The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1922-01-16
1grrG6o~c1616JcOcCCJ Observation-Disclosures
Copyright, 1910, by The Wheeler Syndicate, Inc

mo, no, Max. swear TO Hou i
WON'T Just quiet and no rough stuff.
For my sake come home to supper to-
night, deariel / swear IT'S my thigh,
and I got fever, dearie. that's eating
me- What? Eight No. that amt too
late. Any time you can come amt too
late. I'll wait Sure? GOod-by, dearie.
At eight sharp. Cood-by. dearie."
When she replaced the receiver on
Its hook, points of light had come out
I'm her eyes like water lilies opening
on lake. The ashen sheaf of anxiety
folded back from her. color ran up into
her face, and she flung open the door.
calling down the length of hallway.
LOO Oh, LoOr'
"Huh?"
Put a couple of bottles Of every
thing on ice before you go, dearie: or
der double pOrterhOuse; open can
Of them imported sausages he sent up
last month, and peel some sweet pO-
tatoes. Hurry. Loo / wanna candy
'em myself. Hurry. dearie."
From ner WINDOW ana. over the
waves of intervening roofs Mae Mum
roe cupped her hands blinker fashion
about her eyes. Motionless she stood
there. bare-necked and bare-armed
against the cold window pane. inclosed
from behind with lace curtains, and
watching with large-pupiled eyes a
steamer slip along into the night.
At five minutes past eight Max Tin
cas- fitted his key into the door and
entered Immediately into the front
room. On that first click of the lock
Mae Munroe stepped out from between
the lace curtains. her face carefully
powdered and bleached of all its morn
ing Inaccuracies, her lips thrust up
ward and forward.
Max
"Whew ~
He tossed his black derby hat to the
red velvet couch and dropped down be-
side it, his knees far apart and strain
ing his well-pressed trousers to ca
pacity; placed a hand on each we'll
spread knee, then ran five fingers
through his thinning hair; thrust his
head well forward foreshOrtening his
face, and regarded her.
"Well, girl" he said, here I am
T|I-
Lied to me. Ell? Pretty spry for a
sick one, Ell? Pretty slick! I knew
you was lying girl"
81 been sick as a dog, Max. Loo
can tell you"
whats got you? Thigh?"
"God! I dunno I dun'no'!"
She paused in he center Of the
room, her lips trembling and the light
from the chandelier raining full upon
her. High-hipped and full-busted as
Titan loved to paint them, she stood
there In a black lace gown draped
loosely over a tight foundation of
white silk, and trying to compose her
lips and her throat, which arched and
flexed, revealing the heartbeats of her
and the shortness of her breath.
'Is this the way to say hello to-to
your Maize, Max? Is Is this the
way?" Then she crossed and leaned
to him, printing a kiss on his brow
between the eyes. 81 been sick as a
dog, Max. Amt you going toto kiss
meT
"Come. come, now. I'm tired, girl,
and got to stop off at Lenox avenue
tonight after / leave here. Where's
your clock around here, anyway, so a
fellow knows where he's at?"
There it is under the pillow next
to you, Max. I Smothered it because
1t gets on my nerves all day. Tick
I took, tick-tock, tick-tock, right into my
head like it was saying all the time
'Oh-Mae! Oh-M&e! Oh-Maer till !
nearly go crazy, Max. Tick-tock-God
tit just gets me!'
He reached for the small ONYX clock,
placing it upright on the mantel, and
shrugged his shoulders loosely.
"Gadw he said. you wimmin
Crazy as looms. all of you and your
kind. Come, come get down TO brass
tacks, girl. I'm tired and gotta get
home"
Home, MAXI
Yes, homer"
Max, atn't-aint this home nc
more; amt itT'
He leaned forward an elbow on
each knee and striking his left hand
solidly into his right palm. Now. if
that's the line of talk you got me ID
here for, girl. you can cut 1t and SUIT
It quick"
mo, no, Max. it amt my line of
talk. Here, sit down. dearie. in your
own chair and I'll go and dish up"
where's LOOP"
Her night off. poor girl. Four
nights straight she's rubbed my head
and"
where's my"
Right here. dearie, is your box OF
pills, underneath your napkin. There
dearie! See? Just like always
She was full of small movements
that were quick as grace notes; pin
ming the black lace train UP and about
w.