The Coolidge examiner., 1933-10-13

and tabled her as star material
right away. Well, 1 happened to
learn the whole story, but it never
got out"
Garrison shifted, throwing one
leg over the chair arm.
Lang watched him quizzically as
he continued:
There were two of 'em in that
act. Jose Madruga, her partners
name was. He had real talent, and
every break she'd gotten had come
through him. Found her singing
hash some place and spent a year
training her. They were crazy about
each other, too; at least 1t was
supposed to work both ways.
Planned to be married as soon as
they had a little dough saved up.
Then along came this Hollywood
chance for her, and blotto! She
left him fiat, waltzed up here, and
now she's started running around
with some ham musician. One of
the birds that was here tonight, in
fact. Notice how quick she left
after they'd gone? Well, you know
what that means. It's the same
with every one in this town; they're
all scum of one kind or another"
That seemed to be all.
Lang sat staring out over the
patio wall at the million-eyed city
that stretched away below the hill
top.
A sense of revulsion had sudden
ly seized him, and he found, to his
surprise, that it centered on Garri-
son.
The mans cynical glibness was
somehow intensely disagreeable. Alb
ruptly he crushed out his cigarette
and stood up.
"Well, thanks" he said, "for the
enlightenment. I'll remember it
as a warning. Think I'll run along
now. Always was gluttOn for
sleep. Good night"
Garrison, busy with the decanter
and siphon on the little table, looked
up but did not rise, and said:
$50 long. See you at the ZOO"
Newsom came with Lang to the
street door, and, shaking hands, told
him:
Delighted to have you here,
old man. And remember-this is
just the beginning. We want you to
feel at home everywhere and with
all of u.s."
Going down the long twisting path
toward the road. Lang pOndered his
impressions of the evening. Dom
inant still was the flip Of La
Mesa's spontaneous charm, despite
Garrison. Strange, his instructive
dislike of that fellow. Probably,
he told himself. 1t was only re-
action to the others story. Some
how, being shown the seamy side of
La Mesa had been peculiarly un-
pleasant.
Finally, he recalled Newsom's
farewell remark. The mans genial
ity was heavy, but obviously he had
been sincere. There was, he felt,
no real head nor tail to it all. An
elusively confusing business; Sc
ries of vague contradictions. Moth
ing quite gave a clew to the soIu-
ton.
Reaching the street, he went
down it a dozen steps to his parked
car.
Suddenly he heard the dim sound
of voices, and glanced across the
narrow roadway.
In a small topless roadster two
people were seated; Lang recog-
nized at once the dark turmoil of
the nearest figures head. The
other, he saw from the costume,
was one of the evenings musicians.
AS he climbed in behind the
coupe's wheel, a snatch of their talk
reached him.
La Mesa was speaking:
-. thees new man who
weel write for me ees verree nice
an l know he weel put in the
storee a fine part for you when /
ask heem. Then they weel see how
wonderful you are"
The man. his voice swift and
impassioned, replied:
"Ah, but so much already have
you done for me that | cannot re-
pay. How shall l ever"
Hush you fooleesh i am
ashame' of yOul Never mus you
talk so crazee again. or" her voice
became a teasing slow caress, 'or
l weel SEN you back to Buenos
Aires, my Jose, an break our
hearts -
Staring across at them, Lang saw
the two forms blend in a clinging
long embrace.
He looked away. fumbllng for the
starter switch.