nly--it ain't like she was your _real_ mother, Del darlin'. You
can't be hard hit over a blind old dame that used to make it hot as
sixty for you."

"Poor old soul--she lived like a rat and--died like one, I guess."

"With you sending her money all the time--nixy!"

"Like a rat! Poor old maw."

Della's voice was far removed, like one who speaks through the film of a
trance.

"When my old dame died I felt bad, too, but Gawd knows she wasn't
peaches and cream to have around the house. And look, darlin'--Cottie's
comin' now--look--Cottie's comin'!"

"Cottie--Cottie--comin'?"

"Sure she is--see, read, honey--'Am ready.'"

"Oh, Gawd, Ysobel, now that it's come I--I'm scared--she--she's such a
kid--she--Ysobel--I--I'm scared--I--"

"'Sh-h-h. There he is knockin', Del. Try and smile, hon'. You know how
sore a long face makes him. Maybe you won't have to go to-night,
now--smile, darlin'--smile! Come in!"

The door opened with a fling, and enter Mr. Hy Myers, an unlighted cigar
at a sharp oblique in one corner of his mouth, hat slightly askew, and a
full-length overcoat flung open to reveal a mink lining and studded
shirt-front.

"Gad," he said, dallying backward on his heels, his thumbs in the
arm-circles of his waistcoat, and regarding the shining silver
figure--"Gad, girl, you're all right."

Della drew back against the dressing-table and twirled the rings on her
fingers.

"I--I got bad news, Hy. I can't go to-night. Here, read for yourself."

He reached for the paper, passing Ysobel as if she belonged to the
trappings of the room.

"I--I can't--go to-night, Hy."

He read with the sharp eyes of a gray hawk of the world, and drew his
coat together in a gesture of buttoning up.

"Don't pull any of that stuff on me, Beauty. Just because the old devil
you've been tellin' me about--"

"Oh--you--you--"

"Them ain't real tears--you'd be laughin' in your sleeve if you had any
on. Come on; step lively, Beauty. I ain't givin' this blow-out to be
made a fool out of. Give her a daub of color there, Du Prez."

"Hy! She was my stepmother, and--"

"Come, Beauty, what you actin' up for? Ain't that doll you've been
piping about all these months comin' now that the old woman is out of
the way? Bring her on and lemme have a look at her. If she's in your
class, lemme look her over."

"Gimme--a minute, Hy. I--I just wanna send--a wire."

"Sure; tell her to come on. I'll send it for you. I'll look her over,
and--"