Evening star., 1938-05-22

puzzled and troubled frown. Il heard. You
and that strange creature are going off toI
get drunk
She whirled and walked away, Donald al
her heels. With disconsolate shrug Curtis
turned and entered the cab. Felderman gave
the address of pub in Battersea, and ten
minutes later they were seated face to face in|
private booth as bare and lugubrious as al
secondhand coffin. They drank and drank
again. They invented odd combinations built
on the basic half land half - whisky for al
chaser, then gin, then brandy then sloe gin
because Felderman had never heard of it. then
schnapps because he had.
You know, Curt" he said after good
many rounds. Its great to have place like
this booth to come to when you're in Lon-l
don.'
"Why?"
Because it's the cheerfulest spot in the
whole black town."
Curtis looked around at the greasy dark
wainscoting. You must be right, Eric, but
somehow don't seem to get it,
'I'll tell you how it is, said Eric. Il come
into this black hole to see anything want to
see in my mind - the funny dump where
was born, the apple tree in the back yard that
broke my collarbone. You can 20 anywhere
you like in here. You can drop in at any air
port from San Diego to Barren Island and fly
low all the way, low enough to spot every
stream, every village and the children running
home from school upside down."
Are you flier. Eric?"
"A flier? III say I'm flier, and that's only
half of it. Fliers are going to eat out of my
hand, Curt. Thousands of fliers are going to
line up to kiss my left foot when say the
word.''
why would they do that?" asked Curtis
soemnly. II mean why wouldn't they kiss
your right FOOT"
Because I've got an idea Curt, as fine as
the one you had. Only mine is worth gallon
of anybody's money. III tell you what can
do. Curt. can fly crate up the side of the
Eiffel Tower and turn a two-thousand-f loot
power dive into three point landing. You
don't believe it, do you?'
'Of course believe you, Eric How much
would you take for your idea? Would you
take fifty thousand American cash dollars?"
Felderman lolled his head from side to side
Would you take seventy-fve?" Again the
swaying nod Eric, mean business. As one
man to another, will you take hundred
thousand"
Il wouldn't take any lousy hundred thou
sand from the American Government" said
Eric ponderously. NOR from the British Gov
eminent nor from the French Government
nor from the German Government, or from
Czechoslovakia, or Latvia, or from the Presi-
dent of Andorra, but II take it from you Curt
because love you better than brother"
''You mean it, Eric?"
Il sure do
Then let's shake on it. They shook hands,
''I'll tell you what I'm going to do, Eric"
continued Curtis; I'm going to put it in
writing, binding you and binding me. Is that
all right with you, Eric?"
"Iguess 50, but wish could think There's
something I'm trying to think about but
thinking about it gets me so dizzy can't
think what it is.
From the bar-sweep Curtis secured block
of paper, bottle of turgid ink and an exc
cradle pen He was just sober enough to know
he was drunk - drunk yet madly elated. He
sat gripping the edge of the table, summoning
his sodden wits. Gradually his will took the
form of hand, pushing back the mists in his
brain; then it descended, seized on the pen
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