three as they were talking about him, eyes almost closed, watching Pearl
as a snake watches a bird.
As they moved down the street to catch the car for Juarez, Big Boy
followed. He boarded the car with them, but stayed in the back, with
his hat well over his face.
The night was beginning as they unloaded in Juarez.
"Oh, Jees----" said Evelyn, "don't look, but there is Big Boy just
getting off the rear of the car--let's disappear pronto." They ran up
the block and into the darkness.
"Do you think he will suspect where we are going?" asked Pearl.
"I don't think so. He will probably figure you will make right for
Harry, and that's where he will go, and wait for you," reasoned Mickey
as they made their way on up the dimly lighted street to the Popular
Bar.
As they neared the Popular sounds of a tinkling piano and drums, mixed
with laughing and singing, came to them. The place was crowded with men
who had not only come over for their satisfaction of liquor, but to
satisfy their baser lusts as well--and this was the perfect place of
satisfaction of this sort. The girls were in short dresses, heavily made
up, with cheap rouge and powder--they mixed with the men, hugging and
kissing whomever put their arms around them, thinking only of the two
dollars that could be made upstairs.
"Jees, what a joint," exclaimed Pearl.
"You said it," answered Evelyn.
"Yeah--but you got a chance of making some real money in this
place--when these guys are hugging any broad in the place you can always
get your hand in the pocket and he never knows just who to blame," said
Mickey as she looked the place over for a prospect.
"Well, we might as well get to the bar and start sipping some of that
joy water, don't you think?" suggested Evelyn.
"Let's get at it," as they shoved their way through the crowd.
"This place does the best business in town--at least it looks that way,"
said Pearl.
"Well, they can get rougher and noisier, and just anything goes, and
this is some tough mob in here right now."
"Where did Mickey go?" asked Pearl.
"Heaven only knows, but she must have smelled a pocketbook--anyway, she
will show up in a minute--whiskey for me--what will you have, honey?"
"Whiskey."
The music started in the cabaret, the crowd shoved its way onto the
dance floor, leaving the bar partly empty. Big Boy stepped through the
swinging doors.
"Oh, God," whispered Pearl, "Big Boy."
There was no place to run, no time, nothing to do but wait as Big Boy
drew a service automatic from his pocket, leveled it at Pearl, pulled
the trigger six times. Evelyn had stepped in front of Pearl, taking the
six bullets--she sank to the floor, everything was silent--Pearl dropped
to her knees, lifting Evelyn's head.
"Oh, Ev, why did you do it--why did you do it?" she cried in anguish.
The crowd had fought and shoved its way back into the bar. Mickey knelt
beside Pearl.
Evelyn slowly opened her eyes. "Don't cry, kid, its best this way--you
still have a chance--Mickey, promise you will--" slowly her words came,
then a faint shudder, and her head fell forward. Evelyn was no more.
There is nothing greater than to give one's life for that of a friend.
Evelyn had made the Great Gesture.
A shot was heard outside. People ran out to see what it was. Pearl and
Mickey looked at each other.
"It's the guy that done this," said a man. "One shot was all he needed
to finish him, right through the heart."
Six weeks since Evelyn had been buried. Pearl had not been in Juarez
since that night. Harry had called up several times, but she had only
seen him once, and tonight the desire to see him was so great she called
up Mickey and made a date with her to meet on the Mexican side and see
Harry. It wouldn't be the same without Evelyn, but she still had Harry
and he could always be depended on--he loved her--she knew that.
"Hello, darling," said Mickey as she put her arms around Pearl. "You
look a little peaked; let's have a little drink and then we will go in
and see the floor show."
"All right," said Pearl, as she turned to the bar.
They had their drinks and found a table where they could see Harry and
the show. Pearl was happy for the first time in weeks. She loved Harry
dearly; with him she could start all over and face life on a different
plane. He saw her and waved, and soon he come over to them.
"Well, it's been some time since I've seen you--how are you?" said Harry
as he leaned over the table.
"Fine, Harry, and you look wonderful."
"Listen, darling, you will have to excuse me tonight--I won't be able to
see you after the show. I've got an engagement, about some business,
but I'll give you a ring in a day or so," as he left the table.
Pearl looked at Mickey--Mickey looked at her glass as she laid her hand
over Pearl's.
"Forget it, kid, he's not worth it--have another drink and let's get out
of here."
Pearl couldn't speak. The thing she depended on had been suddenly swept
away from her. She wanted to cry--she couldn't. She wanted to
scream--she couldn't do that. She was too numb to even think much.
Harry, who she had loved, and whom she thought loved her, had given her
the cold freeze-out. She drank her whiskey--it did no good--water would
have had the same effect now--nothing really mattered. She and Mickey
wandered from bar to bar until closing time of the bridge.
"Do you want to come out to my place tonight, Pearl, honey? You are
always welcome," asked Mickey.
"I guess so," answered Pearl, "but let's go to the State's Cafe before
we go home--I want a sandwich."
"Do you think it's best to go to the States, dear?"
"Sure, I'll be all right."
"Let's go."
They arrived at the States at the height of the merriment. The last of
the crowd had gathered there before going home with each other. Pearl
and Mickey came in. As they sat down, across the aisle sat Harry and a
little blonde who had just come to town. He looked over to their table,
smiled and waved, and went on with his talk to his partner.
Pearl began to laugh--not a hysterical laugh, but one filled with mirth.
"Who in this Goddam joint has a drink," she called as she rose from the
table. Several men rushed to her aid with open bottles; she took a drink
from them all, and so did Mickey. She was gay, nothing mattered
now--have as much fun as possible. Ribald songs were sung by her and the
best of dirty stories came to her mind. The crowd was so entertained it
wouldn't leave.
"Do you want to invite them all out to the house?" whispered Mickey.
"Sure," answered Pearl. "Listen, gang--get all your cars, and let's get
going for a hell of a good time out to Mickey's," as she jumped off the
table into the arms of the nearest man.
"Pearl, can't I see you for a minute?" asked Harry as he pushed his way
to her.
"You have a business date to keep--now, brother, you keep it. I fell for
that line once, but never again--Adios, Senor," as she went out the door
in the arms of the man for the night.
END
[Transcriber's Note:
List of changes to original text:
Page 1: changed "tthe word" to "the word"
Page 6: changed "Evevlyn" to "Evelyn"
Page 7: changed "youv'e" to "you've"
Page 8: changed "waived Ev" to "waved Ev"
Page 10: changed "yesterdady afternoon" to "yesterday afternoon"
Page 17: added closing quotation mark after "a good time."
Page 22: changed "acount" to "account"
Page 23: changed "raucus" to "raucous"
Page 30: changed "Cant'" to "Can't"
Page 30: changed "couldnt'" to "couldn't"
Page 32: changed "Adois" to "Adios"
Page 39: added closing quotation mark after "a little revolution."
Page 43: changed "waived" to "waved"
Page 45: changed "or tortillas" to "of tortillas"
Page 46: changed "croner" to "corner"
Page 51: changed "Rio Brava" to "Rio Bravo"
Page 60: removed extra quotation mark:
"Well," what's that got to do with us?"
Page 61: added "know" to "don't Negro Noche."
Page 80: added closing quotation mark after "won't get in jail."
Page 81: Added quotation mark:
"Well, suppose they start looking
Page 102: changed "Fod" to "For"
Page 102: added closing parantheses after "this pan of mine)"
Page 116: moved quotation mark from "his things." to "Next time"
Page 117: removed extra quotation mark after "as soon as she came in."
Page 119: changed "she went out the door" to "he went out the door"
Page 130: removed duplicate word in "he cannot cannot be responsible"
Page 145: removed extra quotation mark after "started into the lobby."
Page 147: changed "out of Pearl's head" to "out of Pearl's hand"
Page 149: added closing quotation mark after "it's just grand."
Page 149: changed "putting on the Ritz," to "putting on the Ritz."
Page 150: changed "Eve" to "Ev"
Page 154: Added quotation mark:
"Negro Noche wasn't even arrested--the
Page 156: changed "come n" to "come in"
Page 156: changed full stop to comma in:
across the border." said Evelyn.
Page 159: changed "marreid" to "married"
Page 159: changed "quitely" to "quietly"
Page 160: Corrected quotation marks:
"Hey, you two," as she shook them. "Come on--come
Page 161: changed "Cemetary" to "Cemetery"
Page 161: Added quotation mark:
sat down beside her. "I'll call
Page 162: Added comma and quotation mark:
this time," asked one of the officials.
Page 163: changed "They way they" to "The way they"
Page 165: removed duplicate word in "over the the phone"
Page 166: removed duplicate word in "fight for one one side"
Page 167: added comma to "Come on, here's where"
Page 169: changed "Lets'" to "Let's"
Page 169: changed "cemetary" to "cemetery" in two places
Page 170: changed "cemetary" to "cemetery"
Page 171: Added quotation mark:
"We tried to get a taxi
Page 174: Added quotation mark:
shot anyone she found with him."
Page 175: changed "Rio Brava" to "Rio Bravo"
Page 180: changed "found it's mark." to "found its mark."
Page 181: Added comma and quotation mark:
those 75's," commanded the General
Page 182: Added quotation mark:
"At your command, I have come, Senor," said
Page 183: removed duplicate word in "What do you say say if"
Page 187: changed "thats" to "that's"
Page 187: changed "waiving" to "waving"
Page 187: Added quotation mark:
officers. "You can't cross that river."
Page 190: changed "dont'" to "don't"
Page 190: removed duplicate word in "I don't know know, but"
Page 198: Added quotation mark:
don't you call me again," as he
Page 199: changed "Lietenant" to "Lieutenant"
Page 202: Added quotation mark:
Evelyn turned over and opened her eyes. "What's
Page 203: Removed extra quotation mark after:
revolution, Mickey?" asked Evelyn."
Page 203: changed apostrophe to quotation mark:
"Sure, did you?'
Page 205: added comma to "those that haven't got a dime, but"
Page 206: changed "it's being on the" to "its being on the"
Page 208: Removed extra quotation mark in:
"Sure, darling," I'll go any place
Page 209: Added quotation mark:
"Sure," answered Pearl.
Page 209: changed "good bye" to "good-bye"
Page 211: changed "all it's flamboyancy" to "all its flamboyancy"
Page 216: changed "distrubing" to "disturbing" in two places
Page 224: changed "cant'" to "can't"
Page 224: changed "Wont'" to "Won't"
Page 225: changed "give to to me" to "give it to me"
Page 226: added "be" to "it would be best"
Page 227: Moved quotation mark:
"Sure," answered Evelyn,
Page 232: Added quotation mark:
whispered Pearl, "Big Boy."
Page 233: Added comma:
that done this," said a man.
Page 212: Added full stop:
started for the elevator.]
End of Project Gutenberg's Hookers, by Richard F. Mann and Rae Bourbon