Part 2

"But he said he would love to cut me."

"Well, dear, that expression has more definitions than the one you happen to know," said Evelyn. "My God, look who's here--if it ain't Mickey and Betty--for the love of Heaven, where have you two been for the past rear-end of the week?"

Betty and Mickey came over to the table, hellos and greetings were very much in order, loud, noisy, raucous, but good natured was the dirty banter that passed to and fro among the crowd. Finally they left Pearl and Evelyn, but not until they made Pearl promise to pay them a visit, then they squeezed into a booth with four other people, but where they could still see everybody, and shout ribald songs of the border at the top of their voices.

"What is the matter with Mickey's face? Why, Ev, she looks like she had been through nine wars, and fought them all herself. I've never seen so many scars."

"Well, you see," explained Evelyn, "Mickey is the only woman in Juarez, or the world, for that matter, that--if a fight starts in Juarez, and she is on the U. S. side--she is sure to get into the fight before it is over. I've seen her with a bottle so deep in her skull it looked like a feather."

"Darling," said Harry, "My brother loaned me his car, just as I told you. Shall we take a little ride when you are through eating?"

"I'd love to, dear--I've never been riding around El Paso since I've been here, but where will we go?"

"Well, we could drive out the Smelter Road and back the Mesa way, or we could go up on Rim Road, on the side of Mount Franklin, or maybe you would like to drive out to Washington Park--it is beautiful at night."

"Well, if I were you," said Evelyn, "I'd go to Washington Park. At least, there's grass on the ground around there."

"Well, why isn't there grass on the ground in the other places Harry mentioned, Ev?"

"Well, you see, as far as I know--I believe the natives of El Paso have had something to do with the wearing off of the grass in said places."

"Oh, I know," smiled Pearl, "You mean cows."

"Yes--some cows, but mostly heifers."

"How do you girls feel about a drink," asked Harry.

"Well, why the Hell didn't you say something before--good Heavens, it's been a long time between drinks--bottoms up."

Screaming, glasses crashing, curses, tearing of clothes, yells, biting, pulling of hair, turning over of tables, running of people, came from the rear of the place.

"Good Heavens," screamed Pearl, "Those women are tearing each other to pieces--why don't somebody try to separate them?"

"Come on, let's get going," said Harry, as he took Pearl by the arm and piloted her out of the place, never bothering to pay the check.

"So long, kids, I'll see you tomorrow," called Evelyn.

"But where do you live, Ev?"

"San Antonio Apartments, on San Antonio Street, number twenty-seven. Come up tomorrow, dear--adios."

Harry and Pearl went out into the beautiful new car, and took a long ride toward the Smelter Road, to the fork where you return by the Mesa Road.

"Shall we stop and look at the moon for a while?" asked Harry.

"I'd love it."

"Then we'll stop."

Harry pulled the car off the road at the top of a small Mesa Butte, and turned off the lights.

"Isn't it beautiful here?"

"Yes, but you are more beautiful than a thousand nights," whispered Harry into her ear.

She turned her head, looked into his expectant eyes, and thought how handsome he was, with that tightly brushed blonde hair, bushy eyebrows, beautiful smile, backed by manly big white teeth, surrounded by red lips.

"Oh, Harry, you are a darling," as their lips met and their young bodies quivered with the thrill of expectation to be fulfilled.

El Paso, city of one hundred thousand, not counting the nearby towns and villages. Noon, the sun maddening with its terrific heat, asphalt in the street so soft that your foot-print is left in it on crossing, only the business that has to be done is all that is going on. People move about lifelessly, clothes sticking to them. Mexicans, dressed in black, with the usual black shawl around their heads, as though it were the dead of winter, and not a bead of perspiration on them, with the only cooling place in the town being in the theatres that are ice-cooled.

"My God--I'll die from this heat," said Pearl to herself, as she raised up in bed, with her night-gown sticking to her. "Jees, I wonder if I'll ever get used to it," she mused, as she climbed out of bed and raised the shade, and looked out on the sun-baked city.

"I wonder what I'll do today to kill the time before I have to go over to Juarez tonight. I know, I'll put on my things and go and wake Ev up and have breakfast--then maybe she can suggest some place to go where it's cool."

Pearl stepped out of her nightgown, looked at herself in the mirror. She was twenty-three, but she didn't look more than twenty, her beautiful white figure, with all the curves of youth reflected back at her, gave her a happy feeling, knowing that she didn't look anything like the rest of the girls that had been down on the border long, and promising herself that she would watch out and see that she would never--never be like them. The door-knob turned slowly, then the door was thrown wide open. In walked the big boy of the night before.

"Oh, Heavens," screamed Pearl, "Wait a minute till I get something on," as she fled into the bathroom.

"Never mind, sweetheart--I like you just as you are, that's why I came up at this hour; I thought I'd find you in bed, or just getting out of it."

"Oh, please hand me something to put on," came the voice from the bathroom.

"Hold your hand out to get it, then."

Pearl opened the door to put her hand out, and as she did, he slid his foot into the opening.

"Oh, please, don't come in--I haven't a thing on."

"That's why I'm coming in," he answered, as he pushed the door open and caught her in his arms.

"Oh, big boy, don't you know you shouldn't do this? What will you think of me?"

"Baby, I love you--don't you know that?--I love you," he breathed hard, as he kissed her eyes, her neck, her shoulders, and gathered her up in his arms and walked toward the bed.

"You will believe me--won't you--?" as he held her as if she were a small baby.

"Oh, big boy, you shouldn't act like this. What would anyone think if they should see us like this?"

"What the Hell do I care what anyone thinks--I want you and I want you all for myself--I'll buy you anything you want. I've got money--plenty of it. Can't you understand that I'll do anything for you? When you left last night without even saying goodbye, I looked all over town for you, but I couldn't find you. You know what I mean, I don't even know your name, but I want you to marry me."

Tenderly he laid her down on the bed, smothering her with kisses.

Pearl looked into his eyes--he was sober--sober as a judge. He was a big man, a very big man, but he was like a child that had found the toy it had been looking for for a long time, and was so happy at finding it that he would never let it go again. He was fresh, clean, good looking, and had that very manly odor about him that women love, and above all, he had money, and lots of it; didn't Eve say so and didn't he tell her so himself? He ran his hands over her smooth body, his head was laying on her shoulder, his big body against hers, his breath seeming to scorch her. What was the use to fight against this? She knew that sooner or later she would give in to his pleadings, the sooner the better.

"Yes, dear, I do love you," she whispered, as she put her arms around him, and pressed her hot mouth against his hot, moist lips--they seemed to melt into one.

"Pardon, Madam, do you want to carry all these bundles, or wouldn't you like for us to send them over for you?" asked the clerk in the White House, the largest department store in El Paso.

"Hell, no--I'll carry them myself," said Evelyn, as she began to pick up the numerous bundles she had bought.

"I beg pardon, Madam, but did you want to charge those things?"

"Jees, my all to Heaven has gone--certainly I want to charge them, I got an account here, ain't I?"

"I'm sorry, Madam, but we shall soon find out."

"Yeah--and for the love of Pete, make it snappy--don't keep me in suspense."

"Pardon, Madam," returned the clerk, laying down the receiver of the store telephone, "I'm very happy to inform you that your account is quite all right; thank you very much--call again."

"Thank you very much, and I'll call again damn soon. Adios."

Evelyn returned to her apartment about three-thirty, unwrapped her packages, smiling to herself, and fondling her treasures.

"Well, I've bought a new outfit from top to bottom, and from the skin out. Won't I floor that herd of tramps tonight--Hot--ziggety--damn--now I'll bathe, throw on a load of that loud perfume, and damned if I won't be a lady, or know why."

"What was that?" asked Pearl, as she sat up in bed with a start. There was a rapping on the door.

"Who is it?"

"It's me--Ev," came the voice outside the door.

"Oh, just a minute, dear, till I unlock the door."

"My God, don't you ever expect to get up today? Do you know it is after four o'clock?" said Evelyn, as she came into the room.

"Well, I did get up for a little while, but you see I went back to bed."

"Oh, I see," said Evelyn, as she walked to the bed on tiptoe, where Big Boy lay sleeping like a child.

"He came in at noon, and I couldn't get rid of him, or I would have come over to your place," answered Pearl, in a whisper.

"Well, I'm glad you're able to get up." She walked over to Big Boy, and pulled the covers off the bed.

"Hey, what's the big idea?" asked Big Boy as he raised up in bed.

"Shame on you," said Evelyn, mockingly, "Sitting up in bed in front of a lady, and you with no sign of any drawers on. Here, put these on while I ain't looking," throwing him the trunks of his two-piece set.

"Oke, Sister; where is Pearl?"

"Don't you hear the water running in the bathroom? Well, you know darn well I ain't in there."

"Hey, look, Sister, I'll give you a hundred bucks if you will talk for me. Look--I'm nuts about that girl--there's nothing I want as much as I do her--here's the hundred--will you do it?"

"Will I? Boy, my mouth will run from now on about you. Hell's fire--I'd talk for a bull with that much dough."

"You know I want to marry that Broad."

"Well, at least that's cause for the damndest drunk I can think of--Hey, Pearl--get them things on--Juarez calleth me in a big way--and you too; get them things on. Good Heavens, I'm dry as a bone. Come to think of it, I ain't had a drink in nearly an hour."

"My, Ev, you look good today. Where did you get all those new clothes?" asked Pearl, as she came out of the bathroom.

"The boy friend I told you about last night. He is the cause of all this dressing up, and do you notice the smell? I even put on my best perfume."

"It sure smells good, all right."

"It does now, but wait until I throw a few beers into me, and I'll be the only one in Juarez that will smell like a cross between a violet and a swill barrel," laughed Evelyn.

"Don't you girls think we ought to have something to eat before we start on this drinking tour?"

"Big Boy, you think of the best things--food will do us a lot of good right now. Come to think of it, I forgot to eat this morning. Damned if I ain't hungry," answered Evelyn.

"Where shall we go," asked Pearl.

"Well--I think that the Hilton Coffee Shoppe would be grand," suggested Evelyn.

"Hey, look--Big Boy, you go on down to the cafe, and order for us, and we will be along in a few minutes--will you?"

"Oke, Baby; what do you crave in the way of food?"

"Well, as for me--I'll have ham and eggs--what do you want, Ev?"

"The same, and lots of it."

"Now, look, you two--don't be all day," said Big Boy, as he went out the door, giving Evelyn a wink.

"Pearl--" said Evelyn, slowly, "Do you know what you're letting yourself in for?" as she sat down on the bed.

"Why--I don't get you, Ev, what do you mean?"

"Just this, Honey--I like you--you're a good kid, but don't be foolish--now don't think I'm trying to tell you your business, but you see I've been down here for a long time and I know this border--Oh, God, how well I know it."

"What are you driving at, Ev?"

"Honey, don't try to kid that guy--look here," said Evelyn, showing Pearl the hundred-dollar bill Big Boy had given her.

"What's it for, Ev?"

"Well, he's nuts about you--and he wants to marry you. Of course, you know that already, and what's more, it's none of my business, but for your own good, don't try to string that guy along. He looks like a kid, that's true. He is as easy to handle as a kid, but Pearl, he is a killer. I know him, and I know what he will do. So, if you want to marry him, and settle down, your nest will be feathered and in a big way, but don't try to kid him if you ain't serious--be frank about it--tell him the truth and then lay off him, or else be all for him. He gave me this money to talk for him, and to tell you what a great guy he is, and try to talk you into marrying him--I ain't telling you what to do and I ain't telling you what not to do--but don't kid him, and don't promise nothing you can't make good."

"Why, Ev, I haven't known you for hardly twenty-four hours. I didn't even stop to think you had a serious side--you are a dear. Sure, I know what you mean. Now I'll tell you how I feel towards him. I don't love him, I never could. He's not my type, but when he gets around me, and puts his arms around me, and pulls me close, I can't hold out on him--he is the personification of satisfaction--Oh, Hell, Ev, you know what I mean, don't you?"

"I admit you ain't left much to my imagination, but I get you."

"You see, Ev, I am in love--but I know it is a hopeless love--but love, nevertheless--and it's Harry Hicks, the guy I went with when I left you last night in the cafe--that kid sure got under my skin."

"Well, he better stay from under them things."

"You don't like Harry, do you, Ev?"

"Well,--I don't dislike him. I never thought of him as anything but a big kid and I always treated him as one--Harry is a damn good guy as far as I know, and I don't think that he has an enemy in the world, but don't make the mistake that lots of the other girls have made with Harry--he likes all the girls, and what's more, he couldn't be true to any one for five minutes, not even himself--he's like millions of other men; to him a woman is for one thing, and when he is through, he is through--so the only way to impress him is to never--never let him know that he means any more to you than the lowest Cholo."

"That seems to be the standard formula to make any man nuts for you."

"Oh--good--Heavens, Pearl, dear, we are forgetting Big Boy, and most of all to me, we are forgetting breakfast, even if it is almost dinner time," said Evelyn, as they hurried to the street.

"Have you been waiting long?" asked Pearl, as they sat down.

"Not long, but I had begun to be a little impatient."

"Did you order for us yet?" asked Evelyn.

"No, I thought I'd better wait, so I just had coffee, and decided to read the paper until you showed up."

"Any news?" asked Pearl.

"Paper says that some old boy down below the border is sore because he ain't President, and is gathering troops back in the mountains to start a little revolution."

"That ain't nothing new," said Evelyn, "That's in every day's paper."

"I'll bet it's something awful down here when a revolution does start," mused Pearl.

"Awful is right--awfullest laugh in the country," answered Evelyn.

"Have you and Big Boy ever been down here when one started?"

"I'll say," answered Evelyn, as she sipped her coffee. "I was over in Juarez when the last one started."

"It must be awful, all those guns."

"Yeah--the only kind of guns these Mex wars are fought with is Gonorrhea Guns."

"Listen, honey," said Big Boy, "What are you doing tomorrow afternoon?"

"Nothing--why?" asked Pearl.

"Well, I won't be able to see you tonight, I've some business to attend to, but tomorrow afternoon I thought you might like to go swimming some place."

"Oh--I would--wouldn't you, Ev?"

"I would not. I hate water, even for swimming, but that don't stop you two from going and having a good time."

"Well, I'll be seeing you, tomorrow afternoon at two o'clock, at your room, baby," as he picked up the checks and started for the door.

"Are you sure it's swimming he wants to meet you for?" asked Evelyn, with a mouth full of eggs.

"I don't know, Ev--I can't figure it. I've never been in love before, and I don't know what it's like, but I think this is the real thing."

"You mean with Big Boy?" exclaimed Evelyn.

"No--no--no--Ev, honey, I mean Harry Hicks. When that kid took me in his arms last night out on that mountain, I went hook, line and sinker, and I don't know how to handle it."

"I'm sorry, Pearl, yet I'm happy--but there's only one thing can come from it, and that's--trouble--, but you got to expect that. You see, for every bit of fun you have in this racket, you have twice as much trouble, so my motto is--laugh, as long as you can, and take the rest of it with a grain of salt, so if you love Harry--you go right ahead--let nothing stand in the way--make it grand while it lasts--then when it's over, you will have something to remember, and nothing can take that from you."

"Come on, Ev, let's get going. It's early, but let's go on over to Juarez and have a few snorts, what do you say?"

"When you mention drinks, you're talking right up my alley."

Evelyn and Pearl strolled out of the Coffee Shoppe, and down South El Paso Street, across in front of the Paso Del Norte Hotel, to wait for the Juarez car.

"My God, what you all doing standing here, not saying a word?" came a voice from behind them.

"Why, hello, Mickey," said Evelyn, as she turned and saw who it was.

"Hello, Mickey," said Pearl.

"Say, listen, you kids--got any dates for tonight?" asked Mickey.

"I ain't," said Evelyn. "Have you, Pearl?"

"I haven't."

"Well, there's three old guys, five days older than Hell, throwing an all-night party in the Rio Bravo Hotel, and they asked me and Betty to get as many girls as we could. There's plenty to drink, plenty to eat--there will be lots of fellows there besides them old ones, and there's a chance to make a few dollars, and if you can't make any money--well--when they get drunk you can always go through their pockets," said Mickey, in a voice that was supposed to be confidential, but still could be heard at least a block away.

"What do you say, Pearl?" asked Evelyn.

"Do you think Harry will be there?"

"Oh, Heavens, be calm," as she lifted her hands in supplication.

"Yes," answered Mickey, "He'll be there; you couldn't keep him away from them kind of parties. Last one Harry was on, he got so drunk he stripped stark naked and did a Spanish down the hall."

"I'll bet that was a sight," said Evelyn.

"Oh, honey, that wasn't no sight at all--that big guy here they call Big Boy, well--he was as drunk as Harry, and he got naked too, and took an umbrella and opened it, and used it for a parachute when he jumped from the second-story window."

"Is that the Big Boy we know?" asked Pearl.

"I don't know how well you know him," answered Mickey, "but it's the one you was out in the car with last night."

"Why, jumping out of a second-story window like that, it's a wonder he didn't break his neck."

"Pearl, dear," said Evelyn, "It wasn't his neck he lit on."

"How did you know I was out in the car with Big Boy last night?" Pearl asked Mickey.

"Well--you see, I had been mixing my drinks, and I was sick, and I went outside to heave. Well, I was sitting on the running board of the car on the off side, when you all got in, but I didn't sit there long."

"Why?" asked Evelyn.

"Honey, riding a wild horse is tame beside trying to sit on that fender," laughed Mickey. "Well, I'll see you all tonight at the party, as soon as the bridge closes." She waved as she went on down the street.

"Don't you get sore at nothing anybody says to you--she is a good scout, Pearl, and when you know her better you will like her, I'm sure."

"Oh--Ev, why would I get sore--come, come, come--here is our car." Pearl grabbed Evelyn's hand and started running for the car.

"My Heavens," exclaimed Evelyn, "This street car reminds me of some Madam's parlor--there's five girls I know--hello, gang."

"O. K., Ev. How is the biggest liquor and beer consumer today?" asked one of the girls.

"I'm fine. Girls, this is Pearl. She is a newcomer in our midst, and a good scout--Pearl, this is the girls--find out their names for yourself. I knew what some of their names was last week, but only Heaven knows what they are this week."

The girls smiled and said hello to Pearl, and all moved over for them to sit down.

"Ev, what's this I hear about a party tonight at the Rio Bravo Hotel--have you heard about it yet?"

"Yeah--Mickey Finn, you know her, we just run into her at the corner, and she told us about it, and said for us to come. Are you going?"

"Sure, we all are."

"Do you think it will be all right, Ev?" asked Pearl, under her breath.

"I don't get you--how do you mean all right?"

"Well, I've never been on an all-night party in Juarez--so naturally I'm curious--but what I mean is--can you get away with much over here without the Mexicans landing you in jail?"

"As long as there ain't no murder, or absolute destruction of property--you are pretty safe, but why bother--wait till you get in the can before you start worrying about it."

Juarez, with its lights twinkling in the glowing dusk--with its midnight purple mountains looking like big, futuristic pillows flanking it on three sides, the skies screaming, flaming, gold, crimson, varied colors of reds, shading into blue, darker blue, then deep blue, then to purple in the far east, with the sounds of laughing, running, playing dogs and children, sounds of a twanging guitar slightly out of tune, accompanied by a nasal but sincere Mexican love song being sung to a Senorita with dark eyes and broken, dirty teeth, and bosoms that would make a Holstein cow's eyes bulge with envy--smells of all sorts drifted on the soft, gentle breeze, of tortillas, of beans frying with cheese, of chili sauces, of charcoal, of unwashed dirty bodies, of manure, both human and animal. A street car rattling by with its cargo of brilliantly painted cheeks, flashing smiles, syphilis-carrying, would-be, has-been, and are-to-be whores.

Signs advertising whiskeys, and liquors of all kinds, brilliant in color, flashed in the deepening dusk, their utter defiance at the American side of the border. The extra bartenders were coming on duty, extra waiters were appearing in respective places, rubbing their hands together like pawnbrokers, at the thought of the night's tips; at the thought of what could be taken out of the pockets of one too drunk to notice; at the thought of the tips that would be thrown at the entertainers that would roll where they could stoop and pick it up without being noticed; at the thought of drunken women's pocketbooks that can so easily be gone into in a crowded place without fear of being caught. This was Saturday night, the biggest night of the week.

"We are getting off here at the corner," said one of the five girls. "We are going to start with the Gold Palace, Pearl; you and Ev come along with us."

Evelyn started to rise.

"Thanks," said Pearl, as she caught Evelyn's arm, "We are going to ride around to the Lobby No. 2. I've a friend around there to see on business--but we will see you at the party, if not sooner. I hope you all have some good luck tonight."

"Thanks, honey," called one of the girls, "I'm damned if we don't need it."

"Why didn't you come on and get off and get a drink? I don't think Harry is there yet--it's a little early for him."

"Oh, Ev, I just can't wait."

"Well, I admit you sure got it bad."

"Say, how do these parties usually end, and where?"