The Washington times., 1935-10-08
NOW READ ON

your pal
Breen said something that was
probably very funny, for those
within earshot shouted uproari-
ously, but Lalla disentangled
herself from her husbands en-
brace, and pulled Mary away.
Jaw, let the kid get her things
off, Jack! Yes, you fix the
drink, that's a good idea-come
on, Mary"
Mary went with her, through
the small hallway into the bed
room.
'Now don't Jump on me, Jack
made me call you. I suppose
you're Shocked!"
Certainly I'm not shocked.
But I'm cold sober, and every
body else is So"
eyes. Plastered. But it isn't
my fault. When Jack started
to call you it was all right. We
were all going to go somewhere
where we could dance. Just you
and and Jack and AL Pank-
hurt and Sammie-Sammie's
all right about it. He was all
for it, for once.
But that darn Sid Breen
horned in and made us all
come up here for drinks first,
and AL, like a fool, telephoned
some girl he knew-the wild
eyed one with the laughing jag
and she must have let the
blue-eyed baby in on it, because
she walked in on us without a
by your leave or anything and
well, here we are!"
eyes, here we are!" In spite
Of her effort to make her voice
cheerful, it didn't sound so! She
laid the black coat on the bed,
already heaped high with other
hats and coats, smiled nervous
ly at Lalla.
That's it-be a good sport.
They're all swell fellows, honey,
it's just that-well, you know
how they get. I don't know
when we'll eat now. Sammie
and Pankhurt are too far gone,
and Jack and Breen aren't so
good either. That darn Pank-
hurt Just asked that girl be-
cause brought Sammie-just
as if I could help it! Oh, well!
Are you Starved!"
mo. I had my dinner-at
the boarding house, at half past
six"
That's lucky. OF course
we'll get something finally, but
they're at the more drink and
no food to spoil it stage. do
you mind, Mary? I wouldn't
have asked you if I'd known
how it would be-truly I
wouldn't"
"Oh, it's all right. This isn't
my first drunken party!"
Naturally not. But I don't
like to get a girl in wrong,
and now that this Conroy
hussy is here, why you may
have trouble with Jack. He's
a good egg, but with everybody
else provided for he'll be sore
if you leave him out in the
cold"
"I gathered he'd try to make
me. Well, he can try if it
amuses him. can take care
Of myself, Lalla!"
AS she said it Mary got a
look at herself in the mirror,
saw herself well dressed,
sophisticated, actually facing
things that used to send cold
shivers up her spine just to
think about them. She linked
her arm through Lalla'S, noting
with heightened excitement
that in that light, at least, she
looked almost as worldly.
Don't worry about mel" she
repeated.
She wasn't worried. Not in
the least. But if this was their
idea of a grand and glorious
time. =.
There was no limit to the
big bottles of Bourbon they
kept bringing out. She had
Calf filled glasses parked all
over the place in no time at
all. Not that it did any good.
She'd no sooner ditch one than
someone would hand her
another.
The telephone kept ringing.
The management was request
ing less noise. Breen and AL
Pankhurt took turns in answer
ing, telling the management
just where to go. Then the
girl with the laughing jag be-
gan calling for a turkey sand
Nayich anl = AL IoInLla ond