The door opened and a burly man, dressed in cheap ready-made clothes but with an air of authority and prosperity, was smiling at her."The madam told me to walk right in and make myself at home," said he."Yes, you're up to her account of you.Only she said you were dead drunk and would probably be asleep.Now, honey, you treat me right and I'll treat you right.""Get out of here!" cried Susan."I'm going to leave this house.They drugged me and brought me here.""Oh, come now.I've got nothing to do with your quarrels with the landlady.Cut those fairy tales out.You treat me right and----"A few minutes later in came the madam.Susan, exhausted, sick, lay inert in the middle of the bed.She fixed her gaze upon the eyes looking through the hideous mask of paint and powder partially concealing the madam's face.
"Well, are you going to be a good girl now?" said the madam.
"I want to sleep," said Susan.
"All right, my dear." She saw and snatched the five-dollar bill from the pillow."It'll go toward paying your board and for the parlor dress.God, but you was drunk when they brought you up from the bar!""When was that?" asked Susan.
"About midnight.It's nearly four now.We've shut the house for the night.You're in a first-rate house, my dear, and if you behave yourself, you'll make money--a lot more than you ever could at a dive like Zeist's.If you don't behave well, we'll teach you how.This building belongs to one of the big men in politics, and he looks after my interests--and he ought to, considering the rent I pay--five hundred a month--for the three upper floors.The bar's let separate.Would you like a nice drink?""No," said Susan.Trapped! Hopelessly trapped! And she would never escape until, diseased, her looks gone, ruined in body and soul, she was cast out into the hospital and the gutter.
"As I was saying," ventured the madam, "you might as well settle down quietly.""I'm very well satisfied," said Susan."I suppose you'll give me a square deal on what I make." She laughed quietly as if secretly amused at something."In fact, I know you will," she added in a tone of amused confidence.
"As soon as you've paid up your twenty-five a week for room and board and the fifty for the parlor dress----"Susan interrupted her with a laugh."Oh, come off," said she.
"I'll not stand for that.I'll go back to Jim Finnegan."The old woman's eyes pounced for her face instantly."Do you know Finnegan?""I'm his girl," said Susan carelessly.She stretched herself and yawned."I got mad at him and started out for some fun.
He's a regular damn fool about me.But I'm sick of him.
Anything but a jealous man! And spied on everywhere I go.How much can I make here?""Ain't you from Zeist's?" demanded the madam.Her voice was quivering with fright.She did not dare believe the girl; she did not dare disbelieve her.
"Zeist's? What's that?" said Susan indifferently.
"The joint two blocks down.Hasn't Joe Bishop had you in there for a couple of months?"Susan yawned."Lord, how my head does ache! Who's Joe Bishop?
I'm dead to the world.I must have had an awful jag!" She turned on her side, drew the spread over her."I want to sleep.So long!""Didn't you run away from home with Joe Bishop?" demanded the madam shrilly."And didn't he put you to work for Zeist?""Who's Joe Bishop? Where's Zeist's?" Susan said, cross and yawning.
"I've been with Jim about a year.He took me off the street.
I was broke in five years ago."
