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.