So I walked like I hadnt looked, and of course I really hadnt, and proceeded to the before the war section of the hotel and the handsome suite all fitted in real varnished pine and carpets just like a Rochester boarding house when I was on the small time before I made my big success, and it made me feel quite at home or would of only for what I knew the difference in price was going to be. I guessed it just as soon as I heard Ma gasping over the hotel rules which she was reading. I went over and looked at them too, and at first I couldn't see nothing unusual about them. There was the usual bunk about the management not being responsible for the guest in any way, and Gawd knows how could they be and I dont blame them. And then, a little ways down I see what had got Ma stirred up. It seems dogs was ten dollars a week per each, and of course we had two of them and Ma never has cared for my two, anyways.

"Well, I hope the sea air will be good for the poor little lambs," she says very sarcastic. "Mebbe it'll make 'em grow--into police-dogs or something useful!"

Well I see by this that the salt air had not yet got to Ma, although the troublesome journey had. And so I put on a simple little suit of English tweed and low heeled shoes and a walking hat, which seemed to me the right thing for the country, and went out to pry off a little health before dinner.

The outdoors was something grand. The air was as good a c.o.c.ktail as a person would want, and the lights along the boardwalk was coming out like dandelion blossoms. There was hardly anybody around--just a few here and there and the surf of that wide and cruel ocean which Jim was the other side of, was breaking close to the rail in big white ostrich plumes. Overhead the sky was as clear and high as a circular drop with the violet lights on it, and a few clean stars was coming out. It was just cold enough to make a person want to walk fast until the blood got singing through you and you wanted to shout and run, only of course no lady would. But just the same, I commenced to feel glad I hadnt died when I had the measles, and I loved everybody and had a great career before me and--and--oh that grand yearning happy feeling which comes out of being young and full of strength and a good bank-account. Do you get me? You do!

Well anyways, here I was walking like I had money on it and huming a tune to myself, when along comes a man the other way, walking two to my one, and huming the same tune, "How I hate to get up in the morning," it was. When he heard me and I heard him we both sort of half stopped out of surprise, and I got a good look at him. It was the young Captain from the hotel.

He also give a start of surprise when he seen me, showing he recognized me just as good as I did him. Only it was a real, genuine start, as if he realized something more than the fact he had seen me at the hotel.

Then he smiled--a smile which would of done any dental ad. proud, and pa.s.sed along, looking back over his shoulder--once. While I went along minding my own business and only know he looked back on account of my happening to look back to see how far I had gone. I went a mile further and somehow that smile of his stuck in my mind and made me sort of happy for no reason, and at the same time awful extra lonesome for Jim. I made up my mind I would get Jim a new car for a surprise when he come home and I would send him a extra box of eats this week and some of them cigarettes he likes so well, and a whole lot of stuff like that, the way a woman does at such a time. Do you get me? Probably.

Well anyways, I walked myself into a terrible enthusiasm over Jim, and then come back to the hotel. Which, by the way, its a strange thing how much further it is coming back to a Atlantic City hotel than walking away from it. And there at the door was Ma with the two dogs. A real strange sight for I never knew her to take them out before, and it looked like a guilty conscience, for she give me a peek out of the corner of her eye for some reason and then hastily explained how she had thought she'd take them herself this time instead of Musette. Well, we got rid of the dogs and then come down to dinner where Maison sailed down upon us all dressed up and no place to go, for it seems this Mr.

Freddy had stood her up on the dinner, having telephoned he'd be over later with a friend or two but business prevented him paying for her meal, or at least thats what I expect he meant. And Maison was wild. But she had to eat dinner with us, and register a bunch of complaints between bowing to friends and so forth.

"The luck I have!" she says. "That guy Freddy doesn't think any more of a nickle than he does of his right arm! And with all the conventions which is held at this town of course we would have to pick on the date the Baptist ministers was here! Its a fact! The clerk told me. And what is more if there ain't Ruby Roselle and Goldringer and will you look at that wine and it twelve a quart without the tax! Well, of all things!"

III

And there sure enough was Ruby across the room with Goldringer, which he evidently had come down to wait for the answer to that cable in the fresh air, and I suppose Ruby was a accident, the same as Freddy, for goodness knows, I wouldnt say a thing against her even behind her back--and a good deal could be said behind what shows of it when in costume. But I wouldnt say it anyhow, because even if it was the truth that woman would sue a person for liabale if only to get her name in the paper. And if she happened to be taking dinner with Goldringer, Gawd knows, its a comparatively free country and he's her manager as well as mine and its a good thing to a.s.sume its only business whenever possible as thinking the best of people never hurt anybody yet.

Also across the room all by himself was that young Captain, and he looked over twice but of course I pretended it was the picture on the wall over his head which had took my eye. Altogether that strange dining room wasnt much more lonesome to us than the Ritz or Astor for tea would of been. But the most remarkable part of the meal was Ma. Because she didn't touch it! Actually, and it the American plan which would tempt one of these Asthetics if for no other reason but that you have to pay for it anyway. And all she took was a piece of meat about the size of a dime and a leaf of salad.

"I'm going to stick by what I said if only because you said I wouldnt!"

she says, looking me square in the eye. "Diet is my middle name."

Well, I mentally give her until to-morrow on that but said nothing at the time. And we went out into the lounge where Mr. Freddy and three friends was already lounging and after they had joined us, Goldringer and Ruby did the same, and the drinks commenced to flow with that frantic haste like into a river at the edge of the ocean as the poet says, meaning because its near its finish. While I, never using any alcohol myself except to remove my make up, sat there flushed with Bevo, and couldn't help noticing the way the Captain which he was still all alone, looked over at the menagerie, and it made me boil for how could I help that piker Freddy and his cheap friends and the rest, and believe you me there are many perfect ladies in pictures and on the stage, only the public dont often recognize them because they are swamped with a bunch of roughnecks which all are popularly supposed to be.

It was a big relief when the Captain got up and went away about nine, and left us to a endurance contest as to which could sit up the longest in that refreshing atmosphere of cigarette smoke and drinks and ten-dollar perfume with the sad sea waves beating vainly outside the carefully gla.s.s enclosed verandah until one o'clock--when I personally went to bed leaving them to their fate.

I give the telephone operator a terrible shock by leaving a call for seven thirty, and when it come I put on my riding suit which I had left from a dance called "The Call to Hounds" which Jim and me done at the Palace just before he enlisted, and went out into the keen morning air.

And it was some air! Then I commenced to look around for horses but had great difficulty in finding the same, for it seems the Atlantic City horses dont get up any earlier than most of the visitors, and believe you me I and a few c.o.o.ns which were picking up sc.r.a.ps and so forth off the boardwalk, was the only birds in sight at that hour. Well anyways I walked along breathing in that sweet air at about fifty cents per breath by the hotel rates, but feeling pretty good in spite of it, when I actually found a place where the horses was up--or mabe they had been all night. I got a horse which looked considerable like a moth-eaten property one but could go pretty good and commenced to ride gently along what seemed to be my private ocean, when all of a sudden who would I see but the young Captain riding very good indeed. He come up to me on high and then tried to put on the brakes when he seen who it was, but the horse had its mind on something else and wouldnt, so he got by me but not without a "Good morning!" Which I thought fairly safe to smile at seeing we was so rapidly going in opposite directions. But it seems he must of spoke roughly to his steed for he come up behind me and spoke with just that grand refined Big-Time drawing-room act accent I knew by his little moustache he would have.

"I say! What luck!" he says. "You are Miss Marie LaTour, are you not?"

Was I sore? I was. Any lady would be and of course after the company he seen me in at the hotel what could I expect but to be picked up? But more particularly as he had my name and it with a good reputation, and no one can say different with truth, I simply had to show him where he got off.

"Sir!" I says, just like a play. "Sir! I do not know you. Please beat it at once!"

"I know, but really!" he begged, flashing that white smile. "I'm not trying to be impertenant--let me explain...."

"Explain nothing!" I says very haughty. "I wont listen."

"But I'm not doing what you think!" he cries out. "Please wait until you hear...."

"I've heard that 'please listen' stuff before," I says. "Good-by!"

And then I done the bravest act of my life, not being really acquainted with horses, especially Atlantic City ones. I give the horse a lash and off we went, I trying hard to give the impression of a good rider and not looking back because I dasn't with that animal headed for the steel pier full clip. But I heard the Captain's remarks, just the same.

"By jove, I'll _make_ you listen to me--just for that!" he says. And I heard no more, for the bird which keeps the horses come out and rescued me just before we hit the pier and I got off and started for the hotel, boiling with rage. Me treated like a common chorus girl! Me, once the best known parlor dancing act in the world, and now even more so on the motion picture screen and a lady or dead! I wouldnt of looked at that guy again on a bet--I made up my mind right then and there to show him his mistake and that if my accent wasnt as good as his my morals was better and no attempt on his part could get me to speak to him again.

Well in this state of mind I run into Ma, just before we reached the hotel which she was hurrying to just ahead of me, and believe you me I was sure surprised because I never knew her out so early although she generally is up by seven, but with her curlpapers still on and a kimona and thats different from coming out in public.

"I've been taking my exercise!" she says before I could speak. "And I'm glad to see you do the same," she says.

And I certainly had to hand it to her strength of mind because after being out so early and all she eat was only tea and dry toast for breakfast.

After which we stopped by the office and just before we got there I see the Captain give a note to the clerk and walk away. When we asked for mail that note was the first thing the clerk handed me.

"Captain Raymond just left this for you Miss LaTour," he says.

I didnt even open it.

"Kindly return it," I says, very dignified, giving it back, and looked over my other mail. But no letter from my husband, which is always the way on a day a woman most needs one. So I went upstairs very low in my mind and sort of glad that even if Jim couldn't think to write there was others would be glad enough to if they was let. And then I went and got Maison out of bed which she was taking her breakfast in.

"You come down here for your health and look what you do to it!" I says, and made her go for a boardwalk which she held out for about half a hour and no wonder with the heels she wears, and then stopped me with a gasp.

"Dearie, you surely must be the one that put the h.e.l.l in health," she says, "For heavens sakes leave us sit down."

Well we did, and in about five minutes along comes Mr. Freddy with a friend, Mr. Sternberg, and it was remarkable how quick Maison recovered her strength, with the result that we spent a quiet little morning and about fifty dollars of Mr. Sternberg's money on shooting-galleries and throwing rings and carousels and a j.a.panese auction and other restful seaside sports, and ended at a quiet little cafe simply done in paper roses and rubber palm trees where the drinks was only seventy-five cents per each and I had to sit and watch them again, Ma having gone off to exercise and not appearing to want me along with her.

Well anyways I was sort of relieved over not having to eat lunch with Captain Raymond looking on back at the hotel, and was just thinking of it when who would come into that cafe but the Captain himself, alone except for another officer, a Lieutenant with his arm in a sling and caught sight of me the very minute he sat down.

Well of course I didnt look over at him but I couldnt help noticing he called a waiter and wrote a note on a piece of paper and that the waiter brought it over to me.

And Maison seen it too, and her gentleman friends the same, and did they kid me? They did! But I kept the bird which had brought the note over while I tore it in two without reading it and sent it back again that way and believe you me that got over, because I could see Captain Raymond turn red all the way across the noisy room.

Well I thought that had settled it and spent a mournful if busy afternoon in another cafe where there was lots of smoke and a Jazz band and dancing and Maison was real happy because she had finally got Mr.

Freddy to spend a nickle and a half. But I was lower than ever in my mind thinking how much more often some soldiers seemed able to write than others.

Well, after we had taken a nice walk in the fresh air nearly three blocks long, I got back to the hotel to find that Goldringer was giving a party that night beginning with dinner and of course Ma and me was booked for it and no escape because of my contract with him. And it was some party and at twelve o'clock that night I dragged my weary bones down the corridor after the second day of my rest, feeling that I would pa.s.s out any minute. A person certainly does need their strength to enjoy a American health resort.

The next morning I didn't even attempt to get up for any wild west exhibit. I hadn't the pep for one thing and the Captain was another reason of course. And when I finally come down-stairs and see Ma eat practically nothing, I let her set off right away after breakfast without me for exercise was nothing in my life. I strolled around the lobby waiting for Maison Rosabelle according to her request and there I seen a big poster which I had noticed before, the one about the entertainment for the benefit of blind soldiers which the Captain had been sitting under the first time I--he saw me, and I went over and read it and the entertainment was to come off that very night. And while I was reading it the second time the way a person does in a hotel lobby, up comes Captain Raymond and actually speaks right there where a sceene would of proved me no lady.

"Please, Miss LaTour!" he says. "It's so _important._"

"Kindly do not force me to call for a.s.sistance," I says low and quiet.

"You are a stranger to me."

"But you dont understand!" he says, flushing up red the attractive way he had for all he was so fresh.

"Indeed I do," I says. "I havent been in the theatrical world since three generations for nothing," I says. "Kindly go _away!_"

"If you would only listen for five minutes, I'd prove how mistaken you are!" he says. "Won't you give me a chance?"

"No!" I says.

"By Heavens, I'll make you!" he says, half laughing. "I've never seen anything so absurd! Why my dear lady...."