ly.

"Smarty!" she said.

"I wasn't trying to be nasty, Ethyl--you're welcome to an appointment
every twenty minutes so far as I'm concerned."

Miss Ethyl appeared appeased.

"You know yourself, Gert, you gotta way about you. A dollar tip ain't
nothin' for you. But look at me--I've forgot there's anything bigger'n a
quarter in circulation."

"There's a great deal in knowing human nature. Why, I can almost tell a
fellow's first name by looking at his half-moons."

"Believe me, Gert, it ain't your glossy finish that makes the hit; it's
a way you've got of making a fellow think he's the whole show."

"I _do_ try to make myself agreeable," admitted Miss Sprunt.

"Agreeable! You can look at a guy with that
Oh-I-could-just-listen-to-you-talk-for-ever expression, and by the time
you're through with him he'll want to take his tens out of the water and
sign over his insurance to you."

"Manicuring is a business like anything else," said Miss Sprunt, by no
means displeased. "You sure do have to cater to the trade."

"Well, believe me--" began Miss Ethyl.

But Miss Gertrude suddenly straightened, smiled, and turned toward her
table.

Across the hall Mr. James Barker, the rubbed-down, clean-shaven result
of a Russian bath, a Swedish massage, and a bountiful American
breakfast, stepped out of a French-gold elevator and entered the parlor.

Miss Sprunt placed the backs of her hands on her hips and cocked her
head at the clock.

"Good morning, Mr. Barker; you're on time to the minute."

Mr. Barker removed his black-and-white checked cap, deposited three
morning editions of evening papers atop a small glass case devoted to
the display of Madame Dupont's beautifying cold-creams and marvelous
cocoa-butters, and rubbed his hands swiftly together as if generating a
spark. A large diamond mounted in a cruelly stretched lion's mouth
glinted on Mr. Barker's left hand; a sister stone glowed like an
acetylene lamp from his scarf.

"On time, eh! Leave it to your Uncle Fuller to be on time for the big
show--a pretty goil can drag me from the hay quicker'n anything I know
of."

Miss Gertrude quirked the corner of one eye at Miss Ethyl in a scarcely
perceptible wink and filled a glass bowl with warm water.

"That's one thing I will say for my regular customers--they never keep
me waiting; that is the beauty of having a high-class trade."

She glanced at Mr. Barker with pleasing insinuation, and they seated
themselves _vis-a