from Berry in prison became fewer and fewer. He was sinking into the
dull, dead routine of his life. Her own letters to him fell off. It was
hard getting the children to write. They did not want to be bothered,
and she could not write for herself. So in the weeks and months that
followed she drifted farther away from her children and husband and all
the traditions of her life.

After Joe's first night at the Banner Club he had kept his promise to
Hattie Sterling and had gone often to meet her. She had taught him much,
because it was to her advantage to do so. His greenness had dropped from
him like a garment, but no amount of sophistication could make him deem
the woman less perfect. He knew that she was much older than he, but he
only took this fact as an additional sign of his prowess in having won
her. He was proud of himself when he went behind the scenes at the
theatre or waited for her at the stage door and bore her off under the
admiring eyes of a crowd of gapers. And Hattie? She liked him in a
half-contemptuous, half-amused way. He was a good-looking boy and made
money enough, as she expressed it, to show her a good time, so she was
willing to overlook his weakness and his callow vanity.

"Look here," she said to him one day, "I guess you 'll have to be
moving. There 's a young lady been inquiring for you to-day, and I won't
stand for that."

He looked at her, startled for a moment, until he saw the laughter in
her eyes. Then he caught her and kissed her. "What 're you givin' me?"
he said.

"It 's a straight tip, that 's what."