Page:Frank Owen - Woman Without Love (1949 reprint).djvu/105

 had nothing whatever to do with the girls. Madame Leota dealt with them direct. She knew that if she put too much power in the hands of any of her servants they would have a tendency to be domineering. This as far as possible she wished to avoid.

In her house the girls were never overcharged for anything and many of the little luxuries with which they were supplied were not billed to them at all. Madame was getting old. She could afford to be liberal. She was rich. Her funds were well invested, for the most part in bank stocks and government bonds. She also kept a very large bank balance so that in an emergency she would never be short.

There were six girls at Madame's establishment. Once a girl entered that house it was her home for as long as she cared to remain. However, she had to behave herself. It was almost as hard for a girl to be taken on by Madame as for one to be starred in a Broadway show.

At present she had only five girls. Liane Carewe had left to be married. She had married a rich lawyer who knew what she was but loved her anyway. The remaining five were all young and, needless to say, gorgeous girls. There was Lucille, tall and stately, whom everyone called, "The Slim Princess"; Frances, a platinum blonde; Belle, smiling and inclined to be buxom; Dolores, a languorous Latin and in love with love; Minetta, a carefree little thing always singing or telling funny stories.

Madame was proud of her girls and her girls were proud of her. Nevertheless there came a day when Madame grew restless. She ceased to take an active interest in anything. She even paid scant attention to her ruffled, ribboned gowns. She withered and drooped like a flower, albeit a rather large sun-flower. It is hard for a woman of massive proportions to grow wan and listless, but somehow she accomplished the feat.

Ivan Alter looked at her in amazement. "I have beheld a miracle," he declared.

"That sounds like a dirty dig," she said.

"It wasn't meant that way but you positively seem to be shrinking."