I had. When I
'lowed it was, he just said he couldn't use me any more till I got a
new one."

The man took the tone of superior masculine knowledge. "That wasn't
nothin' but bull. What if he does chuck you? I know every movin'
picture studio round N'York. I'll get you in somewheres else. Come
now, Letty. Fork out. I need the berries. I owe some one. I was only
waitin' for you to come home."

She clutched her breast more tightly. "I gotta have a new suit
anyhow."

"Well, I'll buy you a new suit when I get the bones. Didn't I give you
this one?"

She continued, still breathlessly: "Two years ago--a marked-down
misses' it was even then--all right if I was on'y sixteen--but now
when I'm near twenty-three--and it's in rags anyhow--and all out of
style--and in pitchers you've gotta be----"

"They'se plenty pitchers where they want that character--to pass in a
crowd, and all that."

"To pass in a crowd once or twice, yes; but when all you can do is to
pass in a crowd, and wear the same old rig every time you pass in
it----"

He cut her protests short by saying, with an air of finality: "Well,
anyhow I've got to have the bucks. Can't go out till I get 'em. So
hand!"

With lips compressed and eyes swimming, she shook her head.

"Better do it. You'll be sorry if you don't. I can pass you that tip
straight now."

"If you was laughed at every time you stepped onto the lot----"

"There's worse things than bein' laughed at. I can tell you that
straight now."

"Nothin's worse than bein' laughed at, not for a girl of my age there
ain't."

Watching his opportunity he caught her off her guard. Her eyes having
wandered to the coat she had just taken off, a worn gray thing with
edgings of worn gray squirrel fur, he wrenched back with an unexpected
movement the hand that clutched something to her breast, thrust two
fingers of his other hand within her corsage, and extracted her
pay-envelope.

It took her by such surprise that she was like a mad thing, throwing
herself upon him and battling for her treasure, though any possibility
of her getting it back from him was hopeless. It was so easy for him
to catch her by the wrists and twist them that he laughed while he was
doing it.

"You little cat! You see what you bring on yourself. And you're goin'
to get worse. I can tell you that straight now."

Still twisting her arms till she writhed, though without a moan or a
cry, he backed her toward the disemboweled sofa, on w