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 band, and spun it between his hands. The rnoonlight was full upon his face, with its sinister, sensuous smile.

She looked at him squarely a moment then said in a cold, level voice:

"I can't 'member ebber meetin' a nigger dat I like less dan I does you."

"Thank yer kindly," he replied, not in the least degree daunted. "But jus' de same, I wants ter be frien' wid yer. Me and you ain't usen ter dese small-town slow ways. We ain't been above seein' night-life what is night-life, an' I jus' wants ter talk to you now and den; dat's all."

"I gots no time fuh talk," she told him. "An' wut mo', I t'rough wid de kin' ob nights you is t'inking 'bout."

"No mo' red-eye; none 'tall?" he queried. "Nebber gits t'irsty, eh?"

"Yes, Gawd knows, I does git t'irsty now and den," she said impulsively; then added sharply, "But I done t'rough now, I tells yer; I done t'rough."

She arose to go. "Yo' kin' mek me sick," she told him; "an' I ain't wants tuh hab no mo' talk wid yuh."

He got spryly to his feet, and stood beside her. "Oh, come on, le's let bygone be bygone, an' be frien'." Then his voice became