The easiest way : $b a story of metropolitan lifeHornblow, Arthur
General
The easiest way : $b a story of metropolitan life
Hornblow, Arthur
Man-woman relationships -- Fiction; Mistresses -- Fiction; Women -- Conduct of life -- Fiction
In personal appearance, the young attorney presented a sharp contrast
to his stalwart companion. Slight in physique, with sandy hair
scrupulously parted in the middle and nattily dressed, he was of the
conventional type of men colloquially described as "well groomed." That
the restaurant, and its people, were an old story to him, was apparent
by the nods he exchanged and the familiar greeting he gave the waiter.
After he had decided on the order, he proceeded to give John thumb-nail
biographies of some of the most conspicuous of those present.
"See that fat, coarse-looking hog over there? Look--he's flashing a
bank roll thick enough to choke a horse. That's Berny Bernheim, the
bookmaker. His gambling house on West Forty-fourth Street is one of the
show places of the town. It's raided from time to time, but he always
manages to get off scot free. He has a pull with the police."
Pointing in another direction, where a stately blonde in a big
Gainsborough hat, trimmed with white plumes, sat languidly sipping
champagne in company of a gray-haired man old enough to be her
grandfather, he went on:
"That girl with the white feathers is Lucy Graves. Don't you
remember--five years ago--a Lucy Graves shot and killed a man, and then
hypnotised the jury into acquitting her. That's the girl. Since then
she's been on the stage--a vaudeville act--$1,000 a week they say. A
month ago she was again in trouble with the police--caught playing the
badger game. I don't know who the old chap is--a new 'sucker' I
imagine."
There was a slight commotion at the main entrance as a fat, bald-headed,
red-faced man entered, followed by several women, all beautifully
gowned. Warner, who had caught sight of the party, whispered _sotto
voce_:
"That's Sam Solomon, the famous criminal lawyer. He's just been
indicted by the Grand Jury. Only a miracle can save him from a long
prison term. He's had a box party at the theatre. He usually has a
string of women after him. That's where his money goes--women and wine.
The girls call him a good thing."
Madison looked amused.
"Where are the respectable folk?" he laughed. "Have all the people here
got a police record?"
"Most all," was the laconic rejoinder. "Hello, Elfie--when did you come
in?"
This last exclamation was addressed to a tall, attractive brunette, who
was just pushing past their table in a crowd. She was young and
vivacious looking, and her voluptuous figure was set off to advantage
in an expensive gown. Evidently she knew the lawyer well, for she
greeted him familiarly:
"Hello, Glenn--I didn't see you."
"Alone?" he asked quickly.
"Yes--for a while," she answered airily.
He made a place for her on the bench.
"Sit down here and have something."
"I don't mind if I do," she smiled amiably.
Slipping past the two men into the seat she looked inquiringly at
Madison. The lawyer made introductions.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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