Evening star., 1935-08-25

wanted one, she could buy him ship; the
thought amused her of calling him up at his
simple lodging and telling him to go down
to the harbor and accept his ship, because of
love, which was well worth ship, two ships,
two locks of ships.
She ordered more whiskey from pointedly
courteous waiter who mentally gave her a
couple more snorts before they'd have to
haul her out from under the table, while the
sea going choir boy said: Care to dance?"
and she thought: by heaven, the words
really do come from the corner of his mouth"
and she felt as if she'd checked up on some
thing important.
His clothes were cool in the hot airless
chamber, with that clear smell of having been
rinsed in salt water, and although he danced
with manner he danced. There were no
hairs on his chest, only smooth sienna skin
beneath an open throat. Her eyes were on
level with it slantways, and her ear caught
the uneven movement of his lungs while
layered smoke streamed far, twirling in bal
cony shafts of rose color, and the floor wasn't
under her feet; limpets, ivy clung as she.
She looked at him for long moment in
the late afternoon sunlight from the cracked
panes in the single window with it, spiritless
curtains. She got up and dressed, quietly.
thankful that white linen was hourless and
that she'd worn hat.
The view of backyards told her nothing.
Somewhere still in Brooklyn, she supposed.
in his simple lodgings; she remembered, his
simple lodgings, where she was going to call
him up and give him a boat because love was
worth boat a physical shiver of illness shook
her. He looked older in the harsh daylight,
and the mirror above bureau scattered with
pocket truck told her that she did too. Per-
haps it was time for that man in Vienna whose
technique with the dissipation lines in faces
was so uncanny and whose fees started at
eight thousand.
Then his voice stopped her at the door.
Where are you going, Mrs. Belton?"
She said with a deadly pleasantness: "Who
is Mrs. Belton2"
you are. I'm Belton"
Not ship, exactly that had been drunken
nonsense - but perhaps a watch, or a gold
cigarette case. She'd pick up the address
on her way out and would mail one to him.
He was stretching lazily, with his chest arch
ing out from under soiled sheeting.
Goodbye, Mr.. Belton."
He was out of bed, laughing, lifting her
like sack over to the bureau, picking a
paper from the Uttered truck. She fingered
the special license. Her name was on it, and
she wondered how Belton had got it. From
her? That was quite possible. From Arthur?
II suppose this is authentic?" she said.
AS much as ten bucks could make it.
Don't worry Baby. you're an honest woman
in spite of yourself"
She sat down on the edge of the bed. Tell
me just what happened, please"
She caught enough of his story to know
that she'd been put out of Luigi's, that Bolton
had had fight over her, that they'd driven to
some small town near Mt Kisco and been mar
ried. Arthur had treappeared in the picture.
Are we back in Brooklyn now?"
They were.
How much is it going to cost to get me
out of this, MIR. Belton?" The Marquise de la
Joumet took a roll of several hundred dollars
from her handbag, selected dollar bill
for taxi fare, and dropped the rest on the
sheet. THAT ought to cover it, don't you
think2"
The smack of his knuckles cracked off one
of her teeth.
I'm going to kill you for that" she said
in cold fury.