A new deal! And a new deal meant at least even chance for good luck.
As she drifted down the west side of Second Avenue, her
thoughts so absorbed her that she was oblivious of the slushy
sidewalk, even of the crossings where one had to pick one's way
as through a shallow creek with stepping stones here and there.
There were many women alone, as in every other avenue and every
frequented cross street throughout the city--women made eager
to desperation by the long stretch of impossible weather.
Every passing man was hailed, sometimes boldly, sometimes
softly. Again and again that grotesque phrase "Let's go have
a good time" fell upon the ears. After several blocks, when
her absent-mindedness had got her legs wet to the knees in the
shallow shiny slush, she was roused by the sound of music--an
orchestra playing and playing well a lively Hungarian dance.
She was standing before the winter garden from which the sounds
came. As she opened the door she was greeted by a rush of warm
air pleasantly scented with fresh tobacco smoke, the odors of
spiced drinks and of food, pastry predominating. Some of the
tables were covered ready for those who would wish to eat; but
many of them were for the drinkers. The large, low-ceilinged
room was comfortably filled. There were but a few women and
they seemed to be wives or sweethearts. Susan was about to
retreat when a waiter--one of those Austrians whose heads end
abruptly an inch or so above the eyebrows and whose chins soon
shade off into neck--advanced smilingly with a polite, "We
serve ladies without escorts.
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