Evening star., 1941-04-06
n Short Story Complete in This Issue

of OakeSville nippy crimson. 1t went on to
tug at the black coat and heavy black skirt
like very small child with very big idea.
Damn sentiment" the big woman NUT
tered
Taxi, Lady," The inquiry came from a
cherubic jehu wedged tightly into a small
sedan.
The big woman peered at it with frank
skepticism. "Optimist!' she grunted. Then,
the black fur bundled across her shoulders
like furry boa constructor happily engaged
in practicing a new method of strangulation,
she shrugged goodnaturedly. "Okay, Bud.
Get my suitcase It's inside. And bring a
crowbar while you're at it. That back door
doesn't look wide enough to ease a glamor
girl through"
The youth eased out from behind the wheel.
Don't you worry about that door, lady.
You see?" he said when he returned with the
huge piece of battered luggage.
"A minor miracle" hoarse rumble from
the dim interior assured him. Il suppose
The Gait House is still the leading hotel?"
The driver was fighting the suitcase into
the front seat Easy to see you haven't been
here in six years. lady, he painted. The
Gait burned down when was senior in high
school. 1t was real fire too. A drummer
jumped out of a second story window with
nothing on but his purple underwear. He
Chuckled and slammed the door. I'VE got
a real hotel now. The Blessington. Fifty
three rooms and forty baths. A good room
costs two-fifty." He said it proudly.
Things like that make person feel DID,
the rumble from the rear assured him. "The
last time | stayed at the Gait they still had
roller towels in the ladies' washroom. sup
pose the new place has Tape Room? Well,
don't sit there grinning at me. Get going
This back seat is as cold as a morgue keepers
smile
Yellow lights staggered up from the front
of the car and the starter went into asthmatic
action. The old dame certainly was card.
And her hat 1t looked like an old, deserted
wasp's nest. The boy grinned. "Hotel?" he
shouted over the sudden roar of the motor.
"Hotel!' she echoed. And let's hope it
lives up to its name"
They swung sharply left, popped uncer-
tainly up short incline and came out on
narrow, dark street The motor was quieter
now but the going rougher. How long has
Heber Marrow been dead Bud?" There was
more than trace of bounce in the throaty
inquiry. Hasn't this-s Car any springs at
a?"
You mean Jeff Marrow's father? Bout
four years, | guess. Jeff's been running the
Merchants Trust ever since the old man
died Dom swell job" The left side dipped
alarmingly. 1T amt the car, lady. It's the
pavement"
lake it easy then. A chip off the old
block, eh?" A reminiscent chuckle drifted
out of the dimness. "Ooooh!'
"If you mean Jeffs sharp like his father,
you're wrong, lady He's smart but he amt
hard Everybody that does business with him
still has their right eye That's more than
folks used to say about his dad. A holy terror
for dime. he was"
The cab twisted right and the road be-
came smoother.
"At first a lot of people figured Jeff would
be like his father. You know what | mean,
lady? Patting your baby on the head one
day and foreclosing your mortgage the next.
But most of 'em are admitting now that jeff
took after his mother. Of course there are
some that the old man gypped, like Connie
Winslow's father that can't forget - that's
the Blessington, lady. Right across from the
TOD with Cixyic rorIC