o’clock. It was get ing on for eleven now. He wondered if he should phone her, but decided it wouldn’t be safe. Kile might answer. No point in making Kile suspicious at this stage of the game.
How he wanted a drink! He looked longingly at the row of bottles along the chromium shelves behind the bar. He hadn’t two dol ars to rub together! Looking thoughtfully at the barman he wondered if he could get credit. Reluctantly he decided not to try. He didn’t want to attract any at ention to himself. The barman was certain to consult Rico.
He felt in his hip pocket for his cigarette-case, opened it and found it empty. Oh, damn Eve! Why couldn’t she come? Angrily he replaced the case in his pocket and began to drum on the counter with his finger-tips.
The barman came over to him and offered him a cigarette from a crumpled pack.
‘I get caught myself like that some nights,’ he said amiably. ‘Makes me want to walk across the ceiling. Help yourself.’
Gillis stiffened with mortification and rage. A damned lackey offering him a cigarette! The blasted cheek of the man!
‘I don’t smoke a barman’s cigaret es,’ he said venomously, ‘Kindly mind your own business and let me mind mine!’
The barman flushed. He looked as if he wanted to hit Gillis, but he swallowed his anger with an effort and put the pack back in his pocket.
‘If that’s the way you feel about it,’ he said, ‘I’m sorry I spoke.’
He walked to the other end of the bar and began to polish glasses, his flush deepening as he appreciated more fully the snub he had received.
Gillis got off the stool and walked out into the lobby.
‘Mr Kile hasn’t been in yet, has he?’ he asked Schmidt casual y. ‘I’ve been in the bar and I might have missed him.’
‘He hasn’t been in yet, sir,’ Schmidt said cool y. He had had a lot of experience of the men and women who came to the club, and he prided himself on spotting the wrong one. He hadn’t any use for Gillis; a sponger if ever there was one.
Gillis went into the gentlemen’s retiring room. He washed his hands under the disapproving eyes of the Negro attendant who knew from experience he wasn’t going to be tipped, poured lavender water on a towel and touched his temples with it. While he was combing his blond hair, the door pushed open and Dallas wandered in.
He stood near Gillis and began to wash his hands. Their eyes met in the mirror and Dallas grinned.
‘That red-head I’m with is trying to take me to the cleaners,’ he said breezily. ‘I guess you wouldn’t know if I am wasting my time and money?’
Gillis switched on his charm. It was remarkable how his face changed when he smiled. He looked almost boyish; certainly not twenty-five, and the worn-out look of dissipation seemed to melt away.
‘You’re on to a good thing,’ he said. ‘Zoe rates a lit le high, but she doesn’t shirk her responsibilities.
If she asks you home, you go. Of her kind, she’s unique.’
Dallas, who had seen the by-play at the bar, took out his cigarette-case and offered it.
‘As good as that, is she? I’m obliged to you. This is my first visit here, and I didn’t want to get off on the wrong foot. I’m in town for a couple of weeks on business, and this seemed the place to come to.’
Gillis lit the cigarette and inhaled gratefully.
‘It is,’ he said. ‘If you want a little fun and an accommodating girl you couldn’t do bet er.’
They stood talking for a few minutes about the club, then Dallas said, ‘Wel , maybe I’l be seeing you again. My name’s Ed Dal as.’
‘Mine’s Adam Gil is. Sure, I’l look out for you, but don’t let me keep you away from Zoe. You have a treat in store. She certainly knows how to please a guy when she feels that way,’ Gil is said. ‘I’m here three or four times a week. Maybe we can have a drink together some time.’
‘Glad to,’ Dal as said, sure now this blond man was Eve Gil is’s brother. The likeness was remarkable. He
How he wanted a drink! He looked longingly at the row of bottles along the chromium shelves behind the bar. He hadn’t two dol ars to rub together! Looking thoughtfully at the barman he wondered if he could get credit. Reluctantly he decided not to try. He didn’t want to attract any at ention to himself. The barman was certain to consult Rico.
He felt in his hip pocket for his cigarette-case, opened it and found it empty. Oh, damn Eve! Why couldn’t she come? Angrily he replaced the case in his pocket and began to drum on the counter with his finger-tips.
The barman came over to him and offered him a cigarette from a crumpled pack.
‘I get caught myself like that some nights,’ he said amiably. ‘Makes me want to walk across the ceiling. Help yourself.’
Gillis stiffened with mortification and rage. A damned lackey offering him a cigarette! The blasted cheek of the man!
‘I don’t smoke a barman’s cigaret es,’ he said venomously, ‘Kindly mind your own business and let me mind mine!’
The barman flushed. He looked as if he wanted to hit Gillis, but he swallowed his anger with an effort and put the pack back in his pocket.
‘If that’s the way you feel about it,’ he said, ‘I’m sorry I spoke.’
He walked to the other end of the bar and began to polish glasses, his flush deepening as he appreciated more fully the snub he had received.
Gillis got off the stool and walked out into the lobby.
‘Mr Kile hasn’t been in yet, has he?’ he asked Schmidt casual y. ‘I’ve been in the bar and I might have missed him.’
‘He hasn’t been in yet, sir,’ Schmidt said cool y. He had had a lot of experience of the men and women who came to the club, and he prided himself on spotting the wrong one. He hadn’t any use for Gillis; a sponger if ever there was one.
Gillis went into the gentlemen’s retiring room. He washed his hands under the disapproving eyes of the Negro attendant who knew from experience he wasn’t going to be tipped, poured lavender water on a towel and touched his temples with it. While he was combing his blond hair, the door pushed open and Dallas wandered in.
He stood near Gillis and began to wash his hands. Their eyes met in the mirror and Dallas grinned.
‘That red-head I’m with is trying to take me to the cleaners,’ he said breezily. ‘I guess you wouldn’t know if I am wasting my time and money?’
Gillis switched on his charm. It was remarkable how his face changed when he smiled. He looked almost boyish; certainly not twenty-five, and the worn-out look of dissipation seemed to melt away.
‘You’re on to a good thing,’ he said. ‘Zoe rates a lit le high, but she doesn’t shirk her responsibilities.
If she asks you home, you go. Of her kind, she’s unique.’
Dallas, who had seen the by-play at the bar, took out his cigarette-case and offered it.
‘As good as that, is she? I’m obliged to you. This is my first visit here, and I didn’t want to get off on the wrong foot. I’m in town for a couple of weeks on business, and this seemed the place to come to.’
Gillis lit the cigarette and inhaled gratefully.
‘It is,’ he said. ‘If you want a little fun and an accommodating girl you couldn’t do bet er.’
They stood talking for a few minutes about the club, then Dallas said, ‘Wel , maybe I’l be seeing you again. My name’s Ed Dal as.’
‘Mine’s Adam Gil is. Sure, I’l look out for you, but don’t let me keep you away from Zoe. You have a treat in store. She certainly knows how to please a guy when she feels that way,’ Gil is said. ‘I’m here three or four times a week. Maybe we can have a drink together some time.’
‘Glad to,’ Dal as said, sure now this blond man was Eve Gil is’s brother. The likeness was remarkable. He
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