There was something in his voice that brought me up with a jolt. The kid had fallen for the girl as sure as I stood there. "Now, look," I said gently. "You really want to get set with Uncle Sam, don't you?" "Why, sure." "Then listen to me. I'm doing everything I can for you. And I've got a deal all lined up. I was just over at the Army recruiting station and I think everything is set. Not right away, but pretty soon." "Gosh, that's wonderful." "Now you know who your friend is." I came over beside him and put my hand on his shoulder. "I got a little piece of advice for you that I want you to take to heart. Stay away from this kid, Alice. She's no good for you." "Now just a minute. You can't--" "I'm sorry, kid," I said. I let my hand fall from his shoulder. "Maybe I shouldn't tell you, but--" "Tell me what?" "It's only for your own good I'm doing this. That pretty little blonde is just going to play you for a sucker. She's already married." Horatio gasped. He must have been pretty sold on the girl. "I don't believe it," he cried. "It's God's truth." "Who is the man?" Horatio cried brokenly. "Mystiffio." "Mystiffio!" I nodded slowly. "It's a tough break, kid, but the sooner you forget her the better." I had already decided I'd get rid of her. She wouldn't be hard to replace. Horatio was my gold mine and I didn't want anyone to do a scorched-earth job on him. "But she never told me," he muttered. "Naturally," I said. "She'll probably even deny she's married to him now, but don't let that fool you." "No, sir," Horatio said. "She won't make a sucker out of me." His anger must have subconsciously affected his visibility mechanism for he was visible and his lean jaw was hard, but there was a hurt look in his clear blue eyes. "That's the boy," I said. "Just remember who your friends are and you won't go wrong." "I won't, Mr. Flannigan," he promised solemnly. * * * * * The next afternoon Morry arrived to see the act. He was dressed in a natty pin stripe suit and he wore a big yellow carnation in the buttonhole, but his sallow face was impassive. I escorted him down the dark empty theatre to the front row. "Just hold your breath now," I told him. "I'll have the act on stage in a jiffy." He yawned and glanced at his watch. "I haven't got long," he said. I went backstage and found Alice. "Hurry up," I said. "Morry is waiting." She looked at me as if I'd just crawled out from the wainscoating. "I've just talked to the kid," she said. "He thinks I'm poison. What kind of a yarn have you been feeding him?" "Me? Why, honey, that hurts. Do you think your Uncle Patrick would breathe an unkind word about you?" "Well, it's mighty strange," she said. "He won't even tell me what's biting him." "I wouldn't pay any attention to him," I said. "Perhaps it's all for the best." "Hmmm," she said, eyeing me shrewdly. "Come on now, be a good kid and get things rolling. A lot depends on this you know."