Worcester Democrat and the ledger-enterprise., 1938-01-07
COCKPIT


and jerking him out of his chair, up
right. "Stand up, you worm," he said
softly. Anything else you have to
say, say it where l can hit YOU"
"You bullying murderer" snapped
Arnold, "you aren't off in the cane
now" He struck wildly, landing on
i Lancey Micks' shoulder. Lancey
smashed his hard brown hand fair to
Mr.. Arnold's mouth, knocking him Sc
violently against the table that it went
over with crash of glasses and rain
of stacked chips.
The Administrator frightened the
fingers of his left hand, raised his
right and struck Lancey hard with the
open palm. "You poor fool" he sighed
1t almost took Lancey Micks' jaw out
of its sockets. His head flopped back
and forth a moment, and Strengthened
up. "Sorry, Roy" he said thickly.
"All right, Ian; now get home and
get a shower. BY heaven, you make
me believe in prohibition. Hurry up!
Get up, Arnold, you aren't dead! And
shut up, too; you got just what was
coming to you. Help him up, Nortz." :"
Mr.. Arnold came up splitting blood
and coughing, the fight pretty well out
of him. Nortz had sobered almost en-
tirely and looked quite white and silly.
wasn't that fun," he said to Elmer
Kirk, who laughed nervously. "Well," "
observed Mr.. Davis, "if you will drink
like hogs all afternoon"
That wasn't just getting drunk"
said Mr.. Nortz, "that was coming Tor
a long time. Mr.. Arnold hadn't any
business to speak about Martinez"
"Look here" said Mr.. Nortz ap-
prehensively, you're speaking about
murder, you know"
"Well, there are lot OF people
getting on their ears about the Micks.
The Arnolds were down at the Casa
Viyienda for luncheon and Mr.. Arnold
was telling me that the Bautizos were
worried about Ruth and young Fonde-
villa"
"Oh." said Mr.. Nortz, 'really?" He
hesitated. "Why, what about Ruth
and Ramon?"
Mr.. Davis lit a cigar slowly and
poured himself a small drink. He
looked, noting that Elmer Kirk and
Delaney were out of ear-shot. "Well, !"
he said with dry relish. 81 gathered
from Arnold that they thought down
at the Casa Vivienda that she was
having an affair with him."
"You mean, because they go riding
around and swimming together?"
"Be yourself, Nortz, be yourself
Give her look some time and see
what you think. That young lady
knows her way around"
"You got a damn dirty mind"
Don't you worry about my mind.
wasn't born yesterday"
"All right. know she's perfect
ly decent girl. know her and you
don't, so you'd better watch what
you're saying"
Mr.. Fletcher and Mr.. Arnold, some
what repaired, came back from the
washroom. Mr.. Arnold had recovered
good deal and looked almost rea-
sonable. "Well, see you later" nod
ded Mr. Davis, going out the door.
"You better get going, Maurice" ,"
said Mr.. Fletcher amiably. Somebody
ought to be down there on time"
1t had cleared Lancey Micks' head
to hit Mr.. Arnold.
Daddy" called a voice, Ruth sat
there. She was in riding clothes still.
WELL" he said pausing, "you liv-
ing in Zacarias nowadays?"
mo. Where have you been?"
"At the club"
Are you drunk, Daddy? ?"
I'm not sober. Hurry up and get
dressed"
Never mind dressing now. want
to talk to you"
IF it's anything about Ramon, don't
say it."
"Sit down and have a cigarette,
pleaded Ruth. She looked at his hand
and her face lit transiently with amuse
ment. Hurt him much?"
Hurt whom?"
''Mr. Arnold, 1 guess"
"Oh," said Lancey Micks, Il bang
ed my hand on the car door,"
"Hilario Ruiz wants to see YOU"
Why doesn't he come to see me?'
: HIM." Lancey Micks looked at her
"Cut that out! Do you think Pm ;
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