"I'm fine, Henry--I want you to meet a girl friend of mine. This is Pearl." "Hi, Pearl, what will you and Ev have to drink?" "I think I'll have Rock and Rye, and a big slug of it--Ev, speed up, you're holding up the parade." "Whiskey, my darlings--Hey, Harry--you damn good-looking bastard--come over here, I got a girl friend I want you to know." "Why, hello, Ev--I haven't seen you in days, or I mean nights. Where have you been?" greeted Harry Hicks, a tall blonde young man of about twenty-three, who was the Master of Ceremonies of the floor show. "Harry, this is Pearl--Pearl, this is Harry." Evelyn poured down her whiskey without further ado. "How do you do," said Harry, as he offered his hand. "I'm very glad to know you," said Pearl, as she took the offered hand. "How soon does the show go on, Harry?" asked Evelyn as she wiped her mouth on the back of her hand. "In about three minutes, come on in and see it. I've got a good table for you near the band." "I'd love to," said Pearl, as Harry took her by the arm and helped her through the crowd. "Hello, there, Irene," Evelyn greeted a girl friend, "How's tricks tonight?" "Lousy," answered Irene. "I ain't made but two dollars all day, but thank Heavens, tomorrow is pay day at Fort Bliss, the soldiers are coming, tra--la--la--la--la." "See you later," called Evelyn, as she shoved her way into the cabaret, and on down to the table where Harry had seated Pearl. "Say, Ev, that boy is a perfect darling--gee, he is sweet, so fresh and clean looking." "Yes--Yes--Yes--my dear, every Bat in this town has said them same words, and I been unlucky enough to be at every saying." "Oh--good--there goes the show--look, Ev, the way he announces, isn't he the cutest thing?" "Yeah--I suppose you've made a date with him tonight to meet at the States Cafe after you get back on the U. S. side, and he is to take you for a ride in his brother's car, and show you the Rim road on Mount Franklin, and how the lights of El Paso glitter down in the distance." "Why, Ev--how did you know?" "Dearest girl, he has only told that same line to five thousand other Hookers in this man's burg, and what's more, they all go for it--I don't for the life of me know what it is about him that gets all the girls going--but do they go--" "Did he ever tell you that, Ev?" "Heaven forbid--there's only one thing that Harry could make me do, and that's--puke." "Oh, Ev, look at the way he sings that song--why, I think he is about the sweetest thing I've seen down here." "Pearl, dear, don't you let my dislikes bother you. If you like him, you go for him. You see, I been in this town for a long time, and when you have been here as long as I have, you will hate every Son-of-a-Bitch, and all that goes with them. Don't pay any attention to my rants--Hey, waiter--bring us two whiskeys, and for Heaven's sake, make it pronto, I'm dead of thirst already."