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you sure that you do not falter or fear？〃
〃Me？〃 said John Hopkins。 〃Just give me one of those roses in the
bunch you are wearing； will you？〃
The lady gave him a red； red rose。 John Hopkins kissed it； stuffed it
into his vest pocket； opened the door and walked into the room。 It was a
handsome library； softly but brightly lighted。 A young man was there；
reading。
〃Books on etiquette is what you want to study；〃 said John Hopkins；
abruptly。 〃Get up here； and I'll give you some lessors。 Be rude to a lady；
will you？〃
The young man looked mildly surprised。 Then he arose languidly；
dextrously caught the arms of John Hopkins and conducted him
irresistibly to the front door of the house。
〃Beware； Ralph Branscombe；〃 cried the lady； who had followed； 〃what
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you do to the gallant man who has tried to protect me。〃
The young man shoved John Hopkins gently out the door and then
closed it。
〃Bess；〃 he said calmly； 〃I wish you would quit reading historical
novels。 How in the world did that fellow get in here？〃
〃Armand brought him；〃 said the young lady。 〃I think you are awfully
mean not to let me have that St。 Bernard。 I sent Armand for Walter。 I was
so angry with you。〃
〃Be sensible； Bess；〃 said the young man； taking her arm。 〃That dog
isn't safe。 He has bitten two or three people around the kennels。 Come now；
let's go tell auntie we are in good humor again。〃
Arm in arm； they moved away。
John Hopkins walked to his flat。 The janitor's five…year…old daughter
was playing on the steps' Hopkins gave her a nice； red rose and walked up…
stairs。
Mrs。 Hopkins was philandering with curl…papers。
〃Get your cigar？〃 she asked； disinterestedly。
〃Sure；〃 said Hopkins； 〃and I knocked around a while outside。 It's a
nice night。〃
He sat upon the hornblende sofa； took out the stump of his cigar；
lighted it； and gazed at the grace… ful figures in 〃The Storm〃 on the
opposite wall。
〃I was telling you；〃 said he； 〃about Mr。 Whipple's suit。 It's a gray； with
an invisible check； and it looks fine。〃
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A LICKPENNY LOVER
There； were 3；000 girls in the Biggest Store。 Masie was one of them。
She was eighteen and a selleslady in the gents' gloves。 Here she became
versed in two varieties of human beings … the kind of gents who buy their
gloves in department stores and the kind of women who buy gloves for
unfortunate gents。 Besides this wide knowledge of the human species；
Masie had acquired other information。 She had listened to the promulgated
wisdom of the 2；999 other girls and had stored it in a brain that was as
secretive and wary as that of a Maltese cat。 Per… haps nature； foreseeing
that she would lack wise counsellors； had mingled the saving ingredient of
shrewdness along with her beauty； as she has endowed the silver fox of the
priceless fur above the other animals with cunning。
For Masie was beautiful。 She was a deep…tinted blonde； with the calm
poise of a lady who cooks butter cakes in a window。 She stood behind her
counter in the Biggest Store； and as you closed your band over the tape…
line for your glove measure you thought of Hebe； and as you looked again
you wondered how she had come by Minerva's eyes。
When the floorwalker was not looking Masie chewed tutti frutti； when
he was looking she gazed up as if at the clouds and smiled wistfully。
That is the shopgirl smile； and I enjoin you to shun it unless you are
well fortified with callosity of the heart； caramels and a congeniality for
the capers of Cupid。 This smile belonged to Masie's recreation hours and
not to the store； but the floorwalker must have his own。 He is the Shylock
of the stores。 When be comes nosing around the bridge of his nose is a
toll…bridge。 It is goo…goo eyes or 〃git〃 when be looks toward a pretty girl。
Of course not all floor… walkers are thus。 Only a few days ago the papers
printed news of one over eighty years of age。
One day Irving Carter； painter； millionaire； trav… eller； poet；
automobilist； happened to enter the Big… gest Store。 It is due to him to add
that his visit was not voluntary。 Filial duty took him by the collar and
dragged him inside； while his mother philandered among the bronze and
terra…cotta statuettes。
Carter strolled across to the glove counter in order to shoot a few
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minutes on the wing。 His need for gloves was genuine； be had forgotten to
bring a pair with him。 But his action hardly calls for apology； be… cause be
had never heard of glove…counter flirtations。
As he neared the vicinity of his fate be hesitated； suddenly conscious
of this unknown phase of Cupid's less worthy profession。
Three or four cheap fellows； sonorously garbed； were leaning over the
counters； wrestling with the mediatorial hand…coverings； while giggling
girls played vivacious seconds to their lead upon the strident string of
coquetry。 Carter would have re… treated； but he had gone too far。 Masie
confronted him behind her counter with a questioning look in eyes as
coldly； beautifully； warmly blue as the glint of summer sunshine on an
iceberg drifting in Southern seas。
And then Irving Carter； painter； millionaire； etc。； felt a warm flush rise
to his aristocratically pale face。 But not from diffidence。 The blush was
intellectual in origin。 He knew in a moment that he stood in the ranks of
the ready…made youths who wooed the gig… gling girls at other counters。
Himself leaned against the oaken trysting place of a cockney Cupid with a
desire in his heart for the favor of a glove salesgirl。 He was no more than
Bill and Jack and Mickey。 And then be felt a sudden tolerance for them；
and an elating； courageous contempt for the conventions upon which he
had fed； and an unhesitating deter… mination to have this perfect creature
for his own。
When the gloves were paid for and wrapped the Carter lingered for a
moment。 The dimples at corners of Masie's damask mouth deepened。 All
gen… tlemen who bought gloves lingered in just that way。 She curved an
arm； showing like Psyche's through her shirt…waist sleeve； and rested an
elbow upon the show…case edge。
Carter had never before encountered a situation of which he had not
been perfect master。 But now he stood far more awkward than Bill or Jack
or Mickey。 He had no chance of meeting this beautiful girl so… cially。 His
mind struggled to recall the nature and habits of shopgirls as be had read
or heard of them。 Somehow be had received the idea that they some… times
did not insist too strictly upon the regular channels of introduction。 His
heart beat loudly at the thought of proposing an unconventional meeting
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with this lovely and virginal being。 But the tumult in his heart gave him
courage。
After a few f