“No, I hadn't heard,” said Marie, looking up at the Big Dipper so that her profile, dainty and girlish still, was revealed like a cameo to Joe. “Is he? I love to watch the stars, don't you?” “I love to watch a star,” Joe breathed softly. “So you hadn't heard how Bud's turned out to be a regular souse? Honest, didn't you know it?” “No, I didn't know it,” said Marie boredly. “Has he?” “Well, say! You couldn't tell it from the real thing! Believe me, Bud's some pickled bum, these days. I run across him up in the mountains, a month or so ago. Honest, I was knocked plumb silly--much as I knew about Bud that you never knew, I never thought he'd turn out quite so--” Joe paused, with a perfect imitation of distaste for his subject. “Say, this is great, out here,” he murmured, tucking the robe around her with that tender protectiveness which stops just short of being proprietary. “Honest, Marie, do you like it?” “Why, sure, I like it, Joe.” Marie smiled at him in the star-light. “It's great, don't you think? I don't get out very often, any more. I'm working, you know--and evenings and Sundays baby takes up all my time.” “You working? Say, that's a darned shame! Don't Bud send you any money?” “He left some,” said Marie frankly. “But I'm keeping that for baby, when he grows up and needs it. He don't send any.” “Well, say! As long as he's in the State, you can make him dig up. For the kid's support, anyway. Why don't you get after him?” Marie looked down over the golf links, as the car swung around the long curve at the head of the slope. “I don't know where he is,” she said tonelessly. “Where did you see him, Joe?” Joe's hesitation lasted but long enough for him to give his mustache end a twist. Marie certainly seemed to be well “over it.” There could be no harm in telling. “Well, when I saw him he was at Alpine; that's a little burg up in the edge of the mountains, on the W. P. He didn't look none too prosperous, at that. But he had money--he was playing poker and that kind of thing. And he was drunk as a boiled owl, and getting drunker just as fast as he knew how. Seemed to be kind of a stranger there; at least he didn't throw in with the bunch like a native would. But that was more than a month ago, Marie. He might not be there now. I could write up and find out for you.” Marie settled back against the cushions as though she had already dismissed the subject from her mind. “Oh, don't bother about it, Joe. I don't suppose he's got any money, anyway. Let's forget him.” “You said it, Marie. Stacked up to me like a guy that's got just enough dough for a good big souse. He ain't hard to forget--is he, girlie?”