Page:That Royle Girl (Balmer).pdf/19

 lake, was five or six years older than he, having married him when he was nineteen. They had a daughter, born in the same year, and his wife had kept the little girl, since she and her husband had been living in separate apartments. He paid the upkeep of both, supporting his wife and child extravagantly, as he could easily afford to do, since he had an income, not only from his dance orchestra, which he had made one of the most popular in the city, but also from a dozen orchestra and saxophone records and from four dance numbers, of his own composition, which were selling in sheets. The total brought in an amazing income for a boy of twenty-four to earn of himself.

Naturally, he thought very well of himself when he had, together with much money, a quick and easy fame and when women of all ages beset him with endearments.

His walls were cluttered with girls' photographs which had been given him inscribed in over-black flourishes or in childish-looking handwriting, "To dearest Fred," and "To a darling boy," or "From Fred's own Amy," or "Lola" or "May."

They bestowed upon him silver and gold cigarette boxes, flasks and cocktail shakers and crystal decanters, which he left standing about on his table and desk.

These served him, now, as proofs of his power over women and raised his assurance in dealing with the girl who was with him.

He had no gift from her among his trophies and no likeness of her for his wall. She did not let him ravish her lips whenever he cared to, nor could he take her into his arms as he wished. She prevented him with a quick positiveness which would have required him to completely overpower her, before he could have his way. So he always desisted, calling her "crazy particular" and declaring that she knew she was "wild over" him.