Page:Dangerous Business (1927).pdf/172

 posed they thought something of him and had reason to. I found out when I needed a name for a while. . . and his was no use to me.

"So Jay came through for me, do you see? That's it; God's truth. All your son ever did was stand before a minister with me. . . . Now I've told you. Take me home, Jay; quick, to the hotel!"

He had his arms about her and she ceased to fight him off. His father played no part in their struggle; his father stood apart from them, silenced.

"Justin," he objected, "Justin!" when Jay led Lida out; but Jay paid no attention to him.

In the cab, Lida kept to a corner. She held his hand; she clung to it constantly and she asked: "Let's not talk about it."

At the hotel, in their suite, she opened the door from his room to hers; there he came to kiss her.

"Don't kiss me again, Jay," Lida said. "I've kissed you good-by; and I want to keep it."

"Good-by, Lida?"

"Yes; in your room at home, where you were a little boy. That was good-by; didn't you feel it?"