Evening star., 1923-04-22

fountain and fed a gorgeous macaw
But as Uloth entered, she sprang up
and ran to him.
just when you ring up. / wonder
what you want of me-" she remarked
She went back to her place on the
fountain edge, sitting amidst the
flowers.
DO people usually want things of
YOU" he asked.
"Always-all ze time"
And you give so much?"
She eyed him seriously. Il give
what ave to give"
"And take what you can geto"
"And you, Monsieur-?"
The absoluteness Of his detestation
made 1t possible for him to laugh
with her. MY fees are reasonable.
at any rate. I've helped a good many
people for nothing"
"P'raps. Still. you make expert
ments-and sometimes leetle mis-
takes. 'Ze operation was a complete
success, but ze patient died know
Some Of mine die, too"
THAT Rudolph, for instance"
She lifted the chain OF pearls about
her neck. That canard! You think
. could give me these? e couldn't
We given me a chain OF pink coral.
I could ave bought i'm and is funny
little kingdom with my dress money.
No, my friend. My agent e set that
story going.
Tell me what you think of my
little 'ome"
You don't care what 1 think" he
retorted. LAS a matter of fact, it
reminds me of a quaint old custom.
When our early ancestors were build
ing a particularly important house,
tant citizens alive under the founda-
tons"
She offered him her cigarette case.
Suddenly she laughed out with an
unfeigned enjoyment.
II see. My victims, helm? You
make a Ieetle joke, monsieur But
why 90 ver serious. I am not bury
ing you, am I?'
mo. It would be a mistake to try.
Nor are you going to bury my friend
McManus. 1t will be much better
business to let him CO."
Let i'm go? But want i'm to go.
Yesterday I would not see i'm. /
didn't want to see i'm"
Sufficient reason. But about two
months ago I lent him three thousand
pounds. He. bought you presents.
outrageous for a man in his position"
Some one ave to buy them" she
explained good-humoredly. II don't
ask about position. 1t is not polite"
Last night he came to my rooms.
He has been very Ill. He has become
dangerous. He threatened to shoot
YOU"
well, before e knew me, q want
to shoot 'imself. He is gettin' better
decidedly. that young man."
Her infectious laughter caught him.
He wanted to laugh, too, and then
thrust her laughing. empty face down
into the water OF her comic fountain
till she died. There were people who
were better dead. He had said so.
"Give him up" he said, quietly.
"You make me laugh" she re.
torted. This Keith. can't give i'm
up. e don't belong to me. I neffer
ask for i'm. Take i'm away. Keep
i'm away. I don't want better"
Uloth stirred uneasily. He knew
now that his hatred was apart from
his friend. a bitter. personal hatred.
"It can't be done like that. You
can't take drugs away from a drug
fiend at one swoop. All I ask Is that
you should let him down gently
treat him as q friend till he gets his
balance"
NO." she said, II can't be bothered.
I was born in ze gutter-I crawl out
Of ze gutter by myself keep out of
xe gutter-alwaya And I don't cry
and wiring my hands when people try
to kick me back again. look after
myself. Monsieur Ulot' and all these
others, they must look after them
selves, too. They want fun and life
from me-and give them that.
When they want more. they can
'eY you say?-Eet out"