« T IH ’ IIHOAV. J l'I.V » , j, , , TH E PAQ E REDMOND SPOKESMAN EIG H T THE GIRL PRO SPERITY By GEORGE R A N D O LPH CHESTER (Copyright by the McClure Nevrspspcr Syndicat».) The boss barber was not. however "Some chummy with Mr Yap from Yapvllle." he sneered to the Manicure Girl “ He's a real nice little lllck, Billy,” ahe Insisted "but he wa* as solemn as classic music, and you know me Any time 1 s«>»> any body look iiuh > eyed I've got to be Busy B«*asle, the Ch«*erful I'hlrker-up "So I notice." said Billy "but you usually manage to spring that gag on the strangers " "You u«'«Hln't worry. Billy." she re­ torted "Not that you've got any mortgage on the premises but that 1 hate to see you taking nil that spite out on the poor Dagoes v'onsldertng the couple of hundred dollars my pel Hick has left, he's not likely to be In any more.” She was mistaken In a w«*ek he was In again, more aggrt'sslve even than he had b«*en the Aral time Some way there wan a change In him The noisy tie was gone, he had a new hat. and he carrl«*d himself a shade "scrappy." aa she expressed It "H e llo !" ahe hailed him "I thought you'd gone back to the girl In Proa perlty." "Not yet.” he said "1 dou't think I'm going hack except wbeu 1 go after the girl*' "N o *” ahe asked "W het's hold­ ing you*” ''Money.” he repll«*d gleefully, and displayed a huge roil of bills "W ho died In your family?" ahs asked "It Isn't that.” he laughed "but New York has too much loose coin for a man to leave I've found out how to take Its wealth away from It ” “ G ood'" she exclaimed "U tile old New York needs a trimming Go after It and get It good But how are you doing It? I'm greedy to know." "Oh. Just speculating a little tn stock and grains." he repll«»] "Reuben. Reuben'” she gasped "You'll be the death of me yet." "You're mistaken In the name." he retorted. "It s Hiram H. Hanks of Hawkinsvllle. or possibly Josh Dill of Picklesburg." She surveyed him with some dis­ favor. “ My. but I bet they miss you In Prosperity What a merry wag you must be when you're going good " “ Regular clown.” he grinned “ Just for that I'll make you listen to my real name " From his pocket he drew a stamped and address«*d letter and pointed to the "James E Carroll" written In the corner under the Belvelgh card. "And here'a the girl.” he said, pointing to the address with a strange combination of diffidence and asaertlvcnoM- '‘Elisabeth Rulh "lllck Isn't he nifty» Tap. 1 gu-ss' Also a pin head and a few other things hut Just the same he came here to spend three hundred dollars, and he's been here over a week ami he'a got ghoul six hundred of II left. I call that r«*al Marathon blood my self If you'd go out l t d turn a few trick* like that you could come down to your dally toll In a bus« «agon " lie'll be down on the Bowery l*«n handling before he gels through growled Billy It did not seem to happen right at once, however Every time Jaiuea K Carroll came In he looked more pros porous, ami he told the Manicure t*lrl each time of how much money he was making as a grain and stock operator" Every time It was mere and more He dtdn t exactly boast about U; he was only gleeful In a large, childish way. and It Is doubt ful If he gloated to any one else aa he did lo Mlsa Williams He had constituted her hla confidante from the beginning, and seemed lo feel It a solemn duty, as well ss a Joy. to corns tn end let her know bis prog­ ress It wss strange, too. to see his transition from s rountry b«»y to sn all rounder Ilia clothing now was up to the minute, hta talk up to the second and everything about hlin was right on the dot but tn place of the rugged pink and brown of his cheeks he now had a massaged com­ plexion and there were pouches under hta eyas The Manicure Girl rams In one day laughing and still half vexed "Guess where I saw James E Car- roll." ahe said to Teas "In a big red racer with three stunning chorus girls I was with Prank you know him. head rusher over at Churley's " 'It'« Plunger Jimmy Carroll,' Frank told me " 'Gee” | said 'Has he gnt so far along that Broadway knows him*' “ 'Sure,' said Frank 'He's the hot teat member on the main atrm Ile a Juat Jimmy, along the line All (bw late places know him and all the fol ties and Flulffea know him ‘ How s that for a pace*" ''He got the quickest education of anybody evert a a «." commented Teas " If he was mine I'd have a sparkling rock as Ipg as the h* ad of s hat pin out of him " “ You've had plenty of chances." re torted Miss Williams but I don't no­ tice that Tiffany effect on you“ Mr Carroll came In the next day. beaming "You ought to see my new car." he told the Manicure Girl as he sat down at her table "I sa » It yeslenlay." she snapped "You were peddling a tin« load of shrimps " "Waren l they the class of the When James E. Carroll, hls attire lantly Into the little drawer of her table. fully keyed up to hla pink tie. » » a * "Thank you,” she said again, still gertql into th«* Hotel li«-.v«>lgli barber shop, the boss barber loafing over at very sweetly. Those » e r e the only four words the table of Iteaaie Williams grinned that had beeu iS’okou during .lie en­ In spite of his present ill humor "Pipe the village cut-up," he ob­ tire event "How did you tame him. Bess’ " served. The Manicure Girl aurvajred the asked the other girl. 'M ade him s«*e the sue of hla newcomer with a keen eye. “ No, Billy." she replied ‘i t s the hands." explained Miss Williams with a shrug "You can do that with any village sport." "Whatever he la," Insisted Billy, of them that have btg onea. and after “ has a Hick and looking for a ten that they'll lay down and roll over and Jump through hoops at the mere cent shave." glance of command ” Again the girl surveyed the new­ The next day he came again, but comer critically "N o." she once more dissented. ''I ll with not nearly ao much assuranc«). bet you the site of the ttp that he Again he took Billy's chair but there »a s very little aggressiveness about tips you " him. T h e same which would be a line "What will you have a sample o f and wise bet for me to make I think not." observed Billy, and added a today*" aak«*d Billy. "Shave,” said Mr. Carroll, wearily, forcible word or so under his breath as he started forward, for Mr James as he lay back In the chair When Billy turned him looae be E Carroll, having looked down the line of Greeks and Italians who stood went over to Miss Williams and Invitingly at their empty chairs, gave spread out hia hand* upon her table, a glance at the only American barber dropping opposite to her with a In the place, and climbed Into the dead-tired air. “ You don't want me to treat your only chair which had no attendant “ 111 take a round trip." he affably nails again*" she objected "Sure.” he said " I came In on observed as Billy slipped the sleeves purpose.” o f the shaving apron over his arms. "This is one of the good things you "Shave, sir?" coldly Inquired Billy. " I f I'd Who. nevertheless, had understood can overdo." she told him give those nails the full course so perfectly t hat his customer meant. "The w-i-ole howling hippodrome." soon you'd have to get a new set«” He was quite dismal about It. said you r; Mr Carroll, unabashed. "Can't you Just fuss around with "Do every'uing you know how " "Just watch me make this fresh them a little bit. then*" he Inquired wop's pocket change shrink down to “ I'm so lonesome I could go to Jail the e»lge o f his return ticket." for company.” "Maybe I could finish yesterday'» growled Tilly to the Manicure Girl as he made a pretext to go past her Job a little,” she returned. "It would be cheating but I don't mind.” and table for fresh towels " I wouldn't have your ingrowing she studied tbem carefully The fact o f the matter was that grouch for money." laughed the girl. "You would If you ached to fur­ Mr James E. Carroll was quite pal nish a flat and got turned down pablv unhappy, ar.d the Manicure Girl, every time you mentioned It." he who always wore her claws un­ sheathed for "fresh" p«*ople. could not complained. T told you that was barred ~ she withhold comfort from unhappy ones "What's the matter* Hasn't New Informed him. "I think I see myself In an East Harlem flat, with cheese­ York been clubby with you?” she cloth curtains on the front windows asked, as she went gingerly to work “ No.” he complained "the town's and a garbage can on the Are escape, There's more fun out in • ! counting how many Wienerwursts we too slow Prosperity. Indiana, where I cams get for a dime " It was In consequent savageness from." “ That Isn't what alls you. There's that Billy began upon the task of giving his country customer "a round a girl back In Prosperity " "There's half a dozen of them.” hi trip.” He cut that hearty young gen­ tleman's hair, and singed and sham­ grinned. “ Y e s ’ " she Inquired and looked pooed and dandrufflned It. he shaved "There's only him and massaged his head and his him over carefully face, he put upon him drenches of one. I’ll put a little bet down on It; every bottled thing In his possession, a bag of peanuts against a packagi then he grinned, yanked up the chair. o f chewing gum." He looked a long time at the ManI Jerked off the towels and handed over his largest check But Mr. Carroll cure Girl's Imported pomnadour. ther be called a boy and handed him a was scarcely Interested. "Is that all you can do*” he asked. quarter. "Bring a package o f chewing gum.’ "W e have a chiropodist, but he's not on duty Just now.” snarled Billy: he ordered. That’s when Miss Williams begar “ while you're waiting, though, you not to dislike him so much. can get manicured '' “ Me for the manicure. I've heard "Yes." he went on by and by •bout 'em.” said Mr. Carroll: "and 'T h e re Is Just one girl back In Pro* Just as a sporting proposition I'm perlty, that Is. one worth mention going to sample a sample of every­ Ing. and I'd give a hundred dollari thing there Is In New York.” If she was here.” "Just go right ahead and see if New “ So much as a hundred left.” shi York cares," Bill advised him. asked. In apparent surprise; “ and yoc “ I don't care whether New York here two days?” cares." returned Mr. Carroll, largely, "It does melt pretty fast," he cot» “ and that's where I've got the best fessed, smiling, “ but I'm good for t o f New York." few days longer. I brought betweer As a matter of living up to that three and four hundred dollars wltt largeness he presented Billy with half me.” a dollar, then he swaggered across "G e e !" exclaimed Miss Williams the shop to the cashier’s desk, flaunt­ '"What will they do for a ctrculatlni ing a twenty-dollar bill In his hand medium out there?” and glancing with speculative assur­ “ Oh. there's some left, I guess," hi ance at the row o f manicure girls. told her. "but not among the gang Tess. who was quite universal In her You see. I won this In a poker game “ In a Big Red Racsr With Thres Stunning Chorus Girts." tastes, used her large eyes freely, but the biggest one we ever had lr with the usual negative effect. No­ town.” Emery. Don't you think It a some "My. what a wicked little sport!" card?*' he laughed, and teemed quite body could be persuaded to believe pumpkins of a name?" proud o f It. "That flosay blonde on them. Instead of succumbing to the she gasped. " I guess you're the hor "It's a shine to Elizabeth E Car- the outalde was Beauty Phillip», the girl who owned them, Mr Carroll's ‘ rlble example In Prosperity. I guesi roll; and for that I suppose I get sensation of The Pink Canary ' 8he’t gaze roved right on over her head to they won't let you come to the church paid double." going to star next season, and Angel the deceptively demure Miss W il­ sociables, nor the husking bees, not “ You sure do," he agreed. T 'm Jimmy may back the show.” liams. anything. What does the girl think writing her a dandy letter. I'm tell- “ Mr Smarty from 8martvllle.” com­ of It’ " "Fine for Beauty Phillips!" said the Ing her all about the good buslneaa “ She doesn't know anything about mented Tess with a toss of her head Manicure Girl, and then ahe was an­ I'm In and how much money I'm " I don't want him,” retorted Miss It,” he returned rather soberly. “ II grily silent for a few minutes "I,ook making. Why, say, do you known Williams. " I f I draw Johnny Fresh she found It out, I don't think she'd here, Mr James E. CarToll." ahe sud­ I'm ahead over five hundred dollars * H I give him the salting down of his like It very much.” denly demanded; "when did you write since I saw you?” life. It’ll be a real quiet convention Miss Williams liked him even bet last to the girl In Prosperity?” The Manicure Girl puihed back hla w e’ll hold, with me in the steam ter for the seriousness with which hi "By George. I— I Intended to write hand, and hastily reached down hla roller part.” considered this phase o f the matter. her last night,” he stammered. " I — hat from the hook overhead. "O f course, she’s pretty,” she sug­ As a preliminary to this process, > I haven't been answering her letters "R u n !” she exclaimed. "Get away when Mr Carroll sat down at her gested by and by. as promptly as I ought, and that's a quick before they find out you've got It was good to see his face light table she spread out both his hands fa c t” It. or they'll take It away If they have before her and surveyed them critic­ up. "When — did — you — write — to T call her Reddy, but her hair Isn't to strangle you*’ ally; then she smiled with an appar­ — her?" she Insisted. He merely grinned. "It's « ent attempt to conceal It; then she really red,” he explained. “ Well, It's been— why, confound It. "Oh, I don't know," he said con­ looked demurely up. Mr. Carroll was dark brown, that seems to flare u{ It's over three weeks." he finally con­ fidently. "I've noticed that the red. Some uncomfortable thought copper colored sometimes when thl fessed held him silent throughout the entire sun shines through it; and she has people who gouge Ita money out "And then III bet It waa on one operation, checking any desire for the brownest o f brown eyes, and thl o f New York, and keep It. come from page," she snapped back at him. places like Prosperity, Indiana. reddest o f red lips, and the whites! conversation and killing any Inclina­ "You told her you were too buay to tion whatsoever toward flippancy. o f white teeth, and the pinkest There's a lot more where this five write, only Just those few linns, but hundred grew, and I'm going to plrk When he got up to go he looked at cheeks; and—” would write more tomorrow ” "Sure.” she Interrupted; T know It." the change dubiously, then at the That time «he made him blush. "Poor child,” she commiserated. "I girl, then back at the change and the kind. You can And her on thl Now,” she sternly went on, "yoa can see your bumps on the way.” front page of any o f the twenty-sli again grew red. His dilemma was "Maybe so," he admitted, "but let * ° rl*h* out of here and write to that obvious. He did not know whether best sellers, and on the covers of at. girl; and keep It up, or don't ever or not It ..on the proper thing to tip the magazines when they haven*! me tell you, little lady, I’ll be hav­ come back ’’ a lady. Sometimes Miss Williams anything special to feature; and 1 ing the time of my life until they “Cross my heart, hope to die If I took tips and sometimes she refused suppose after this lonesome Uttll reach me. and If they clean me I've don’t," he promised. them. This time she accepted before Seelng-New York trip all by yourself made my three hundred stretch a The next time he came In he waa you'll go back home and marry thl long, long way.” one was really offered * p,r,lpu|ar,y ugly bulldog He held hta head high and his big 'Thank you,” said she very girl In the last chapter.“ "Isn't that a lovely mut?" he asked "You bet I w ill," he returned, de shoulders square as he walked out •vreetly. He pushed a quarter toward her ddedly. and when he got up to go ha and Billy anorted. but he got no satis-’ aa he tied the end of the chain to hla chair (action out of the Manicure Girt. tentatively and she swept It noncha­ was feeling a lot more cheerful. w%PK 9 ^ IM I v \ 1 x h ; -m >\ - _ . ': _ -, O I ! -, “ What'a It good for besides hill­ »***,& . "What'a tbu matter wlth ing *" ahe asked avelng the creature den.si.ded "You l««>k IU » , ^ with supreme disfavor .la. • threwcwtil buii. h .,f «.»w* xjf I I I to make an already peer Ires llM t 1 ' beauty look sllll more like a queen, 11« glaneed itown al hl.nssly ' he told her. complacently "I exam fuii* Hia « lo i hoo m i d. i Ined something like two tons of dogs and pressing bis ahoos nor,|.,«1 I one, Isn't It*** "No.” he repllr«!, deflnntly I m not dollar ” "What a r. you golng tn «lo** |tilui lo writ»* any iihmm "I don t know * h . »»M w She looked at him ant »m«*h ner ■ pile «if hla atl.m pt tn fy i i head, hut ahe eald nothing, nnd her manfully Hier« « a i a t >xi very silence angered hliu "What's the uae*" he h«*lly went vol.-* The singer waa ail >t of | "Cil get anothw» start s "neks, on. and ahe divined thal. after all his anger »aa more at himself than guère " "Oh. yea " the agreed s..*, al her "Why should l hide the fact# : from myaelf any longer I » » grown venir friends a r. sur. 1« help hark OU your feel again a »a y from l*roeper1ty ” Phillip«, for la«lanc«s * T should say you had." she ss reed Hang Beauty Ph illip«' ' he muen t ash quwctlor.s a* dead right now Why. ahe might sometime come to N r » York and If »g re e d him. because i fun I »»st| 1 feel Verv ahe should happen to meet yeq on disappoint you Broadway «hen you were with some though, that I can land ll for y«w That afternoon b e tw e e n »■ rk a> of your swell friends, and should nod a letter, a proceed: . »k tj to you. you’d he disgraced tor life I’ll bet she’d be n scream on llr<«sd always made the hoes barber nrrv i ' I..,«ever ti,*na«--,| 1 fo r " »a y . with her funny clothee and her n ,x n, funny little hal and her red complex- gltn.p.e at the envelop« before mailed and fell better about It, ton " "That'll be about all ” he aaid. as the letter was addressed to £ll;*M M m he Jumped up and unwound hla dog Ru’ h Emery. Proet'erlty Indians On .Monday n ortilng Elisabeth lUtpwve chain, and hla fare had turned eud denly pale "My Ideas have rhangwd Emery and her sister arrlv««d somewhat about things back In Pros­ Muehrth It, ith »ell »at «town word t t a H I perity. but I ran t stand for having ■ he would like to see Miss w m . a boi promptly sent ,y t*w That young lady promptly that girl roasted even In n Joke " ll was over a month before ha the room, and waa confronted by I came In again, and the Manicure Girl girt almost aa pretty aa Jlminy had mlaaed him Now she saw at tried to describe The two girls shook hands ane |VQ one* that something was wrong lie was nervous and abstracted, though 'here had been any distrust bosom of Mire Edwards It melted | he tried to he his old flippant self a moment aa she looked Into tilth the shrewd eyes of Miss Wit Hams upon him he kept thinking of truthful wyre of llraale Williams one thing while ho talked of another, "Where Is Mr t'a rroll*" asked l# f. asked questions without listening to rlrl from Prosperity. «1th trem' iTOtOI the answers, then asked the same eagernru "llo w HI la he? Has questions again a good doctor*” "How much did you Iona?” she T t n hls only doctor ” respond Anally asked him Mias Williams "and the only arrlptlon I've given him wna the Ho atarrd at her In wonder You see. It Un t "How did you know? Where did I wrote to you body that's sick. It's hls ml! you hear’ ” ho slowly questioned "You ve been le'ila g mo over alnro Jimmy Carroll's a good boy but a fool." you caino In,” aho said Mire Emery flushed a bit tnd I expect 1 have." ho admitted. "Wel^, they got to mo In lumps and nanlly. but her alatsr amlled " I suspected aa much." ah* s* goba For the past month 1 think 1 waa about tho only bull In a brer "I think your description la Hs Is a to market. I went down the grenaed In­ right. Mire Williams cline so fast It arm-had from tba fric­ boy. and I n afraid hs Is th« rri S i It tion The flrat of thla weok I had to sell both automobile# " "I gues» he's cured o f that." ” 1 ran see the headlight and the Miss Williams, laughing "but aftfl glimmer studded watch going next.” all. he'a no bigger fool than the cron she commented, with n shake of hor that put him on Ihe reefn He tho head *T suppose they've about got he could play the bucket nbops all that automobile money by now ” no living man has ever kppt al tkd "Suppose again,” he retorted Th ey and finished on the rosy side of did get nearly all of It at flrst. but For about a month he thought the market changed at last, snd I'm owned New Tork. and now be s da »'«d o a little money since. If |'ij close and out that's all 1 tried to get Ml out now I’d have at least three thou­ to go home, but he wouldn't go. sa sand.” sant for the sheriff ” "Tell me where It la and I'll go The girl from Prosperity was g-t It for you." offered Ihe Manicure plusred; also »he waa bonaa! Girl, hastily. "You lake that money ” 1 don't qulla know whether and go right bark to Prosperity. In­ thank you for Inducing me to diana, buy Ihe vlllago dry goods em­ • hla trip or not." she said, porium. marry that girl, sett)« down coldly and get fat Then thla eiperlenca "W alt until you aee Jimtn. tv! will hare don« you good " •Ponded Miss Williams .oatly ft»* He shook hla head ahe fell quits confident o f the th * J "I can never go hack thare,” ho come »aid; 'n ever' That'a not my world R wa# about two o'clock when k* I tell you I'll make back th . money cam#, looking w..r»e than ever II# I I oat. I've learned a few tricks In waa pale now and also shabby, a ^ the last couple of weeks.” she Judged that maybe he was h«» “Oh. New York will educate you." gry. loo but he was shaved and kk ahe owned, "but, you know, «ollegn cloth es were brushed Hhn lo«.ke,t graduate« dor.'t amount to much.” hla hand The ring waa gone Mr "Never mind.” he Insisted " I ’vw had mads that aarrlflrs tn appear Played this game to win before, and neatly In case the "partner-.hH I can do It again. Watch me *’ chance " »hnuld come out right, *nf Mtt*r “ You'd better send at least on« l*** Hembllngly eager to know f r i j j * thousand dollars of that money to the «he had hreiM anything favorable PPJ girl back homo to plant under th« She look him up to the girl frou f!® 0* cellar atalrs,” ah« auggnatnd Pro» peril « |ua. „ » |„. I,.. .- W * 1 She watched him narrowly, and not he whiter when he Is dead .ed Sk.no t h a V . d ^ Ilo ^ then she smiled to herself The men­ h « turned »h en h.- « « » her - 1 ? „ tion of the girl In Prosperity did not moment ihey Junt looked and looked seem to annoy him thla time They Were both trembling That I "That much money wouldn't scar« "lowly she held out her hands to h l s ^ ^ r e her, at any rat«." h« said, smiling H.iddenly, with a «oh hs dropped „ "She's rather well todo for a cotm Ms I.eeee before her, there upon Ik* " T r try town She a an orphan and live», parlor floor, snd hurled hls head up«* -,s T , with her married slater But don't you worry «bout that thousand I Outside In the hall th « Mnnlruri ran use that to elegant advantage Girl was dahhlng her sy«s with » gnlte m y s e lf pocket handkerchief .end upbraldlM » ■ ! „ The nett time she saw him waa on h *r**lf he street. He tried to pass on by . ó , . r * r t * , n , y I " 1 th " W e s p ili with a nod. bat she called to him and . W IMfr.-d -he »al.l Impatiently. U « d It ka came back reluctantly. ahe hurried foe tho elevator triti» rl