"Is he? I love to watch the stars, don't you?"
"I love to watch a star," Joe breathed softly. "So you hadn't
heard how Bud's turned out to be a regular souse? Honest, didn't
you know it?"
"No, I didn't know it," said Marie boredly. "Has he?"
"Well, say! You couldn't tell it from the real thing! Believe
me, Buds some pickled bum, these days. I run across him up in the
mountains, a month or so ago. Honest, I was knocked plumb
silly--much as I knew about Bud that you never knew, I never
thought he'd turn out quite so--" Joe paused, with a perfect
imitation of distaste for his subject. "Say, this is great, out
here," he murmured, tucking the robe around her with that tender
protectiveness which stops just short of being proprietary.
"Honest, Marie, do you like it?"
"Why, sure, I like it, Joe." Marie smiled at him in the star-
light. "It's great, don't you think? I don't get out very often,
any more. I'm working, you know--and evenings and Sundays baby
takes up all my time."
"You working? Say, that's a darned shame! Don't Bud send you
any money?"
"He left some," said Marie frankly. "But I'm keeping that for
baby, when he grows up and needs it. He don't send any."
"Well, say! As long as he's in the State, you can make him dig
up.
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