The Auction Block | Page 6

hanging an
attractively figured cretonne over the entrance and over the wardrobe
hooks fixed in the rear wall; but the result was hardly successful. The
same material had been utilized to cover the shelves which were littered
with a bewildering assortment of make-up tins, cold-cream cans, rouge
and powder boxes, whitening bottles, wig-blocks, and the multifarious
disordered accumulations of a dressing-room. The walls were half
hidden behind photographs, impaled upon pins, like entomological
specimens; photographs were thrust into the mirror frames, they were
propped against the heaps of tins and boxes or hidden beneath the
confusion of toilet articles. But the collection was not limited to this
variety of specimen. One section of the wall was devoted to telegraph
and cable forms, bearing messages of felicitation at the opening of "The
Revue of 1913." A zoologist would have found the display
uninteresting; but a society reporter would have reveled in the
names--and especially in the sentiments- -inscribed upon the yellow
sheets. Some were addressed to Lorelei Knight, others to Lilas Lynn,
her roommate.
Pope found Lorelei completely dressed, in expectation of his arrival.
She wore the white and silver first-act costume of the Fairy Princess.
Both she and her mother were plainly nonplussed at the appearance of
their caller; but Mrs. Knight recovered quickly from the shock and said
agreeably:
"Lorelei was frightened to death at your message yesterday. She was
almost afraid to let you interview her after what you wrote about
Adoree Demorest."
Pope shrugged. "Your daughter is altogether different to the star of the
Palace Garden, Mrs. Knight. Demorest trades openly upon her
notoriety and--I don't like bad women. New York never would have
taken her up if she hadn't been advertised as the wickedest woman in

Europe, for she can neither act, sing, nor dance. However, she's become
the rage, so I had to include her in my series of articles. Now, Miss
Knight has made a legitimate success as far as she has gone."
He turned to the girl herself, who was smiling at him as she had smiled
since his entrance. He did not wonder at the prominence her beauty had
brought her, for even at this close range her make-up could not disguise
her loveliness. The lily had been painted, to be sure, but the sacrilege
was not too noticeable; and he knew that the cheeks beneath their rouge
were faintly colored, that the lashes under the heavy beading were long
and dark and sweeping. As for her other features, no paint could
conceal their perfection. Her forehead was linelessly serene, her brows
were straight and too well-defined to need the pencil. As for her eyes,
too much had been written about them already; they had proven the
despair of many men, or so rumor had it. He saw that they had depths
and shadows and glints of color that he could not readily define. Her
nose, pronounced perfect by experts on noses, seemed faultless indeed.
Her mouth was no tiny cupid's bow, but generous enough for character.
Of course, the lips were glaringly red now, but the expression was none
the less sweet and friendly.
"There's nothing 'legitimate' about musical shows," she told him, in
reply to his last remark, "and I can't act or sing or dance as well as Miss
Demorest."
"You don't need to; just let the public rest its eyes on you and it will be
satisfied--anyhow, it should be. Of course, everybody flatters you. Has
success turned your head?"
Mrs. Knight answered for her daughter. "Lorelei has too much sense
for that. She succeeded easily, but she isn't spoiled."
Then, in response to a question by Pope, Lorelei told him something of
her experience. "We're up-state people, you know. Mr. Bergman was
looking for types, and I seemed to suit, so I got an engagement at once.
The newspapers began to mention me, and when he produced this show
he had the part of the Fairy Princess written in for me. It's really very
easy, and I don't do much except wear the gowns and speak a few

lines."
"You're one of the principals," her mother said, chidingly.
"I suppose you're ambitious?" Pope put in.
Again the mother answered. "Indeed she is, and she's bound to succeed.
Of course, she hasn't had any experience to speak of, but there's more
than one manager that's got his eye on her." The listener inwardly
cringed. "She could be starred easy, and she will be, too, in another
season."
"Then you must be studying hard, Miss Knight?"
Lorelei shook her head.
"Not even voice culture?"
"No."
"Nor dancing? Nor acting?"
"No."
"She has so little time. You've no idea how popular she is," twittered
Mrs. Knight.
Pope fancied the girl herself flushed under his inquiring eye; at any rate,
her gaze wavered