from one end of the town to the other until he gets you. That's
his business."

"He always said he was a dealer in live stock."

The tall girl laughed scornfully. "Live stock!" she jeered. "Did he get
away with that? Well, that's what he is--a dealer in human live stock, a
trafficker in women, one of the oldest professions in the world--and the
dirtiest. Live stock! That's what he calls girls like you and
me--cattle!"

For a long moment Elsie sat staring at her companion. The last prop of
her faith in the man who had married her was crumbling. She could not
give up this last illusion of Druce's faithfulness without a struggle.
The blood flamed to her cheeks and she started to her feet.

"I don't believe it," she cried in anguish.

To her surprise, Lou made no reply. She merely regarded her pityingly.
This was the last blow. Elsie burst into a flood of tears.

"I know you don't believe it," said Lou gently. "It's hard for anyone who
is decent to believe that men can fall so low. Why, nobody believes it!
The men who run the city government don't believe it, the law makers
don't believe it, the vice commission, doesn't believe it. The only
people who believe it are the people who, at their own bitter cost, know
it--and this girl Mary Randall."

She paused.

"Look at me, kid," she went on. "I was sold for $175. Sold, do you get
that? SOLD! And I came high. They buy and sell 'em in this district every
day for fifty. Yes, I was prime stock. They brought me up here from
Kentucky. Kentucky Lou, price $175--a choice article." She broke off,
laughing bitterly, and summoned a waiter.

"Whisky," she said, "and be quick with it."

She waited until the waiter returned without speaking. Then she tossed
off the glass of fiery liquid like a man.

"Now," she said, resuming the conversation abruptly, "let me tell you
what you are up against. You can't go home, your pride won't let you. And
if you wanted to go home you haven't the money. Druce has turned you
loose in this district to starve and when you've starved enough you'll
come back to him."

Elsie shook her head.

"Yes, you will, girlie. You don't know it now, but I know it and Druce
knows it. And when you come back you'll do as Druce wants you to do,
because you'll know that if you don't you'll have to starve again. It's
against human nature to starve. You'll go back to him. And when you do
and Druce is tired of you he'll sell you for what you are, cattle--his
kind