tta go round once more,
sweetness. I--just--can't--stop!"

"Just once more, Joe."

* * * * *

At one o'clock the gas-flame in the hallway outside the rear third-floor
apartment flared sootily and waned to a weary bead as the pressure
receded. Through the opacity of the sudden fog the formal-faced door
faded into the gloom, and Miss Essie Birdsong pushed the knob stealthily
inch by inch to save the squeak.

"Plunk-plunk-plunka-plunka-plunk-plunk! Essie?"

"'Sh-h-h-h! Yes, Jimmie--it's only me. Why you makin' that noise? Why's
the light burning? What's--"

"Essie! Essie, is that you and--"

"Ma dearie, you--What's the matter? You ain't sick, are you?
What's--what's wrong, Jimmie? Please, what's wrong?"

She stood with her back to the door, her face struck with fear suddenly,
as with white forked lightning, and her breath coming on every alternate
heart-beat.

"Ma! Jimmie! For Gawd's sakes, what's the matter?"

The transitional falsetto of her brother's voice came to her gritty as
slate scratching slate, and cold, prickly flesh sprang out over her.

"Don't come in here! You--you and your friend stay out there a minute
till ma kinda gets her breath back; she--she's all right--ain't you, ma?
You and your friend just wait just a minute, Ess."

"Me and---"

"Yeh; both of you wait. Nothing ain't wrong--is it, ma? There, just lay
back on the pillow a minute, ma. Gwan; be a sport! Look, your cheek's
all red from restin' on my shoulder so long. Lemme go a minute and bring
Essie and her gen'l'man friend in to see you. Gee! After you been
waitin' and waitin' you--you ain't goin' to give out the last minute.
There ain't nothin' to be scared about, ma. Lemme go in just a minute.
Here it is, ma; don't break it--seven years' bad luck for smashin' a
hand-mirror. Here; you look swell, ma--swell!"

"Tell him it ain't like me to give out like this. Take them bottles and
that ice away, Jimmie--throw my flowered wrapper over my shoulders.
There! Now tell him, Jimmie, it ain't like me."

"Surest thing, ma. Watch me!"

He emerged from the bedroom suddenly, his face twisted and his
whispering voice like cold iron under the stroke of an anvil, and Essie
trembled as she stood.

"Jimmie!"

"You--you devil, you! Where is he?"

She edged away from him with limbs that seemed as though they took root
at every step and she must tear each foot from the carpet.

"To-morrow night he's comin' sure, J