"Oh, honey, can't you see I'm crazy about you--honestly nuts for you? If I didn't love you, I wouldn't be jealous of you, would I? I'll never do that again--will you believe me--let me get you a glass of water--please don't cry--come on, straighten up--the doctor will be here in a minute," as he held her in his arms. A rap came on the door. "Come in," called Big Boy, as he got off the bed, "Oh, hello, Doc--I want you to fix this eye for Miss Jones--she had a little accident." The doctor walked over to the bed, stooped over Pearl, and looked at her eye, already swollen shut, and turning a deep blue. "That's a peach," said the doctor, "How did you get it?" "I was coming in the door, doctor, and I dropped my key on the floor, and as I stooped over to pick it up, I hit my eye on the door-knob," lied Pearl. "Well, it's the first door-knob I've ever seen that left knuckle prints," laughed the doctor, as he went to work to fix the eye. "How long will it be black, doctor?" asked Pearl. "Oh, about a week or so, and then it will be as good as ever." "Ah, gee, that's tough," said Big Boy awkwardly as he backed towards the door, "I'll be back in a minute," as he left the room. "Will I have to wear a bandage over the eye until it gets all right?" "No, you don't have to wear a bandage at all, unless you want to, but you know a bandage covers a multitude of sins. You can say you got a piece of glass in your eye, and that way you won't have to stay in your room for a week until it gets well." "Ah, gee, Doc, you're a peach, thanks," as she got off the bed. "Well, I'll be going now," as he gathered up his things. "Next time tell your boy friend to hit you some place it won't show," as he went out the door. Pearl lay on the bed--there was nothing else to do. Now she couldn't very well go to Juarez, with her eye bandaged up. No matter what lie she told, nobody would believe it. Maybe it was just as well not to go over for a few days anyhow--let some of the trouble of the shooting die down, and that would be time enough, but she couldn't stay in the room all that time--she would go crazy. She arose from the bed, went to the phone, and called Evelyn's apartment and left a message for her to call as soon as she came in. The door opened slowly, as Big Boy came in, loaded with candy and fruit and flowers. "My God, what all have you got there?" asked Pearl, as she looked at him with the one good eye. "Some little things you might like, Pearl. You can have anything you want, no matter what it is. Will you please forgive me?" "Well, it will take a lot more than candy or flowers to make me forget a sock like that." "Ah, gee, honey--you can have anything you want--just name it. Let me get you a nice apartment, and some clothes, open an account for you--just anything to show you I do really love you, and I only want you to marry me--will you?" "No, I won't marry you--but I'll think about the apartment and the other stuff you mentioned."