Part 4

"How far is this place you know about, Ev?" asked Pearl, out of breath, as they slowed to a fast walk again.

"About a mile or more," answered Evelyn, "But it's our only chance."

It seemed like ten miles to the three, as they ran stumbling through the darkness, when a flare lit up the sky ahead of them to the right.

"What's that?" asked Pearl.

"Thank Heaven, it's the smelter," said Mickey. "We are almost there."

"Here's the place I mean," said Evelyn, as she pointed to a very narrow place in the river. "Now, let's all take hands, and hold tight. The only thing we have to be careful of is the quicksands--they are as treacherous as Hell," as they started to wade into the river.

"Watch your step," said Evelyn.

"Jees--that water is cold--hold tight to my hand, Pearl, and don't let go," said Mickey, as she took hold of Pearl, who was in the middle.

"We are in the midst of a lot of quicksand here--I can't seem to find bottom any further than I am standing. Let go of me, Pearl, and I'll wade around a bit and see if I can find a more solid place."

"Oh, God--now, Ev, don't do that. Don't let go at all here in the water--we will all wade together."

"Hold tight, then, and we will wade up the side here a ways, and maybe we will find more solid bottom," as they started up the side of the stream.

Slowly they waded in until they were in about five feet of the bank.

"I think we are going to make it all right," said Evelyn, as she was almost jerked off her feet by Pearl falling to her knees in the water, and Mickey went out of sight.

"Hold on to me," gasped Pearl, "I've still got hold of her--she is in a sand-hole," as she rose to her feet, pulling Mickey's head above water, helping her to get solid footing again.

Evelyn reached back and took hold of Mickey's free hand, and slowly they reached the bank and climbed out on solid ground again.

"Are you all right, Mickey?" came from Evelyn and Pearl at the same time.

"Yeah--I'm O. K., but I'd been a goner if Pearl hadn't had a good hold on me. That hole I fell in back there didn't have no bottom, at least, I didn't feel any--My God, what a night," as she stooped over and felt of her stockings to see if her money was still there. "Yeah, I still got my money, but I'll have to dry it, but wet money is better than no money."

"Listen--what is that I hear? It sounds--there it is--somebody trying to catch another car--it's the police siren and it's coming this way as sure as you're born," said Evelyn, "I'll go up near the road and see if I see anything of Tony. You watch me and when you see me motion to you, come a-running, because if we are caught at this, it will be just too bad," as she started toward the road.

"Stoop down," said Mickey, "We will keep low to the ground and go as close to the road as we can, so we won't have far to run when Ev motions."

Bright lights came into sight, of a speeding car coming from town, as Evelyn came up on the edge of the road, and as the car came near her, its brakes began to scream, as lights following it came into view, with the shrieking of the police siren.

"Quick, get in," said the voice of a man, as the car came to a stop. "The cops are wise."

"Oh, Jees, where are Pearl and Mickey?" as she jerked the door of the car open.

"Here," as they came alongside of Evelyn.

Tony shifted the gears of the car, and was moving, as the three pulled and helped each other in, the other car nearing, with the siren screaming louder and louder. Tony shot into the night. "Lay down on the floor, girls, and get ready for the ride of your life. If I can beat the cops to the fork of the Mesa road, we have a chance--if not--we are jail-house bound for some time to come."

"What the Hell are we passing that's throwing all that light," asked Pearl.

"It's some cement company," answered Evelyn, as they went into darkness again.

"Hey, Tony, how do you think they found out about this?" asked Mickey.

"One of them lousy telephone operators tipped them off, that is the only way they could have found out--the dirty fluzey."

"Good God--I hope we get away from them all right," murmured Pearl, as the car lurched and shot through the deepening dark.

"Are we leaving them behind yet, Tony?"

"Not yet we ain't, not till we get off these curves, but when we get on that straight stretch of road, I'll leave 'em plenty far behind."

"Hey, Tony," said Evelyn, as she got up on her knees, with her hands on the back of the front seat, "You don't think they could have sent a car out on the Mesa road, maybe to head us off, do you?"

"Well, that's a chance we got to take, but I don't think they would have had time even if they had thought, which they probably didn't--but I'll tell you something--we gotta leave that bunch quick when we hit that straight piece of road, if we don't they will try to shoot the rear tires off. You girls stay on the floor, in case they do shoot."

"O. K., Tony," said Evelyn, as she got back down on the floor.

"Get ready, girls, we are coming to that straight part," as the car fairly felt like it was leaving the earth.

"We must be doing seventy or more--at least, if anything does happen while we are going this fast, we won't have to worry about it, anyhow," said Mickey, as she lay jouncing in her wet, sloppy dress, covered with sand and mud.

"I hope you don't take cold, Mickey. You know you got your head wet. I was lucky, that's the only thing I didn't get wet," from Pearl.

"Well--" said Evelyn, "If them guys start shooting at us, there'll be more water in the car, and it won't have come from the river."

"I wonder what became of Harry?"

"I'll bet he ain't worrying about you," said Evelyn.

"I don't know--at least, I hope he won't get in jail."

"Jail, Hell," said Mickey, "He came down them steps ahead of you two, and I mean way ahead of you. Them shots hadn't no more than stopped when Harry come down so fast it would take two people to see him, one to see him coming and one to see him going."

"What was that hit the car?" asked Evelyn, as she raised up.

"Just a bullet bouncing off--but they will have to shoot fast now, I'm doing eighty--and what's more, I'm leaving them behind. We will be fairly safe in a minute or so, unless as you said, Ev--about the other car on the Mesa road, and I don't think we will have any trouble from that."

"Damn, I hope not--I'd hate to have to sit in jail with these wet clothes on," said Mickey.

"I don't care much about setting in jail wet or dry."

"You two don't have to worry--Tony is a good driver, and we got a good chance of getting away," reasoned Evelyn.

"Well, suppose they start looking for us, to question us?" asked Pearl.

"Well--" said Evelyn, "Here's our story--this goes for you too, Tony--Pearl, you stayed with me tonight in my apartment--and you, Tony, you stayed with Mickey, and remember, we all went to bed about twelve-thirty, and don't let them jar you loose from that story, so if we all tell the same story, and stick to it, what can they do?"

"Look what a break you're getting, Tony," laughed Mickey, "You stayed with me tonight."

"I suppose you are going to tell me now that I owe you two dollars," laughed Tony, "But say--what the Hell happened over there--a fight?"

"Hell, no, I wish it had been only a fight--but it wasn't--Negro Noche shot her boy friend and Irene."

"Jees, Ev, are they both dead?"

"Yeah--they never knew what hit them."

"No wonder you were so anxious to get back on this side tonight."

"How soon before we reach that Mesa fork, Tony?" asked Mickey.

"In just a few minutes now--look back and see how close those lights are."

"Oh, Hell," answered Evelyn, as she looked out the back of the car. "They are damn near out of sight, Tony."

"Good--we'll make it all right now--hold tight back there--I'm making the turn--we are nearing the fork." The screaming of rubber on the concrete, as the big car turned the corner on two wheels. "Now, you girls can get on the seat and rest a bit, instead of laying on that floor, all crowded up."

"Another night like this and I'll swear off for good," said Mickey, as she sat up on the seat.

"Swear off what?" asked Evelyn.

"Well, off booze, for one thing."

"You swore off once before, didn't you?"

"Yeah--and that very night I was arrested in El Paso for Vag."

"How long was you off liquor?"

"Till I got out of jail."

"How long was that?"

"Two hours."

The car was moving at a terrific rate of speed, up grade, and down grade. "See if you see any lights coming behind us," said Tony.

"We won't be able to tell until you reach the top of the next grade, but I'll keep a sharp look-out," answered Evelyn, as she turned half around in the seat.

"Just think," said Pearl, "This time last night I was on this road about this time, but how different it was."

"Well, I've been on this road plenty of times, and no two times have been alike," answered Mickey.

"There's lights coming, Tony, but they are a long ways back, and it may not be the police car, anyhow."

"O. K., Ev, but I'll just keep moving pretty fast."

"Listen, Ev, will you come over and stay with me tonight?" asked Pearl.

"Why?"

"Well, I don't want to spend the rest of the night alone--will you?"

"Sure."

They came into the city limits, but there was no sign of trouble. Tony slowed down to an ordinary speed, so as not to attract attention.

"Listen--" said Mickey, "Why don't you two come and spend the night at our place--we have a furnished house, five rooms, three bedrooms, living-room, kitchen, and all that goes with it--you know the place, Ev, that little brick house me and Betty rented out on Myrtle Avenue. What do you say?"

"Whatever Pearl says is all O. K. with me," answered Evelyn.

"Well, I have something to drink out there."

"Good," said Pearl, quickly. "We'll go."

"Hey, Tony, you know where my joint is, don't you?"

"I should, by this time. I've took you there enough--when you was so lit you didn't know where it was yourself."

They arrived at Mickey's place in a few minutes, and it was just as Mickey had described it, and very tastily furnished in pinks and blues, with a faint odor of incense in the still, cool air.

"Come on in, Tony, and have a drink," as the girls got out of the car.

"O. K."

They went into the rooms, snapping on the lights, then all heading for the kitchen by instinct. Pearl called Evelyn aside--talking in low tones, as Mickey got out the bottle of whiskey and set it on the table.

"Help yourself, Tony, while I see what the conference is about."

"What do you think?"

"What do I think about what?"

"About how much to pay Tony for his trouble tonight," said Evelyn.

"Well," from Pearl. "If it hadn't been for him, I don't know what we would have done, and I think we should at least give him ten dollars apiece--what do you think?"

"It's all right by me, and here's my ten to prove it," as she dug the wet money out of her stocking.

Both Evelyn and Pearl dug into their clothes from the neck, and produced the ten apiece.

"Tony," said Evelyn, as she turned to where he was standing, "Will thirty bucks be all right for your trouble tonight?"

"Ah--nuts. Pay me my regular three bucks and forget about the rest. You have to work pretty hard for that money, and what's more, I got a real kick out of that run tonight."

"The Hell you say," from Pearl. "You take this dough--what do you think we are? I admit I'm new down here, and you are a good scout, but you ain't no friend of mine if you don't take this," as she handed the money toward him.

"Girlie, you're a good scout, and I tell you what I'll do. If it will make you feel any better, I'll take it--but remember this--when you want anything from me, or want me to take you any place or do anything for you, and you ain't got the dough--call me, and any time you need some dough yourself--I know you girls run short lots of times--don't forget--call me. Now, I'll be going," as he took his cap and started for the door.

"Good-bye," from all three girls.

"If I hear anything, I'll give you a ring on the phone and tip you off," as he closed the door behind him.

"Hell's Fire. Give me a drink, quick," said Evelyn, as she began to undress where she stood. "I've seen funny sights, but I would have loved to have been a bystander and seen us three wading across that river. It wasn't funny then, but Mickey, when you come up out of that water, I almost broke down, as dark as it was down there, you was funny looking--" laughingly.

"It's a damn good thing Pearl had as good hold on me as she had, or I'd been a goner."

"Do you think there will be much of a stink about this killing? You know, Irene is an American citizen, and she was shot on the Mex side," said Pearl.

"Well--" said Evelyn slowly, "You can't tell just what will come of this. The real trouble will come from Juan Moros' people, if there is any trouble at all. His old man is a political power down in that country--"

"That shows what you know about it," said Mickey bitterly. "When anything happens to an American outside of the U. S., it's just too bad. When trouble starts down here the American Consul is the first one to run for the bridge. Our government figures that if you are out of your own country, that's your business--and it's your business to protect yourself. Look at Nicaragua, Panama, Haiti, as well as our nearby Mexico. When anyone of our American citizens are knocked off, said government sends a note of apology to our Consul, saying they are sorry--but that don't bring your life back. Believe me, if you are an American, and you're in some other country, my advice is to keep your mouth shut, or affect an English accent."

"Well, surely they will do something with that woman that did the shooting," argued Pearl.

"But my God, Ev, she killed one of her own people, and in cold blood."

"Yes, dear--he was a Mex, all right, but when she tells the Mex judge how he broke her heart, and how she found him in the arms of a milk-white Gringo--it's a ten-to-one shot that the judge will weep for her broken heart, and tell her that she has done her country a favor--in shooting a cur that would so scorn his own countrywoman."

"Well, you said that there might be trouble from his people, that his father was a big Mex politician."

"Well, in that case, if his father isn't tied up at the present in some revolution of his own, he may come here--or send one of his loyal men, and cut Negro Noche loose from some of her vital spots."

"I've been on some hot parties, and I've seen a lot of things happen, but tonight takes the prize," mused Pearl.

"There's not much of the night left," said Mickey. "Let's get to bed and sleep a little of this off."

"Pearl, didn't I hear you say you had a date with Big Boy this afternoon--to go swimming?"

"Yeah--he asked me, and you, too, Ev."

"Are you going?"

"Sure, might as well. I can't lose nothing--I'll get up around noon and go over to the room, and wait for him."

"You'll probably find him at the room waiting for you, if I know anything about men, and if I don't know anything about 'em, there ain't nobody who does. Where did Mickey go?"

"I'm in bed," came from one of the bedrooms. "You two pick out the bed you want to sleep in and go to it when you are ready. Good night."

"Good night."

"Say, I'm ready to turn in now, are you, Pearl?"

"Yeah--let's have another little drink before we go to bed."

"That's my idea, too--a drink--and a big one," said Evelyn.

"Listen, Ev--when I made up my mind to come down here, I only had one thought in mind, and that was to stay a little while and make some money, and get away while I could--you know what I mean, to get--well, to get away before it got me--do you know what I mean?"

"Sure, Kid, I know what you mean, only you're too damn nice to say it for fear of hurting my feelings. You mean to get away before you get like me--and Mickey--and that gang you were with tonight."

"Well, I don't quite mean it like that--I mean--"

"Listen, honey, I know just how you feel--I only hope you can do what you want to. When I came down here, I had the same idea, but I let this damn place get me. Now I couldn't leave it, no matter how hard I tried. I guess the only way I'll ever leave it is in a box."

"I don't quite know what to do. I'm kind of puzzled since tonight--the party, the shooting, and all. Maybe I've had a little too much to drink--or not enough--I--I--well, I ought never, never think, nobody should ever think, especially about the past--Oh, well, let's have another drink."

"Well, if you could be bothered with Big Boy, you could feather your nest for good--honey, that means an awful lot these days--not having to worry about the rent, not having to put up with men that you hate the sight of, especially when you have to be nice, to make the lousy two dollars that they hand out grudgingly, and think that they are doing you a good turn--but, of course, if you can't go him--well, what's the use to try?"

"I've been thinking about that myself--and I'm afraid it wouldn't work out. First, I don't care a thing about him, and he would be so jealous of me my life wouldn't be safe, if he caught me talking to anyone else, and knowing what I've been, if he ever got mad at me he would be sure to throw it up to me--and I'm afraid I couldn't stand that."

"Well, if I'm not mistaken, you do care for somebody else, don't you? And if my guess is right--it's Harry, ain't it?"

"Yeah--you're right, all right, it's Harry. He don't even know my name, and I don't know a thing about him, but Jees, how I love that kid--Ah, nuts, one would be as bad as the other; I would be so jealous of Harry every time he was out of my sight for five minutes, I'd think he was with some other woman, and what's more, I'd be right--second, he is not the marrying kind, that is, he don't marry my kind--that's damn certain. Ah--to Hell with both of them, I'll take 'em all on that's got the price. What the Hell am I mooning about? Let's have another drink."

"O. K., we will have another drink, but Pearl, you are only fooling yourself--you may say to Hell with them for now, but when you get up today, you will feel different about them. I know--I've said the same thing every night for the past five years. You can't settle it like that--if it were only possible to settle one's feelings like that it would make a lot of difference in people's lives--tomorrow you will go on thinking you can see Harry every night, and how you can chisel Big Boy at the same time, without the other being positive of just what you are doing--Honey, I know what I'm talking about. Five years ago, when I came to this border, I was the toast of the town--I know I don't look it, but I was sure a looker in those days, and I had my way any time I wanted it--but I was just like you--I was going to make a pile of dough, and make a getaway while I could, and marry some good, honest, quiet guy that would never suspect me of having been what I was. Yeah--I was foolish, but--I guess we are all foolish like that at times--Oh, God, if I could only call back those five years, what wouldn't I give, but what's the use, I've drawn my own cards, it's up to me to play them. You say you want to get out of this--then you take the money you have, and what I've got, and you catch the first train--don't wait--don't wait for anything--most of all, don't wait for your own thoughts to catch up with you--just go and go quick, but you won't--what's the use--Oh, what's the use."

"You're right, Ev, what's the use? But there's one thing--I'm going to do the thing I originally planned; I'm one Hooker that's going to get the dough and make the getaway. I'm going to do just what you suggested--I'm going to see Harry every time I can, and I'm going to get all I can off Big Boy--come on, let's get some sleep."

"Honey, I'm for you hook, line and sinker. I'll also take the bottle and put it under the pillow in case I wake up thirsty."

"You know, Ev, I've only known you for a little over twenty-four hours, but it seems I've known you for years, and you're a damn good scout--good night."

"Good night, kid," said Evelyn, as she took a nip from the bottle.

They went to bed, to sleep the sleep of the just, and the hours slipped by as though they were seconds, until--

"My God, what is that, a fire alarm?" asked Evelyn, as she raised up in bed.

Pearl was still sleeping.

"It's that damn phone," growled Mickey, as she stumbled to it. "Who the Hell could be calling at this time of night--or day? Hello--what do you want? What? Oh, it's you, Tony--what's up? Oh, yeah, have they been able to trace the car, do you think? Do you think they will trace you? Thanks, Tony, I'll see you later," as she hung up.

"What's up," yelled Evelyn, from the bed.

"Well, for one thing, there's headlines in the papers about the shooting last night, and Tony said the police were down there this morning, and questioned everybody on the place, and the boss lied and said that Tony hadn't left the place between twelve and six this morning. He says he don't know if they suspect him or not, and the police said there was only one woman in the car--so they must be all balled up--what do you think?"

"What's all the trouble, and what time is it?" said Pearl, as she raised up in bed.

"It was Tony called," answered Evelyn. "What time is it, Mickey, or is your time-piece working?"

"It's one-thirty," called Mickey from the kitchen.

"Oh, good Heavens, I must get to the room, I don't even remember what time I had the date with Big Boy."

"It don't matter what time you had the date with him--he'll wait if you are late," from Evelyn, as she climbed slowly out of bed. "Oh, my, I'll never be the same. I'm so stiff I can hardly stand up."

"You spent all of last night getting that way," said Mickey.

"Getting how?"

"Getting stiff."

"I know, Mickey dear, but the stiff I mean is not the kind of stiff you mean."

"You better be careful, Ev," said Pearl. "You might catch pneumonia from being in that river."

"You are wrong there--the only thing you will catch from being in that river is hydrophobia, and I think I had that when I was a virgin," laughed Evelyn.

"Good Heavens, Ev," said Mickey, "Was you ever a virgin?"

"Well, there has always been a doubt in my mind about that--you see, if I ever was--it's been so long ago my memory fails to recognize the fact."

"It must be grand to be a virgin," from Pearl.

"Yeah--but think of the fun you miss," said Mickey. "I sure remember the time I stopped being a virgin, and do I remember the one who put a stop to it!"

"What was he like?" asked Pearl. "And--what was you like?"

"Well, I was a big, green, corn-fed country girl, in the corn and Bible belt in Kansas, wasn't hard to look at (of course, that's before I had all these scars on this pan of mine)--and the guy--was the son of the rural mail carrier, who had just come out of the Navy, and what he knew was plenty, and I had always read what devils sailors were with the women--I guess I was just as curious as he was ambitious. Come on in the kitchen and I'll put the coffee on the stove, and finish my confession."

"For God's sake, make that coffee strong--I sure need it," said Evelyn, as she and Pearl followed Mickey in the kitchen, and sat down at the table. "Oh, I forgot--I'll get the cups and saucers," as she rose from the table and went to the cupboard.

"Go ahead with that dirty story you started to tell us," said Pearl. "One of my pet weaknesses is the true story of How, Why, and Where Trollops like us three came from, and what caused it."