"I know where you've been--look at that dress--I know you was one of the women who waded the river last night. I suppose you went and spent the night with the guy that helped you across." "Listen, Big Boy, what ever gave you the notion that you had the right to question where I've been, and who I've been with? Get a load of this--there is no man, woman or child that has a right to talk to me like that, see--so don't you try it." "Well, what was you doing in Juarez that you couldn't have come across the bridge before twelve, and why was it so necessary for you to come back over here that you would take the chance of wading the river to get here?" "I--I--well--I just didn't make the bridge, and I--well, I was afraid to stay over there all night." "You're lying like Hell, and you know it. You was on that party last night at the Rio Bravo--" as he came over to where she was standing. "I was invited over there, but I didn't go," said Pearl, timidly. "Stop that lying--you was invited all right--and you went, and when that shooting happened, you thought you better beat it. Who was with you?" as he moved closer, "Where was Evelyn?" "I don't know," lied Pearl. "Now, you listen to me--I don't care what you do, or where you go, see--but don't lie to me," as he took hold of her, "You are the first woman in my life I have ever asked to marry me--and get this--if I can't have you, nobody else will--I mean it." "You turn loose of me--I don't see what right you have to treat me this way, because I've been nice to you, you think I belong to you body and soul. Well, you let go of me, and get out. Who do you think you are?" "Oh, so that's the way you want it--well--what I said goes--if I can't have you, there's no other bastard will get you," as he punched her in the eye. "Oh--help--help--you lousy tramp, get out of this room," screamed Pearl. "God damn you, don't think you can get away with that kind of stuff with me." "Oh, Pearl--Pearl, please forgive me--I'll never do that again. Oh, honest, kid, I let my temper get away from me--Oh, please listen to me. I didn't mean it--if I didn't think so much of you I wouldn't have done it," as he took her in his arms, while she sobbed violently, and let him hold her close. "I'll call a doctor and have him fix the eye up so it won't get black," as he held her away from him, and then went to the phone. "Oh, Jees--" sobbed Pearl. "It's too late, my eye is already swelling shut--Oh, what a sight I'll be," as she threw herself on the bed, kicking her feet and crying loudly. Big Boy called the doctor, and was told he would be there at once, then he threw himself on the bed beside Pearl, taking her in his arms, kissing her and trying to stop her from crying. "You see, you don't trust me--then you call me a liar--and then you beat me," said Pearl, between sobs, as she thought, "I'll put on a real show for him, I'll make him shell out some dough for this."