urse they do! And you're going to have some to-night--that's what
I got up my sleeve. Mr. Polly, in the laces, is comin' to take me to the
Shippin' Clerks' dance up at the One Hundred and Fifteenth Street
Hall--and you're coming right along with us."

Lilly lowered her eyes like a debutante.

"Oh, Loo, I--I can't go to no dances. I--Charley--I didn't mean--"

"I'd like to know what harm there is goin' to a dance with me and my
gentleman friend? Didn't Aggie go with us all the time Bill was doin'
night-work? Before she got her divorce there wasn't a week she wasn't
somewhere with us. Besides, Polly is a perfect gentleman."

"But I ain't got nothin' to wear, Loo."

"Didn't you bring what I told you?"

"Yes; but--"

"Well, then, you're goin'. If Charley Harkins don't like it he should
have taken you to dances hisself."

"I ain't been to a dance since the Ladies' Mask me and Charley went to
when he was still playing matinees. I've almost forgot how."

Her eyes were like stars.

"Swell dancers like you used to be don't forget so easy."

"My dress is old, but it is low-neck."

"It's all right; and you can wear my forget-me-not wreath in your
hair--it'll just match your dress."

They took the frock from the wicker bag and held it up.

"That's just fine, Lil; and you can carry my old fan--I got a new one
from a gentleman friend for Christmas."

"Loo!"

Lulu piled her hair into an impressive coiffure.

"Oh, Loo, you look just like that picture that's on cigar-boxes!"

"You got the littlest waist I ever seen," reciprocated Lulu, regarding
Lilly's sylphid figure with admiring eyes.

"You ought to have seen me the first year I was working, Loo. I ain't
got such a little waist any more, but I did have some figure then."

They dressed in relays, taking turns about before the splotched mirror.

"Here, Lil, let me pin up them sleeves a little. Mame says all the swell
waists up in the ready-to-wears have short sleeves."

"I've had my eye on a swell silver bracelet in Shank's window, Loo, for
a long time; they are so pretty with elbow-sleeves."

They pecked at each other like preening birds. At seven Lulu's suitor
arrived. They took final dabs at themselves.

"He ain't such a nifty looker, Lil, but he sure knows how to treat a
girl swell. He ain't none of your piker kind that runs past a drug store
like the soda-fountain was after him. Why, I've known him to treat to as
many as three sodas in an evenin'! And