The Ocala evening star., 1922-01-17

/ girl, fifteen thou with her and her old
man half owner in the Weeko Wooden
mills. IL need the money. Mae The
i customs is digging up dirt again. IT
| ain't like amt been on the level with
/ you, girl. You knew il had to come
| sooner or later. Now, didn't you, Maef
Now. there's the girl. Didn't your"
| Reassured, he crossed TO where she
sat silent, and placed large. heavy
/ hand on her shoulder.
There's nothing needs TO worry you,
old girl Thirty-five hundred in your
| jeans and a couple of thou and the fat
| from me on top. Cad. It's cinch for
| you, old girl I've seen 'em ready for
/ the dump at your age, and you-y0u're
on the boom yet. Gadl You're the
| only one / ever knew kept her looks
/ and took on weight at the same time
You're all right. Mae. and-and. gad =
/ Il don't wish sometimes the world
was differentl Gadi H-if DON'T !"
| 1t was as II the food of her emotion
had risen to a wave and at his words
| frozen on its crest. She opened her
| lips 70 speak, but could only regard
him with eyes as hard as ice fields.
Now, now, Mae, don't look that
away. You're sensible woman and
know the worlds just built thataway.
/ always told you it didn't cost us men
nothing but loose change to show our
| selves a good time. You girls gotta
| pay up in different coin. II / hadn't
come along, some other fellow would.
You girls know where you get of.
| Come, be sport, old girl With thirty
| five hundred in your jeans and me
wanting to do the square thing-the
piano, and all, lemme say to you that
you amt got kick coming. Just lem
| Mae"
| Sobs trembled up, thawing the edge
! of ice that incased her. A thin blue
| mist of tears rose to her eyes like a
premonitory ripple before the coming
! of the wind.
"You can'ti You can'ti You-you
can't ditch me like that, tell you.
YOU"
by God! If you're going to begin
to holler I'll get, out of here so quick
| it'll make your head swimr'
"Oh, no. you don't! Aw, no, you
don't You amt going to quit me so
easy for little hank that-that your
old woman found for you. Max, you
ain'ti You wouldn'tl Tell me you
wouldn't, dear. Tell. mel Tell mel"
Get off your knees, there, and be-
have yourself, Mae Looka your dress
| there, all torn. This amt no barroom.
Get up and behave yourself! Amt you
ashamed |"
She was trembling so that her knees
sent little ripples down the tight white
silk drop-skirt.
You can't ditch me like this and get
| away with it. You and me can't-can't
part peaceful. You can't throw me
over after all these years for little
hank and get away with It'll BY
heaven, you can't"
He drew tight fists to his sides, his
lower jaw shot forward. "You start a
row here and, by gad If don't"
II ainti l amt! But don't throw
me over, Max, after all these years
Don't, Max. You need me. There ain't
a woman on Gods earth that will do
for you what i will. IL amt got no
body but you, Max. to do for. / tell
you. Max, you-you need me. Think,
dear, all them months when the Gus
toms was after you. Them hot days
when you couldn't show your face, and
used to put you to bed and fan and
| fan you eight hours straight till you
forgot to be scared and fell asleep like
baby"
"Now, now, Mae, r"
"Them nights we used to mix q few
| drinks when we came home from
show or something and sit right here
in this room and swill 'em of, lafang
| and laffing till we got a little Lit up.
That time when we sneaked down to
Sheepshead and you lost your wad at
the wheel and won it back for you.
ALI them times, Max! That-that
Christmas eve you sneaked away from
| your old woman Remember / tell
you. Max, you can't throw me over aft
er what we have been through together
and get away with It You can't, not
BY d-n sight You can'tr
In spite Of herself her voice would
| slip up, raucous sobs tore through her
words, tears rained down her frankly
distorted face, carrying their bitter
taste of salt to her lips.
"You can'ti You can'tl / amt got
the strength. l ain L got a thing In life
that amt wrapped around you. I can't
| go back to hit or miss like-like could
| ten years ago. / amt got nothing saved
| out Of Ii all but you. Don't try to ditch
| me, Maxi Don't! I'm walk on my
knees for you. f."
For Gods sake, Mae, T."
'H there's way to raise two times
fifteen thou for you. Max. IP1 raise
1t. TIL find q way, Max. I tell you
| will I'm lucky at the wheel, Max.
You watch and see You just watch and
see. can work. Max, T."
"Get up, Mae, get up. There's good
girl. Get up and"
I'll work my fingers down, Max,
| only don't try to ditch me. don't try
| to ditch me. I'll go out TO the country
| where your old woman can't ever sniff
me. I'm fix it, Max, so you-so you
/ just can't lose. Don't ditch me, dear;
| take your Maize back. Take me In
your arms and call me Maizie. Take
| meP'
aGirl. art you-afnt you got no