Part 19 (2/2)
”Ev, you're some little thinker--what would we do without you?”
”Oh, nuts,” exclaimed Evelyn. ”I'm going to bed--good-night,” as she arose and went into the bedroom.
Harry and Pearl sat for a long time on the divan, holding each other's hands, not saying a word. This was the third night they had known each other, and events since that time had been rather swift.
”I've seen lots of girls come down here, and stay around for a while, then maybe make a good marriage, then others go to the dogs, but of all the lot you are the first one that I've ever really been in love with,”
said Harry, softly.
”I love you, too, Harry, and it's my first real love, but I don't quite know how you can love me when you know what I'm doing and what I am--don't that make a difference?”
”It might to some people, but not to me--but you see I couldn't give you what Big Boy can.”
”You mean you can't give me the money he can?”
”That's it--he can give you everything you could ever want--money, clothes, cars--or just anything you happen to want--why, look, he has already given you a thousand dollars--I doubt if I'll ever have a thousand in my whole life--I'm just a b.u.m singer.”
”But just the same I love you, Harry--why couldn't we do this--I've an idea--let me string this guy along and get a load of dough, and then we can beat it and start fresh some place where no one knows us--would you like that?”
”Well, I don't know about that--I'll have to think it over--that is a little too much to say yes to on so short a notice, and not a nice thing to do.”
”What's the difference? What I'm doing already is not exactly what the general run of people would call decent.”
”Oh, that's nothing--I know women about this town that have good husbands and friends, and they step out on the side for the dough, to buy something they want, but they were respectable girls before they married, but this much I know--if I marry a girl like you, I can depend on you being on the level with me--I've seen enough of life down here to know that.”
”Suppose we talk this over some time tomorrow or later. We should get some sleep tonight,” said Pearl, as she laid her head on his shoulder.
Harry pulled her close to him, all was quiet in the hotel, and the streets were quiet. The rest of the night was bathed in liquid silver of a belated moon, but inside each of them there raged a tornado of love, desire, pa.s.sion, that was soon to be quelled by complete possession of each other, then a sweet sleep of quiet and peace, that equaled the quietness of the silent city outside.
Morning quietly slipped through the windows, the bright hot sun rose, dispelling the chill of the night. The city rose with all its noise and bustle, as a sleeping dog rises and shakes itself, to be about its busy routine of the day.
Evelyn awoke, looked around, then realized that she was at Pearl's apartment, then looked next to her in bed, and was surprised that she was in bed alone. She slowly climbed out of bed, going to the window, looked out on the lovely morning, then thinking of Irene, she started for the bedroom where Pearl was lying in Harry's arms, sleeping quietly.
”Hey, you two,” as she shook them. ”Come on--come on--snap out of it--we have lots to do today,” as Pearl and Harry opened their eyes to behold a sight which caused them to laugh loudly. Evelyn standing in teddies, with her hair standing on end, eyes bloodshot from the night before.
”Ev, have you looked at yourself in the mirror yet?” asked Pearl.
”No, I haven't--I'm afraid to--I've heard people sometimes die of fright--so I'm just working up the courage to do that little thing--do you want me to order breakfast?”
”Breakfast--that sounds good,” said Harry, as he sat up in bed.
”Ev, you're a darling--order a big one for me--I need it--I'm starved--then we will go over the river,” as she went to the bathroom.
Evelyn called the morgue, and found that no one seemed able to find Irene's people, or to find out anything about her, so she told the undertakers to get Irene ready and make all the arrangements for the funeral to be held at two o'clock that afternoon, at the Mexican Cemetery on the outskirts of Juarez, then she spent the next half hour calling every Hooker that she knew, and told them the time of the funeral, and asked them to be there, and to bring any of the other girls they could get hold of.
”How many have you called, in all, Ev?” asked Pearl, as Evelyn sat down beside her. ”I'll call and have these dishes taken away.”
”About twenty in all, but they all know others that I don't know and they will tell them.”
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