Part 18 (1/2)

Pearl, Evelyn and Mickey were among the last to come across, with Pearl and Mickey leading Evelyn, who was too drunk to make it alone.

”Ev, you should never get this drunk,” said Mickey.

”Who are you, sister? I'll get as drunk as I like,” mumbled Evelyn.

”What I'd like to know is how much she drank to get this drunk. I've seen her kill a quart at a time, and never phase her, but my G.o.d, she must have got to a barrel this time,” said Pearl.

”Let go of me--I can walk alone,” said Evelyn, as she pulled away from them.

”Do you think you can, Ev?”

”Sure,” said Evelyn, as she staggered to the curb, vomiting down her entire front.

”There she goes; now she will feel better as soon as she gets some of that stuff out of her,” said Mickey.

”Yeah--but we better hold her, she might fall,” but she was too late; Evelyn was already lying in the gutter. ”What a sight she will be now--come on, Mickey, let's get her up to my hotel--call a taxi.”

Mickey called a car--they got Evelyn in, with much trouble, and finally arrived at the Hussman.

”My G.o.d, Pearl, what will they think--you dragging her through the lobby looking the way she does,” as they were pulling Evelyn out of the car, with the help of the driver.

”I don't know, but I hope they let one crack out of them--that will give me all the excuse I'll need to wreck this joint without stalling.”

”Wait a minute, girls,” said the driver. ”I'll take her up like this,”

as he threw Evelyn over his shoulder and started into the lobby.

”I'll get her up there and put her to bed.”

”Don't you think, Pearl, that if you could get some hot coffee down her it might make her come out of it?”

”I don't know, but I'll try it--” as she said to the bell-boy, ”Bring me some hot coffee up here, quick.”

”Are you going over to the States after we get Ev to bed, Pearl? You know you've a date over there with Harry.”

”Have I? I've been doing some heavy drinking myself--I don't even remember it. Sure, we'll go over there as soon as we give her some coffee.”

”Let's take her into the bathroom, and strip her in there, and then put her to bed,” said Pearl, as she opened the door for them to enter.

They took Evelyn in to the bathroom, the driver holding her up while Pearl and Mickey stripped her, clean to the skin; then the bellboy arrived with the coffee.

”Wait a minute--I'll get a night-gown for her, and then we will put her in bed, and pour some of this hot stuff down her gullet. O. K., driver, bring her in.”

He picked her up, and bringing her into the room, laid her down, holding her head up, as he took the cup out of Pearl's hand, and holding it to Evelyn's lips, while the hot liquid brought moans and groans from Evelyn--Pearl and Mickey stood by to help.

”Now, let's cover her up, and leave her alone to sleep--she will be all right when we get back from the cafe.”

Pearl turned the lights out, and down they went, leaving Ev behind for the first time since they had met.

”Jees,” said Pearl, ”I feel lost without her--she is sure some regular scout.” As they got into the car that had brought them from the bridge--”To the States, driver.”