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verpower her； but she had recovered command of herself； and become again the sympathetic provider and counsellor。
He would have continued to talk； apparently； for the influence of strong drink had not begun to wane； but the girl at length stopped him。
〃Listen here； Merton〃 she began； her voice was choked to a peculiar hoarseness and she seemed to be threatened with a return of her late strong emotion。 She was plainly uncertain of her control； fearing to trust herself to speech； but presently； after efforts which he observed with warmest sympathy； she seemed to recover her poise。 She swallowed earnestly several times； wiped her moisture dimmed eyes with her handkerchief； and continued； 〃It's getting late and I've got to be over at the show shop。 So I'll tell you what to do next。 You go out and get a shave and a haircut and then go home and get cleaned upyou said you had a room and other clothes； didn't you？〃
Volubly he told her about the room at Mrs。 Patterson's； and； with a brief return of lucidity； how the sum of ten dollars was now due this heartless society woman who might insist upon its payment before he would again enjoy free access to his excellent wardrobe。
〃Well； lemme see〃 She debated a moment； then reached under the table； fumbled obscurely； and came up with more money。 〃Now； here； here's twenty more besides that first I gave you； so you can pay the dame her money and get all fixed up again； fresh suit and clean collar and a shine and everything。 No； nothis is my scene； you stay out。〃
He had waved protestingly at sight of the new money； and now again he blushed。
〃That's all understood；〃 she continued。 〃I'm staking you to cakes till you get on your feet； see？ And I know you're honest； so I'm not throwing my money away。 Theresink it and forget it。 Now； you go out and do what I said； the barber first。 And lay off the eats until about noon。 You had enough for now。 By noon you can stoke up with meat and potatoesanything you want that'll stick to the merry old slats。 And I'd take milk instead of any more coffee。 You've thinned down someyou're not near so plump as Harold Parmalee。 Then you rest up for the balance of the day； and you show here to…morrow morning about this time。 Do you get it？ The Countess'll let you in。 Tell her I said to； and come over to the office building。 See？〃
He tried to tell her his gratitude； but instead he babbled again of how much she was like Tessie Kearns。 They parted at the gate。
With a last wondering scrutiny of him； a last reminder of her very minute directions； she suddenly illumined him with rays of a compassion that was somehow half…laughter。 〃You poor； feckless dub！〃 she pronounced as she turned from him to dance through the gate。 He scarcely heard the words； her look and tone had been so warming。
Ten minutes later he was telling a barber that he had just finished a hard week on the Holden lot； and that he was glad to get the brush off at last。 From the barber's he hastened to the Patterson house； rather dreading the encounter with one to whom he owed so much money。 He found the house locked。 Probably both of the Pattersons had gone out into society。 He let himself in and began to follow the directions of the Montague girl。 The bath； clean linen； the other belted suit； already pressed； the other shoes； the buttoned； cloth… topped ones； already polished！ He felt now more equal to the encounter with a heartless society woman。 But； as she did not return； he went out in obedience to a new hunger。
In the most sumptuous cafeteria he knew of； one patronized only in his first careless days of opulence； he ate for a long time。 Roast beef and potatoes he ordered twice； nor did he forget to drink the milk prescribed by his benefactress。 Plenty of milk would make him more than ever resemble Harold Parmalee。 And he commanded an abundance of dessert： lemon pie and apple pie and a double portion of chocolate cake with ice…cream。 His craving for sweets was still unappeased； so at a near…by drug store he bought a pound box of candy。
The world was again under his feet。 Restored to his rightful domain； he trod it with lightness and certainty。 His mind was still a pleasant jumble of money and food and the Montague girl。 Miles of gorgeous film flickered across his vision。 An experienced alcoholic would have told him that he enjoyed a coffee 〃hang…over。〃 He wended a lordly way to the nearest motion…picture theatre。
Billed there was the tenth installment of The Hazards of Hortense。 He passed before the lively portrayal in colours of Hortense driving a motor car off an open drawbridge。 The car was already halfway between the bridge and the water beneath。 He sneered openly at the announcement： 〃Beulah Baxter in the Sensational Surprise Picture of the Century。〃 A surprise picture indeed； if those now entering the theatre could be told what he knew about it！ He considered spreading the news； but decided to retain the superiority his secret knowledge gave him。
Inside the theatre； eating diligently from his box of candy； he was compelled to endure another of the unspeakable Buckeye comedies。 The cross…eyed man was a lifeguard at a beach and there were social entanglements involving a bearded father； his daughter in an inconsiderable bathing suit； a confirmed dipsomaniac； two social derelicts who had to live by their wits； and a dozen young girls also arrayed in inconsiderable bathing suits。 He could scarcely follow the chain of events； so illogical were they； and indeed made little effort to do so。 He felt far above the audience that cackled at these dreadful buffooneries。 One subtitle read： 〃I hate to kill himmurder is so hard to explain。〃
This sort of thing； he felt more than ever； degraded an art where earnest people were suffering and sacrificing in order to give the public something better and finer。 Had he not； himself； that very day； completed a perilous ordeal of suffering and sacrifice？ And he was asked to laugh at a crosseyed man posing before a camera that fell to pieces when the lens was exposed； shattered； presumably； by the impact of the afflicted creature's image！ This； surely； was not art such as Clifford Armytage was rapidly fitting himself； by trial and hardship； to confer upon the public。
It was with curiously conflicting emotions that he watched the ensuing Hazards of Hortense。 He had to remind himself that the slim little girl with the wistful eyes was not only not performing certain feats of daring that the film exposed； but that she was Mrs。 Sigmund Rosenblatt and crazy about her husband。 Yet the magic had not wholly departed from this wronged heroine。 He thought perhaps this might be because he now knew； and actually liked； that talkative Montague girl who would be doing the choice bits of this drama。 Certainly he was loyal to the hand that fed him。
Black Steve and his base crew； hirelings of the scoundrelly guardian who was 〃a Power in Wall Street；〃 again and again seemed to have encompassed the ruin； body and soul； of the persecuted Hortense。 They had her prisoner in a foul den of Chinatown； whence she escaped to balance precariously upon the narrow cornice of a skyscraper； hundreds of feet above a crowded thoroughfare。 They had her； as the screen