Beta Book

Wrenn felt forlornly aimless. The worst of it all was that he
could not go to the Nickelorion for moving pictures; not after
having been cut by the ticket-taker. Then, there before him was
the glaring sign of the Nickelorion tempting him; a bill with
"Great Train Robbery Film Tonight" made his heart thump like
stair-climbing--and he dashed at the ticket-booth with a nickel
doughtily extended. He felt queer about the scalp as the
cashier girl slid out a coupon. Why did she seem to be watching
him so closely? As he dropped the ticket in the chopper he
tried to glance away from the Brass-button Man. For one-
nineteenth of a second he kept his head turned. It turned
back of itself; he stared full at the man, half bowed--and
received a hearty absent-minded nod and a "Fine evenin'."
He sang to himself a monotonous song of great joy. When he
stumbled over the feet of a large German in getting to a seat,
he apologized as though he were accustomed to laugh easily with
many friends.
The train-robbery film was--well, he kept repeating "Gee!" to
himself pantingly.


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