“Oh, sure!” she said lightly. Joe perceived resentfully that she only said it to shut him up. “It’s great to be able to make a fellow like you lose himself,” she went on with a slow smile; she was honest enough then; “you’re so stuck on yourself!” “Aah!” said Joe sorely. For the moment he could find no rejoinder; he studied her, looking for some way to get back at her. “You’ll get fat,” he said at length. “Sure, bright-eyes!” she said unconcernedly. “Your eyes run over me like rats. . . . But at that, men will still like me.” “Why will they?” “I dunno. . . . It’s somepin. . . . For the same reason maybe, that women will always run after you, you pink and black devil!” “Because I’m so handsome?” said Joe, grinning. “Nah! there’s a plenty of handsomer fellows than you!” “Well, you’re no Lillian Russell!” “It’s somepin we know . . . but I don’t know how to name it. . . . Neither you nor me gives a damn. . . .” “Now you’re talkin’!” said Joe, pleased. “But . . . we’ll never be able to get shet of each other,” Jewel went on with her darkened eyes. “We’d better get hitched, then,” said Joe, sneering. “Oh, Gawd!” she said, disgustedly. Joe echoed her disgust. “Oh, Gawd!” They looked at each other and laughed. “You’ll always come back,” she said. “I’m gonna marry a swell dame,” said Joe; “the pick of the whole four hundred. . . . You needn’t laugh. You wait!” “Go ahead,” she said. “You kin marry, too, if you play your cards right.” Jewel laughed suddenly. “Thanks for the favor,” she said. . . . “Not on your life! I like my own self too well. I like to live alone. . . . Why should I marry? I ain’t ambitious.” “To get a man to keep you when you’re old,” said Joe. “I’ll put by enough for me old age,” said Jewel. “I don’t want much. All this—” she waved her arm about, “is all right to attrac’ custom, but it don’t mean nottin’ to me. . . . A nice plain room wit’ a winda on a busy street. There I’ll sit. . . . All I want good is a bed. My bed must be of the best; a1 box spring and a real hair mattress. Plenty of tasty food cooked the way I like it. Nobody to hinder my comin’ and goin’; nobody wit’ the right to bother me! That’s livin’!” “Aah! you’ll git like the fat lady in Barnum and Bailey’s!” “All right!” “It wouldn’t suit me,” said Joe. “I want to be mixed up in things. I’m gonna be a big man. One of the biggest. I been about a bit now. I’m as smart as anybody I see. I’m gonna make them feel me. I like to see the buggers crawl on their bellies. Like Dobereiner. I’ll have a secretary like Dobereiner. Makes you feel great. . . . And a hell of a big house on Fift’ Avenoo, and a yacht and a private car . . . there isn’t anything I won’t have!” “You’re welcome to it,” said Jewel. “Seems childish to me.” “And a swell-lookin’ wife to take around, wearing diamonds all over her. . . .” “Just the same, you’ll come to see me,” said Jewel smiling to herself; “fat though I be.” * * * * *