Bought and Paid For; From the Play of George Broadhurst Part 37

"Whatever happens--remember!"

"Then something is going to happen?" demanded f.a.n.n.y.

"That depends," said Virginia evasively.

"Oh, I'm so worried!" exclaimed f.a.n.n.y. "I couldn't sleep last night for thinking about you. I was so nervous that I kept James awake too.

I'm glad you're not going to do anything rash."

Before Virginia could reply there came a loud knock at the door.

"Come in!" cried Virginia.

The door opened and Jimmie entered, cheerful and debonair as usual.

"Morning, Virgie!" he chuckled.

"Good morning," she replied gravely.

"Just dropped in to say good-bye before I hike along."

"I'm glad you did," she smiled amiably.

"We've had a bully little visit." Turning to his wife, he said: "Haven't we, f.a.n.n.y?"

"Yes, indeed," she smiled.

"Great finish too," he chuckled, "what with my raise and the car."

"Yes, isn't that fine?" chimed in his wife.

"I hope it's a late model," he went on, scratching his head. "I hate those old-fas.h.i.+oned things!"

"I'll be satisfied with any kind of a car," laughed f.a.n.n.y.

"So will I--in a way," he said. "But I hate folks to think I'm not up to date." Turning to Virginia he added: "If Robert's ready we can go down together. Is he?"

Shaking her head, she said quietly:

"I don't think so."

He laughed loudly.

"I didn't expect he would be after last night's illumination! He was 'full' all right--circuited from tower to bas.e.m.e.nt! On the level, he was so lit up that if every light on his machine had gone out the cops couldn't have said a word!"

"James! Keep still!" whispered his wife, giving her sister a significant glance.

"Why?" he exclaimed surprised. "Is there anything criminal in a man getting tanked up once in a while?"

f.a.n.n.y colored with vexation. Angrily she said: "Take my advice--don't you ever try it!"

"And if I should," he demanded defiantly, "what can you do about it?"

"The husband's unanswerable question," smiled Virginia sadly, "what can you do about it?"

"Sure! What can you?" he repeated.

"I'll tell you what I'd do," cried f.a.n.n.y, warming up. "I'd leave you at once."

Virginia started and looked thoughtfully at her sister, as if her words but echoed a determination that was in her own heart.

"Yes, you would!" he sneered.

"Yes, I would," she cried hotly. "I wouldn't stand for any drunken husband. I'd leave him so quick that--that--"

She stopped abruptly, realizing what her words meant to one very dear to her. Virginia said nothing, but rising, walked to the other side of the room.

"That what?" demanded Jimmie.

"Nothing!" replied his wife crossly.

"You needn't worry, anyway," he continued, "I just can't stand the stuff. Give me three drinks and next morning my head's full of Roman candles. Huh! Not for mine, thank you!"

"I'm glad of it," said f.a.n.n.y, with a sigh of relief.

Jimmie chuckled. With a side glance at his sister-in-law he exclaimed in an undertone: "Gee! But I'd like to be here when he comes in. I wonder what he'll say."

"He won't remember anything about it."

"Oh, that's the kind, is it--one of those convenient, witness stand, I-have-no-recollection things, eh! Well, you take it from me, that's the best kind to have. You can agree to any old thing and not remember it, you can make all kinds of promises and then forget 'em. You can--Say!"

The young man suddenly gasped and turned pale. f.a.n.n.y, alarmed, started forward, thinking he was ill.

"What's the matter?" she exclaimed, anxiously.

"Good Lord!" he cried, "suppose he should forget about my raise!"

Rea.s.sured, his wife laughed nervously. Crossly she said:

"How you frightened me!" Quickly she said: "Oh, Robert won't forget about that."

A determined, defiant expression came into her husband's face as he went on:

"You can just bet he won't while I have the power of speech. He won't come that 'I--can't--recall' gag on me."

"Of course not," said f.a.n.n.y soothingly.

Anxiously he continued:

"I've calculated exactly what I'd do with that extra fifty. I reckoned that after we'd paid the chauffeur and for the gasoline and things we'd have about twenty left, so I figured we'd be able to leave a Hundred and Fortieth Street and move down town to a Hundred and Twenty-fifth. Then I'd pictured old McLoughlin's face when he'd heard I'd got another raise and what he'd look like every morning when I drove to the office in my own car. And I'd picked out the places we'd go to for the next four Sundays--yes, and a lot of other things too."