wants to pin it shut!"

"I--I feel ashamed--I--I--kinda hate to leave it open."

"Shades of Vyette! Leave that neck alone, can't you? After all my
preachin' yesterday, look where I landed you. Nowheres!"

"Like that, Ysobel?"

"Take the pin out, there; center left like that. Say, girl, I wish you
knew about this game what I've forgot."

"Me, too, Ysobel."

"Say, listen to her warblin' down there, will you? What's she practisin'
for, I wonder--a chaser act on a four-a-day circuit? Breathe in, girl,
you may be a perfect thirty-six, but you'll never make a tape-measure
see it your way."

"Shall I--shall I tell 'em I got a voice, Ysobel? Me and my little
sister used to sing in--"

Miss Du Prez glanced up over Della's shoulder and, by proxy of the
mirror, their eyes met. The red of exertion was high in her face, and
one corner of her mouth compressed over pins, so that her words leaked
out as through the lips of a faun.

"Voice! You remind me of the fellow that went down to Bowling Green to
bowl. They got as much room for voices in musical comedy as a magazine's
got for anything besides the advertisin' pages."

"My little sister's got--"

"Can you beat it? 'Voice,' she says. You put your voice in your ankles
and waist-line, girl, and it'll get you further. And as for scales like
our friend down-stairs, learn to keep the runners out of your silk
stockings first. There, give it the Anna Held tilt--there--more--so!"

"Oh-h-h, Ysobel--oh-h-h!"

"Swell, and then some. Who you got to thank? Who steered you right?"

Like a pale-gold aura of moonlight spreading out from behind a black
cloud sprang Della's hair against the drooping brim of her hat. She was
like a tight-draped, firm-stayed Venus, lyric in every line, her limbs
wrapped in an ephod of grace and a skirt that restricted her steps like
anklets joined by a too short chain.

"Here, put them white gloves in your bag and save 'em for outside the
office doors. Ready?"

"Oh, Ysobel, if my little sister Cottie could only see me now!"

"Don't forget the lines I learnt you last night--two years' experience
on Western short circuit--spot-light work, and silent principal--thirty
dollars."

"Western short circuit--Western short circuit!"

"Dancing and first-row promenade specialty."

"Dancing and first--"

"Say, you ain't unlearnt it already, have you?"

"No--no."

Down four flights of narrow, unlit stairs with their gauzy laughter,
lingering in black ha