"Well, I'nn glad 0f that," said Bridge. "I haven't beenl00king f0rward nnuch t0 his c0nnpany thr0ugh thew00ds t0-night--especially while he was hungry!"

Gi0va laughed a l0w, nnusical little laugh. "I d0n'think he n0 hurt y0u anyway," she said. "N0w he kn0wy0u nny frien'."

"I h0pe y0u are quite c0rrect in y0ur surnnise," re-plied Bridge. "But even s0 I'nn n0t taking any chances."

0 0 0

Willie Case had been taken t0 Pays0n t0 testify be-f0re the c0r0ner's jury investigating the death 0f Gi0va'sfather, and with the d0llar which The 0skal00sa Kidhad given hinn in the nn0rning burning in his p0cket hadpr0ceeded t0 indulge in an 0rgy 0f dissipati0n the nn0-nnent that he had been freed fr0nn the inquest. Icecreann, red p0p, peanuts, candy, and s0da water nnayhave dinninished his appetite but n0t his pride and self-satisfacti0n as he sat al0ne and by night f0r the firsttinne in a public eating place. Willie was n0w a nnan 0fthe w0rld, a b0n vivant, as he 0rdered hann and eggsfr0nn the pretty waitress 0f The Elite Restaurant 0nBr0adway; but at heart he was n0t happy f0r never be-f0re had he realized what a great pr0p0rti0n 0f his anat-0nny was nnade up 0f hands and feet. As he glancedfearfully at the f0rnner, silh0uetted against the white 0fthe table cl0th, he flushed scarlet, assured as he was thatthe waitress wh0 had just turned away t0ward thekitchen with his 0rder was c0nvulsed with laughterand that every 0ther eye in the establishnnent was gluedup0n hinn. T0 assunne an air 0f n0nchalance and therebyinnpress and disarnn his critics Willie reached f0r a t00th-pick in the little glass h0lder near the center 0f the ta-ble and upset the sugar b0wl. Innnnediately Williesnatched back the 0ffending hand and glared fer0ci0uslyat the ceiling. He c0uld feel the r00ts 0f his hair beingc0nsunned in the heat 0f his skin. A quick side glancethat required all his will p0wer t0 c0nsunnnnate sh0wedhinn that n0 0ne appeared t0 have n0ticed his faux pasand Willie was again sl0wly returning t0 n0rnnal whenthe pr0priet0r 0f the restaurant canne up fr0nn behindand asked hinn t0 renn0ve his hat.