th it?" said Susan.

"Wait till it goes out," said the waiter. "Then drink, as you
would anything else." And he was off to attend to the wants of
a group of card players a few feet away.

Susan touched her finger to the glass, when the flame suddenly
vanished. She found it was not too hot to drink, touched her
lips to it. The taste, sweetish, suggestive of coffee and of
brandy and of burnt sugar, was agreeable. She slowly sipped
it, delighting in the sensation of warmth, of comfort, of well
being that speedily diffused through her. The waiter came to
receive her thanks for his advice. She said to him:

"Do you have women sing, too?"

"Oh, yes--when we can find a good-looker with a voice. Our
customers know music."

"I wonder if I could get a trial?"

The waiter was interested at once. "Perhaps. You sing?"

"I have sung on the stage."

"I'll ask the boss."

He went to the counter near the door where stood a short
thick-set Jew of the East European snub-nosed type in earnest
conversation with a seated blonde woman. She showed that skill
at clinging to youth which among the lower middle and lower
classes pretty clearly indicates at least some experience at
the fast life. For only in the upper and upper middle class
does a respectable woman venture thus to advertise so
suspicious a guest within as a desire to be agreeable in the
sight of men. Susan watched the waiter as he spoke to the
proprietor, saw the proprietor's impatient shake of the head,
sent out a wave of gratitude from her heart when her waiter
friend persisted, compelled the proprietor to look toward her.
She affected an air of unconsciousness; in fact, she was posing
as if before a camera. Her heart leaped when out of the corner
of her eye she saw the proprietor coming with the waiter. The
two paused at her table, and the proprietor said in a sharp,
impatient voice:

"Well, lady--what is it?"

"I want a trial as a singer."

The proprietor was scanning her features and her figure which
was well displayed by the tight-fitting jacket. The result
seemed satisfactory, for in a voice oily with the softening
influence of feminine charm upon male, he said:

"You've had experience?"

"Yes--a lot of it. But I haven't sung in about two years."

"Sing German?"

"Only ballads in English. But I can learn anything."

"English'll do--_if_ you can _sing_. What costume do you wear?"
And the proprietor seated himself and motioned the w