to see Beryldine Nearer again, myself. I seen a gown on her
in the last picture which I think I can duplicate in time for Mrs.
Martin's card party. We'll ask Mr. and Mrs. Simmons to go with us too.
The poor dear, it'll be a treat for her."

"It'll be a treat for her husband, too!" I says. "I ain't gonna take
the whole neighborhood to the movies. You must think I'm the Liberty
Loan, don't you?"

The wife comes over and kisses me.

"Now, dear," she says. "Don't be so close across the chest. Won't you
take 'em for me?"

Well, when all Broadway used to roll over and play dead when she pulled
that smile, what chance have _I_ got?

"I'd take carbolic for you!" I answers, givin' her a squeeze. "Go
ahead, honey, invite the first two pagefuls outa the phone book if you
want and I'll take 'em all!"

"There you go," she says. "No wonder we're not wealthy! If it wasn't
for me holdin' you down, we wouldn't have a nickel. I'll call down and
tell Mrs. Simmons to get ready--they may have an engagement themselves!"

"I doubt if I'm lucky enough for that to happen!" I says.

Well, I missed out again. They come up all right, and Mrs. Simmons is
tickled to death. When set for the street, she was a pretty good
looker herself, but Simmons ain't even got a hat with him.

"Mister Simmons prefers to stay at home," says his wife, causin' my
heart to leap with joy. "He has some important work to do, haven't
you, dear?"

Simmons flushes all up.

"Why--eh--yes--quite so--much obliged--excuse me," he stutters, backin'
away like he thought I'd wallop him for not goin'.

Alex is lookin' at him strangely.

"Pardon me," he says. "We just been talkin' over some of the wonderful
ideas you been workin' on. I have a inventive twist in my brains
myself and that lock you put together interests me very much. Could I
see it?"

Simmons brightens up in a flash and commences to grin.

"I'd be very glad indeed to show it to you," he says. "Very glad! Its
a--"

Alex goes over and puts his arm on his shoulder.

"You folks run along to the movies," he tells us. "Mr. Simmons and me
is got a little conference on--eh, Simmons?" He prods him in the ribs
and giggles.

Simmons wags his head. A guy with two glass eyes could see he was
tickled silly.

I dragged the rest of 'em out.

Well, we come in from the movie around eleven o'clock and stopped in
the Simmons flat. They had dragged me into a delicatessen parlor on
the way