hetoldmeabouther,patiently,withoutrancor.shedrank,sheplayedaround,shewasn’taverygoodwifebyhisstandards,buthecouldhavebeenbroughtuptoostrict.shehadaheartasbigasahouse,hesaid,andhelovedher.hedidn’tkidhimselfhewasanydreamboat,justasteadyworkerbringinghomethepaycheck.theyhadajointbankaccount.shehaddrawnitallout,buthewaspreparedforthat.hehadaprettygoodideawhoshehadlitoutwith,andifhewasrightthemanwouldcleanheroutandleaveherstranded.

「nameofkerrigan,」hesaid.「monroekerrigan.idon’taimtoknockthecatholics.thereisplentyofbadjewstoo.thiskerriganisabarberwhenheworks.iain’tknockingbarberseither.butalotofthemaredriftersandhorseplayers.notrealsteady.」

「won’tyouhearfromherwhensheiscleanedout?」

「shegetsawfulashamed.shemighthurtherself.」

「it’samissingpersonsjob,mr.edelweiss.youshouldgodownandmakeareport.」

「no.i’mnotknockingthepolice,butidon’twantitthatway.mabelwouldbehumiliated.」

theworldseemedtobefullofpeoplemr.edelweisswasnotknocking.heputsomemoneyonthedesk.

「twohundreddollars,」hesaid.「downpayment.i’dratherdoitmyway.」

「itwillhappenagain,」isaid.

「sure.」heshruggedandspreadhishandsgently.「buttwenty-fouryearsoldandmealmostfifty.howcoulditbedifferent?she’llsettledownafterawhile.troubleis,nokids.shecan’thavekids.ajewlikestohaveafamily.somabelknowsthat.she’shumiliated.」

「you’reaveryforgivingman,mr.edelweiss.」

「welliain’tachristian,」hesaid.「andi’mnotknockingchristians,youunderstand.butwithmeit’sreal.idon’tjustsayit.idoit.oh,ialmostforgotthemostimportant.」

hegotoutapicturepostcardandpusheditacrossthedeskafterthemoney.「fromhonolulushesendsit.moneygoesfastinhonolulu.oneofmyuncleshadajewelrybusinessthere.retirednow.livesinseattle.」

ipickedthephotoupagain.「i’llhavetofarmthisoneout,」itoldhim.「andi’llhavetohavethiscopied.」

「icouldhearyousayingthat,mr.marlowe,beforeigothere.soicomeprepared.」hetookoutanenvelopeanditcontainedfivemoreprints.「igotkerrigantoo,butonlyasnapshot.」hewentintoanotherpocketandgavemeanotherenvelope.ilookedatkerrigan.hehadasmoothdishonestfacethatdidnotsurpriseme.threecopiesofkerrigan.

mr.simpsonw.edelweissgavemeanothercardwhichhadonithisname,hisresidence,histelephonenumber.hesaidhehopeditwouldnotcosttoomuchbutthathewouldrespondatoncetoanydemandforfurtherfundsandhehopedtohearfromme.

「twohundredoughttoprettyneardoitifshe’sstillinhonolulu,」isaid.「whatineednowisadetailedphysicaldescriptionofbothpartiesthaticanputintoatelegram.height,weight,age,coloring,anynoticeablescarsorotheridentifyingmarks,whatclothesshewaswearingandhadwithher,andhowmuchmoneywasintheaccountshecleanedout.ifyou’vebeenthroughthisbefore,mr.edelweiss,youwillknowwhatiwant.」

「igotapeculiarfeelingaboutthiskerrigan.uneasy.」

ispentanotherhalfhourmilkinghimandwritingthingsdown.thenhestoodupquietly,shookhandsquietly,bowedandlefttheofficequietly.

「tellmabeleverythingisfine,」hesaidashewentout.

itturnedouttoberoutine.isentawiretoanagencyinhonoluluandfolloweditwithanairmailcontainingthephotosandwhateverinformationihadleftoutofthewire.theyfoundherworkingasachambermaid’shelperinaluxuryhotel,scrubbingbathtubsandbathroomfloorsandsoon.kerriganhaddonejustwhatmr.edelweissexpected,cleanedheroutwhileshewasasleepandskipped,leavingherstuckwiththehotelbill.shepawnedaringwhichkerrigancouldn’thavetakenwithoutviolence,andgotenoughoutofittopaythehotelbutnotenoughtobuyherwayhome.soedelweisshoppedaplaneandwentafterher.

hewastoogoodforher.isenthimabillfortwentydollarsandthecostofalongtelegram.thehonoluluagencygrabbedthetwohundred.withaportraitofmadisoninmyofficesafeicouldaffordtobeunderpriced.

sopassedadayinthelifeofanotexactlyatypicaldaybutnottotallyuntypicaleither.whatmakesamanstaywithitnobodyknows.youdon’tgetrich,youdon’toftenhavemuchfun.sometimesyougetbeatenuporshotatortossedintothejailhouse.onceinalongwhileyougetdead.everyothermonthyoudecidetogiveitupandfindsomesensibleoccupationwhileyoucanstillwalkwithoutshakingyourhead.thenthedoorbuzzerringsandyouopentheinnerdoortothewaitingroomandtherestandsanewfacewithanewproblem,anewloadofgrief,andasmallpieceofmoney.

「comein,mr.thingummy.whatcanidoforyou?」

theremustbeareason.

threedayslaterintheshankoftheafternooneileenwadecalledmeup,andaskedmetocomearoundtothehouseforadrinkthenextevening.theywerehavingafewfriendsinforcocktails.rogerwouldliketoseemeandthankmeadequately.andwouldipleasesendinabill?

「youdon’towemeanything,mrs.wade.whatlittleididigotpaidfor.」

「imusthavelookedverysillyactingvictorianaboutit,」shesaid.「akissdoesn’tseemtomeanmuchnowadays.youwillcome,won’tyou?」

「iguessso.againstmybetterjudgment.」

「rogerisquitewellagain.he’sworking.」

「good.」

「yousoundverysolemntoday.iguessyoutakelifeprettyseriously.」

「nowandthen.why?」

shelaughedverygentlyandsaidgoodbyeandhungup.isatthereforawhiletakinglifeseriously.thenitriedtothinkofsomethingfunnysothaticouldhaveagreatbiglaugh.neitherwayworked,soigotterrylennox’sletteroffarewelloutofthesafeandrereadit.itremindedmethatihadnevergonetovictor’sforthatgimletheaskedmetodrinkforhim.itwasjustabouttherighttimeofdayforthebartobequiet,thewayhewouldhavelikedithimself,ifhehadbeenaroundtogowithme.ithoughtofhimwithavaguesadnessandwithapuckeringbitternesstoo.whenigottovictor’sialmostkeptgoing.almost,butnotquite.ihadtoomuchofhismoney.hehadmadeafoolofmebuthehadpaidwellfortheprivilege.