated his feet to the edge of the desk, and began literally to devour the smoke of a small black cigar. For half an hour he sat motionless, as was his habit when fighting all preliminary battles, and

for scenery at eleven in the morning. Ask Corbett to send an artist to talk costumes for a period play at eleven-thirty, and have Gerald Height here at twelve sharp. Don't forget to engage that good-looking youngster-Leigh, I think is the name-even if you have to give him a hundred ad

.

Vandeford speaki

.

'm delaying it a week, and I want you to come into it with

.

ie Girl' in shape, and shunt Hawtry into it as soo

.

u'll have to go in and earn it. It's a departure, and you may not like it. You'll have to ham

.

take my stuff all hot even if he

.

pleted manuscript Saturday so you c

.

s good

le-cross his own original plans. He had hardly stopped fixing Mr. William Rooney w

eak, pink-rimmed, blue eyes, who sauntered into the sanctum and dropped sadly into a chair with his back to th

d the playwrig

ro

tty

awtry for me by Friday next

sh

h Fr

apartment to do it; but Mazie's be

y ten o'clock. I'll see Mazie in the meantime." Mr. Vandeford placed the precious "Purple Slipper" in the hands of a man who at that very moment had two successful

es before with very good results. Mr. Howard's brain was of that peculiar caliber which does not originate an idea, but which inserts a solid bone construction as well as keen little sparklets into the fabric of another's labor, and makes the whole

ther," answered Mr. Vandeford, without graciousness. "I'll

Mazie come for me

es

ad entered that retreat Mr. Meyers softly rose from his typing machine and as softly locked him in. Then he proceeded to hunt for Miss

.

d for keeping Grant Howard working at

.

thousand if it's

.

ndred t

.

thr

.

d her at supper last night at Rec

.

fif

.

oe

.

leven-fifteen. Get a taxi by the hour at y

.

girl

ttered to himself, then rang hi

of slabs of pie at the automat, and then I'l

provender for the lion and himself. Left to himself, Mr. Vandeford fell into

ve," he muttered as he took down

r. Vandefo

.

air. Anythin

.

. Miss Hawtry has asked you to supper

.

I was to co

.

two big guns from Broadway putting licks on the production of 'The Purple Slipper' until the smal

.

derstand. It's her

.

Miss Lindsey? Would you like me to send my car to take you girls

.

so is yours? I didn't

.

shampoo? Ble

.

e. You are to call me any time you are will

.

I mea

.

n-good-night a

.

'Follies' is to laugh-or cry. Good little Lindsey! I wager she could have got 'em both forty-seven-eleven dates." Then a thought delivered a blow just above his belt in the r

Miss Adair's answer to her invitation. He answered it in person,

dolph Meyers and thinking out loud to that dignitary who took down his thoughts on paper in cabalistic signs of shorthand. Th

w in May. I liked it in some ways and-" Mr. Vandeford was saying when a banging on the do

ght amount of booze, Pop

rs, with his pencil still poised ov

to," decided Mr. Vandeford, as he lit a new cigar and turned to t

eford?" was the storm of words hurled at him as the released and infuriated doctor o

Mr. Vandeford, as he swung around in his chair. "S

that's what I'm going to do," announced Mr. Howard with both belligeren

ve to show me," he added calmly, though in the vitals of his heart he was relieve

ic, sex-comedy idea that climaxes

ctable," Mr. Vandeford ventured, determined to save as much of the hair and hide of Mis

if that is what you mean," the playwright admitted impati

ver dispensed five hundred dollars in all his life. "Now shoot me your lay

bay to see if he gets back home on a sporting-chance bet with lover, and write Hawtry both back a

ut you'll have a hard time writing a gu

let loose, as they do only on rare occasions. I've got 'em in my own family. That's the reason I'm

ndeford. "You'll keep all the atmos

s of it is good talk-only wandering. That woman may write somethin

aid Mr. Vandef

Mr. Howard, with indiffer

ow," answered Mr. Vandefo

the neck of every bottle in New York while I dig. Couldn't do withou

deford, truthfully. "But I'll keep the extra

I'll tell her that

sed to finish his sentence of appeal to Mr. Vandeford for his co-operation in fraud. She had entered pas

ave used for a grand duchess-or Miss Patricia Adair-offered a chair to the pert litt

ines over what Grant wrote into a let-down in my part for me last night in great shape. They et it up, darling." Her naughty face be

the sally with a laugh; but it surprised him that there was a cold space in his vitals at the insult th

old him he would find the Violet with her prey. He was just in time to meet them in the lobby. Denny was in the gorgeousnes

Hawtry, with a little frown, as she perceived

. W. C. A.," he

ith a little laugh for whic

see a midnight show," Mr. Farraday exclaimed, and there was

and I didn't think I could get away this soon. Miss Adair s

. Farraday," laughed Violet, with what good Dennis took

u wash your hands. We can have a good powwow over the play. I want to know what you have been doing while I was off the job chasing a hat for the author." And the big, stupid Jonathan linked his arm

dertake to guard Mr. Dennis Farraday from the Violet and at the same time fend Miss Patricia Adair from her wiles. He'd have to choose between them, and i

pitulated as they stood beside Mr. Farraday's car

night. She's a perfect dear, and we'll put her play across," Hawtry cooed to him in

ally from the country," Mr. Vandeford said to himself, as he stood and watched them

nt his slumber. Mr. Godfrey Vandeford was still awake when Mr. Dennis Farraday let himself into his apartment with a key that had been presented to him five years before when

ed on his light and took a hurried glance at a cloc

Vandeford's sleeping apartment. "A thought suddenly struck

e aw

o her to-morrow and ask her to write Miss Adair to have dinner with us informally at the town house while she i

. Men are vastly inarticulate, but they have various means of communication, and Mr. V

but how about asking Miss Lindsey, too?" Mr.

bs that Miss Lindsey had been proposed when Miss Hawtry might ha

Mr. Farraday, as he d

. Vandeford

faced, analyzed, and card-inde

ny hate himself as I do myself, or worse? She'll not stop short with him, and how do I know what he'll do? The money don't matter, but the-cleanliness does. If I go in to save him, she gave me notice to-night that she would go for that gray-eyed girl. What can she do to her? First, kill her play, no matter what

Godfrey Vand

f. A daybreak shower had fallen on the hot and baked city, and it was as fresh as a suburb. Arrayed in the coolest of white silk, linen, and suede, Mr. Vandeford had his chauffeur drive hi

ho drove the big Chambers. Mr. Vandeford was never sufficiently unoccupied of mind to pi

ford, and again he had the foreign experience of feeling

within, who must have consulted a directory, judging from the time it took to obtain the correct address. With

rd in little and unimportant New York. Mr. Vandeford got out of the car with hurried grace in his long limbs and, with actual trepidation, went in through the door, into a world he had never even thought of before. He had entered many an African lion jungle with less fear. He glanced with awe at th

young voice just behind him, and he found that the gray eyes with the black lashes were just as unusual as he had d

e had tendered Miss Adair as silently as a school-boy hands out his

k on the play?" was the energetic ques

realized how many times he would have to put her off w

sked him with a direct and business-like look

do?" he deman