table drawer at her guest's elbow, and with shaking hands selected
a small box from the confusion within. Lorelei recoiled at the
sight of a revolver half hidden among the disorder.

"Goodness! I hope it isn't loaded," the latter exclaimed. "Your
story gives me the creeps and that thing--seems to fit in."

"It's loaded, all right. I keep it for protection," Lilas
explained, carelessly, then rang for the Jap. She opened the box,
which contained several compartments, in one of which was a
package of white powder, in another a silver tablespoon. When the
obedient Hitchy Koo appeared she ordered a glass of water.

"I don't know why I told you all this," she half apologized to
Lorelei. "It has upset me, as it always does."

"How did you ever grow up and--educate yourself?"

"I hardly know. Some neighbors took me in at first, and I worked
for them; then I got a job in a dry-goods store, and finally in
the corset department. I filled out when I began to get something
to eat and I developed a good figure. Finally I got to be a model.
I was quick to learn, and when rich dames came in I watched them.
I became good-looking, too, although not so pretty as I am now,
for I couldn't put the time or the money on it. But I was pretty
enough, and I seemed to appeal strongly to men. Some girls do, you
know, without understanding how or why. First, it was the buyer
for our department; he lost his head completely, and, although he
was married and I didn't care for him, I realized he could do me
good. I was seventeen then; he taught me to dress and to take care