Page:Caroline Lockhart--The full of the Moon.djvu/37

 frank purpose of a temporary sojourn at Doña Marianna's dance-hall.

The dining-room, which was empty when she entered, began to fill with suspicious rapidity, and the landlord, with a diamond shirt-stud glittering in his rumpled bosom, appeared in the doorway and looked hard from one late-comer to the other.

"Looks like you all overslept yourself this mornin',"' he said, significantly.

To a man, the boarders cast furtive glances at Nan and grinned sheepishly.

"That cyanide what you passes over the bar makes a man sleep as if he was dead," came the retort finally from a rash youth at whom every one stared for daring to raise his voice above a whisper.

"Ling," shouted the landlord, "quit your millin' around and git here with this lady's grub." He spoke to a panic-stricken Chinaman. Then, clearing his throat and inhaling a breath which placed a strain upon his shirt-studs, he inquired:

"What might I call your name. Miss? My name is Poth—Fritz Poth."

Taken somewhat aback. Nan hesitated,