friend to the 'Tired Business Man.'"

"Speaking of the weary Wall Street workers, there will be a dozen
of our ribbon-winners at that Hammon supper to-night. Twelve
'Bergman Beauties.' Twelve; count 'em! Any time you want to pull
off a classy party for some of your bachelor friends let me know,
and I'll supply the dames--at one hundred dollars a head--and
guarantee their manners. They're all trained to terrapin, and know
how to pick the proper forks."

"One hundred? Last season a girl was lucky to get fifty dollars as
a banquet favor; but the cost of living rises nightly. No wonder
Hammon's against the income tax."

"Yes, and that's exclusive of the regulation favors. There's a
good story in this party if you could get the men's names."

Pope's thin lip curled, and he shook his head.

"I write theatrical stuff," he said, shortly, "because I have to,
not because I like to. I try to keep it reasonably clean."

Slosson was instantly apologetic. "Oh, I don't mean there's
anything wrong about this affair. Hammon is entertaining a crowd
of other steel men, and a stag supper is either dull or devilish,
so he has invited a good-looking partner for each male guest. It
'll be thoroughly refined, and it's being done every night."

"I know it is. Tell me, is Lorelei Knight a regular--er--
frequenter of these affairs?"