Part 9 (1/2)

It was a grand parlor, Hiram thought. There was a piano, a phonograph, a whatnot filled with specimens of quartz, and four cloth-covered cus.h.i.+on rockers. With rattlesnake fairness the one Hiram chose squeaked a warning before it tried to land him on the back of his neck.

Hiram sat there round-eyed and dreaming, while outside the hired car purred on, indifferent to the flight of time.

Twenty minutes later Hiram's dream was broken by the clatter of Lucy's high heels on the stairs. Lucy entered, dressed in silk and furs and wearing a large picture hat. The savings of many months were on Lucy's back, and Hiram felt further removed from her than ever.

”Where'll we go?” he asked miserably as he clumsily helped her into the car.

”Golden Gate Park, Mr. Hooker,” she said.

The driver, having heard, touched his cap, and they rolled away.

”How'd you know my name?” The burden of keeping this question had been overriding Hiram's bashfulness since she had spoken it.

Lucy laughed. ”You didn't think I'd go so far as to invite you home with me if I didn't know you, did you? At least kinda know you?”

”I hadn't thought about that at all, ma'am. But when you said 'Mr.

Hooker' it gave me a jolt.”

”I'll bet it did. Well, didn't you stand in front of the jewelry shop for over a quarter of an hour before the fire this morning?”

”Yes, ma'am.”

”And you didn't see your friend come out of the restaurant while you were there?”

”Who, Tweet? No, ma'am--I didn't.”

”Well, he did. He'd been in talking with me. I didn't know his name, though. Is that it? Tweet? Heavens above! Say, he's a funny guy.

Well, he'd been in talking about you. He said you were out in front of the jeweler's shop and wondered if he could get out without you seeing him.”

Hiram only stared and waited.

”He told me your name was Hiram Hooker, and that you had just come from Mendocino County. That's how I knew.”

For quite a time she was silent. Then she said:

”He appears to be sort of b.u.t.ting in, it seems to me.”

Hiram waited again.

”He came in and says: 'Say, Lucy, your lifeline and mine are getting tangled. You're crossing my path and frustrating my plans.' You know how he talks!

”'How d'ye get that way?' I says. 'Spring it.'

”'Why, your many charms are leading my business partner from the path of duty,' he says.

”'Go on,' I told him, 'and talk sense, if you've got anything to say.'

”Then he told me that you two were partners, and were going down to southern California together to 'get a toehold,' he said; and that you were keeping the thing back by--by--by wanting to hang around Frisco.

He said you two had a good thing and that you were spoiling it, and that you were nearly broke and getting more so every minute.