A big actress who can step right into any big part that comes
her way. That's what pays! I tell you, Maggie, there's no other such
good, steady proposition on earth as the right kind of woman. And
that's what you're going to be!"
Maggie had heard much this same talk often before. Then it had been
vague, and had dealt with an indefinite future. Now she was too
dazzled by this picture of near events which the eager Barney was
drawing to be able to make any comment.
"I'll be right behind you in everything, and so will Jimmie," Barney
continued in his exciting manner--"but you'll be the party out in
front who really puts the proposition over. And we'll keep to things
where the police can't touch us. Get a man with coin and position
tangled up right in a deal with a woman, and he'll never let out a
peep and he'll come across with oodles of money. Hundreds of ways of
working that. A strong point about you, Maggie, is you have no police
record. Neither have I, though the police suspect me--but, as I said,
I'll keep off the stage as much as I can. I tell you, Maggie, we're
going to put over some great stuff! Great, I tell you!"
Maggie felt no repugnance to what had been said and implied by Barney.
How could she, when since her memory began she had lived among people
who talked just these same things? To Maggie they seemed the natural
order.
Pages:
121
122
123
124
125
126
127
128
129
130
131
132
133
134
135
136
137
138
139
140
141
142
143
144
145