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.Maggie was dazed.She could dimly perceive that something stupendous had happened.She wondered why Pete saw fit to remonstrate with the woman, pleading for forgiveness with his eyes.She thought she noted an air of submission about her leonine Pete.She was astounded.The mere boy occupied himself with cock-tails and a cigar.He was tranquilly silent for half an hour.Then he bestirred himself and spoke.»Well,« he said sighing, »I knew this was the way it would be.They got cold feet.« There was another stillness.The mere boy seemed to be musing.»She was pulling m' leg.That's the whole amount of it,« he said, suddenly.»It's a bloomin' shame the way that girl does.Why, I've spent over two dollars in drinks to-night.And she goes off with that plug-ugly who looks as if he had been hit in the face with a coin-die.I call it rocky treatment for a fellah like me.Here, waiter, bring me a cock-tail and make it damned strong.«Maggie made no reply.She was watching the doors.»It's a mean piece of business,« complained the mere boy.He explained to her how amazing it was that anybody should treat him in such a manner.»But I'll get square with her, you bet.She won't get far ahead of yours truly, you know,« he added, winking.»I'll tell her plainly that it was bloomin' mean business.And she won't come it over me with any of her ›now-Freddie-dears.‹ She thinks my name is Freddie, you know, but of course it ain't.I always tell these people some name like that, because if they got onto your right name they might use it sometime.Understand? Oh, they don't fool me much.«Maggie was paying no attention, being intent upon the doors.The mere boy relapsed into a period of gloom, during which he exterminated a number of cock-tails with a determined air, as if replying defiantly to fate.He occasionally broke forth into sentences composed of invectives joined together in a long chain.The girl was still staring at the doors.After a time the mere boy began to see cobwebs just in front of his nose.He spurred himself into being agreeable and insisted upon her having a charlotte-russe and a glass of beer.»They's gone,« he remarked, »they's gone.« He looked at her through the smoke wreaths.»Shay, lil' girl, we mightish well make bes' of it.You ain't such bad-lookin' girl, y'know.Not half bad.Can't come up to Nell, though.No, can't do it! Well, I should shay not! Nell fine-lookin' girl! F–i–n–ine.You look damn bad longsider her, but by y'self ain't so bad.Have to do anyhow.Nell gone.On'y you left.Not half bad, though.«Maggie stood up.»I'm going home,« she said.The mere boy started.»Eh? What? Home,« he cried, struck with amazement.»I beg pardon, did hear say home?«»I'm going home,« she repeated.»Great Gawd, what hav'a struck?« demanded the mere boy of himself, stupefied.In a semi-comatose state he conducted her on board an uptown car, ostentatiously paid her fare, leered kindly at her through the rear window and fell off the steps.Chapter XVA forlorn woman went along a lighted avenue.The street was filled with people desperately bound on missions.An endless crowd darted at the elevated station stairs and the horse cars were thronged with owners of bundles.The pace of the forlorn woman was slow.She was apparently searching for some one.She loitered near the doors of saloons and watched men emerge from them.She furtively scanned the faces in the rushing stream of pedestrians.Hurrying men, bent on catching some boat or train, jostled her elbows, failing to notice her, their thoughts fixed on distant dinners.The forlorn woman had a peculiar face.Her smile was no smile.But when in repose her features had a shadowy look that was like a sardonic grin, as if some one had sketched with cruel forefinger indelible lines about her mouth.Jimmie came strolling up the avenue.The woman encountered him with an aggrieved air.»Oh, Jimmie, I've been lookin' all over fer yehs ––« she began.Jimmie made an impatient gesture and quickened his pace.»Ah, don't bodder me! Good Gawd!« he said, with the savageness of a man whose life is pestered.The woman followed him along the sidewalk in somewhat the manner of a suppliant.»But, Jimmie,« she said, »yehs told me yeh'd ––«Jimmie turned upon her fiercely as if resolved to make a last stand for comfort and peace.»Say, fer Gawd's sake, Hattie, don' foller me from one end of d' city t' d' odder.Let up, will yehs! Give me a minute's res', can't yehs? Yehs makes me tired, allus taggin' me.See? Ain' yehs got no sense? Do yehs want people t' get onto me? Go chase yerself, fer Gawd's sake.«The woman stepped closer and laid her fingers on his arm.»But, look-a-here ––«Jimmie snarled.»Oh, go t' hell.«He darted into the front door of a convenient saloon and a moment later came out into the shadows that surrounded the side door.On the brilliantly lighted avenue he perceived the forlorn woman dodging about like a scout.Jimmie laughed with an air of relief and went away.When he arrived home he found his mother clamoring.Maggie had returned.She stood shivering beneath the torrent of her mother's wrath.»Well, I'm damned,« said Jimmie in greeting.His mother, tottering about the room, pointed a quivering forefinger.»Lookut her, Jimmie, lookut her.Dere's yer sister, boy.Dere's yer sister.Lookut her! Lookut her!«She screamed at Maggie with scoffing laughter.The girl stood in the middle of the room.She edged about as if unable to find a place on the floor to put her feet.»Ha, ha, ha,« bellowed the mother
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