Page:Manhattan Transfer (John Dos Passos, 1925).djvu/260

 her stern I want to go to the war The only trouble is I'm very poor at wrangling things."

Harland was gnawing his upper lip; after a silence he burst out in a hoarse broken voice. "Jimmy I'm going to ask you to do something for Lily's sake Er have you any  er  any change with you? By a rather unfortunate  coincidence I have not eaten very well for the last two or three days I'm a little weak, do you understand?"

"Why yes I was just going to suggest that we go have a cup of coffee or tea or something I know a fine Syrian restaurant on Washington street."

"Come along then," said Harland, getting up stiffly. "You're sure you don't mind being seen with a scarecrow like this?"

The newspaper fell out of his hand. Jimmy stooped to pick it up. A face made out of modulated brown blurs gave him a twinge as if something had touched a nerve in a tooth. No it wasnt, she doesnt look like that, yes

"Thanks, dont bother, I found it there," said Harland. Jimmy dropped the paper; she fell face down.

"Pretty rotten photographs they have dont they?"

"It passes the time to look at them, I like to keep up with what's going on in New York a little bit A cat may look at a king you know, a cat may look at a king."

"Oh I just meant that they were badly taken."