a glittering gown of light blue. “You look like a fairy princess, Bessie. So pretty.”
Bessie looked down at the gown. “I do? That’s funny. I’m so used to it.”
“I think it’s so fitting that you’ll be the first act I introduce. Since I owe this all to you,” Ruby told her friend.
“Nonsense! When you are like Zeta with top billing, then thank me.”
More laughter came from the audience as Lou managed to ride a tiny little bicycle across the stage. When the final applause ended and Lou exited the stage, Ruby picked up the large card that read, “The Dancing Duo” and walked out onto the empty stage.
Ruby held the card at waist height so the people could see her lovely face, the card, and her legs. She was supposed to walk the length of the stage and stop, then walk the length again to where she had started and exit. It was quite simple and she was to smile the entire time.
But as she reached the end of the first length, a huge catcall came from the audience. It was shrill and high and followed by several others. Ruby’s smile faltered, but she continued quickly across the stage, and when she reached the end, she made a jaunty little curtsy before exiting.
“Come back!” yelled one audience member as Ruby stumbled into Archie backstage.
“Are you all right?” he asked, steadying her.
Ruby dropped the card at his feet. “Yes. It—it was just a bit much.”
Archie smiled. He was tall and slender, and his red hair looked dark in the dim light. “They liked you though.”
“They like my legs is all. Anyone can do that,” she returned tartly.
“Really? I don’t think anyone in this building would want to see Vern’s legs.”
Ruby laughed as Bessie joined them. “Come on, brother of mine. Let’s make magic!”
Ruby watched the siblings move effortlessly across the stage, and she smiled at them. They were good people. Kind people. She was so grateful to have met them both.
She picked up the next card, which bore the name “The Mysterious Chinaman.” She saw him backstage wearing his long black gown. His eyes were closed, and he seemed to be in a trance with his arms dangling at his side. No one bothered him as the stagehands moved about, and several minutes passed before the Moore siblings exited the stage.
“Lively audience tonight!” Bessie said breathlessly.
“They are! Nothing worse than a cold crowd,” Archie agreed.
Ruby took a deep breath and entered the stage with her new sign. Everyone clapped, and Ruby smiled brightly as she crossed the stage. When she moved back across, someone shouted, “Don’t go!”
Ruby performed her little curtsy and winked at the audience, who roared their approval.
“Well, if you can’t beat ’em, join ’em,” she told the old stagehand backstage.
He winked back at her and grinned.
* * *
F ord read the telegram , which was brief and to the point. Ruby was working at one of the theaters in New York and had found a room at a nearby boardinghouse. Ford placed the telegram aside and smiled to himself. He wasn’t exactly surprised, but Ruby was a woman who did the unexpected. He had almost laughed at her when she told him of her desire to travel to New York.
Women of her breeding didn’t do such a thing. They married young and had children. But she was a firebrand, and it was something he had always admired. Their night together had changed everything for him. He knew he cared for her, but she had been dead set on leaving. He had discreetly asked one of his fellow detectives to follow her from Connecticut, and so he had.
He was a nondescript fellow with sandy blond hair, and Ford knew no one would look twice at him. He had followed Ruby since she had left school, and finally Ford had received the update via telegram. It was time he was getting back to New York himself. He had enjoyed his time in Mississippi, but his work required him to be in New York. He would telegram the agency, find out his next assignment, and take the next
Bessie looked down at the gown. “I do? That’s funny. I’m so used to it.”
“I think it’s so fitting that you’ll be the first act I introduce. Since I owe this all to you,” Ruby told her friend.
“Nonsense! When you are like Zeta with top billing, then thank me.”
More laughter came from the audience as Lou managed to ride a tiny little bicycle across the stage. When the final applause ended and Lou exited the stage, Ruby picked up the large card that read, “The Dancing Duo” and walked out onto the empty stage.
Ruby held the card at waist height so the people could see her lovely face, the card, and her legs. She was supposed to walk the length of the stage and stop, then walk the length again to where she had started and exit. It was quite simple and she was to smile the entire time.
But as she reached the end of the first length, a huge catcall came from the audience. It was shrill and high and followed by several others. Ruby’s smile faltered, but she continued quickly across the stage, and when she reached the end, she made a jaunty little curtsy before exiting.
“Come back!” yelled one audience member as Ruby stumbled into Archie backstage.
“Are you all right?” he asked, steadying her.
Ruby dropped the card at his feet. “Yes. It—it was just a bit much.”
Archie smiled. He was tall and slender, and his red hair looked dark in the dim light. “They liked you though.”
“They like my legs is all. Anyone can do that,” she returned tartly.
“Really? I don’t think anyone in this building would want to see Vern’s legs.”
Ruby laughed as Bessie joined them. “Come on, brother of mine. Let’s make magic!”
Ruby watched the siblings move effortlessly across the stage, and she smiled at them. They were good people. Kind people. She was so grateful to have met them both.
She picked up the next card, which bore the name “The Mysterious Chinaman.” She saw him backstage wearing his long black gown. His eyes were closed, and he seemed to be in a trance with his arms dangling at his side. No one bothered him as the stagehands moved about, and several minutes passed before the Moore siblings exited the stage.
“Lively audience tonight!” Bessie said breathlessly.
“They are! Nothing worse than a cold crowd,” Archie agreed.
Ruby took a deep breath and entered the stage with her new sign. Everyone clapped, and Ruby smiled brightly as she crossed the stage. When she moved back across, someone shouted, “Don’t go!”
Ruby performed her little curtsy and winked at the audience, who roared their approval.
“Well, if you can’t beat ’em, join ’em,” she told the old stagehand backstage.
He winked back at her and grinned.
* * *
F ord read the telegram , which was brief and to the point. Ruby was working at one of the theaters in New York and had found a room at a nearby boardinghouse. Ford placed the telegram aside and smiled to himself. He wasn’t exactly surprised, but Ruby was a woman who did the unexpected. He had almost laughed at her when she told him of her desire to travel to New York.
Women of her breeding didn’t do such a thing. They married young and had children. But she was a firebrand, and it was something he had always admired. Their night together had changed everything for him. He knew he cared for her, but she had been dead set on leaving. He had discreetly asked one of his fellow detectives to follow her from Connecticut, and so he had.
He was a nondescript fellow with sandy blond hair, and Ford knew no one would look twice at him. He had followed Ruby since she had left school, and finally Ford had received the update via telegram. It was time he was getting back to New York himself. He had enjoyed his time in Mississippi, but his work required him to be in New York. He would telegram the agency, find out his next assignment, and take the next
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