“I know all about that,” she said carelessly, “I’ve just come from seeing her. She knew what was happening here and she sent me to get you out of the mess. I agreed on one condition—that she would give you up. Well, she’s given you up. If you want me to save her, you must promise to marry me.”
“I’m not going to,” I said, hardly believing my ears. “Of all the dirty tricks! You ought to be ashamed of yourself.”
“Don’t get upstage,” Aryrn said, putting her face against mine. “I’ll let Peppi handle you, if you don’t play along with me. And I’ll let Myra fend for herself, too.”
I drew a deep breath, “You can’t do this,” I said, “think what it means. You don’t really think you could hold me to such a marriage. Why I’d leave you in a week. What do you think I am—a mouse?”
A look of doubt came into Arym’s eyes, “But, don’t you like me a little?” she pleaded, hugging me to her.
“I like you all right,” I said, “you’ve got everything Myra has except her nice nature. That’s something you’ll never have.”
“I could be nice to you,” she wheedled, “and you would be good for me.” I had a sudden idea.
“I’ll agree on one condition,” I said.
She looked suspicious, “What condition?”
“You return to Myra, give up your body and I’ll marry you both.”
“No,” she said, getting off my knee. “I want to have a body of my own.”
“But, you’ll never really be happy,” I urged, feeling that I was persuading her. “It’s the only way you’ll ever get me. If you can’t share me with Myra then I’m through with you.”
She began to pace up and down. “You don’t understand what this means to me. As I am now, I can do what I like, go where I like and love whom I like.”
“And where’s it getting you?” I asked. “Can’t you see it’s the only possible way out? Ask yourself, have you been happy? You’re only half yourself. Myra has all the good qualities. If you go back to her you’ll be complete and you’ll have me.”
She stopped pacing and stared at me. “You devil,” she said, “I hadn’t thought of it like that. You’re right. I have missed Myra. I’ve missed tempting her to do the wrong things. I’ve missed fighting with her. I guess I’m being a sucker, but I’ll do it, if she’ll have me back.”
“I warn you,” I said, “you’re going to behave. No more stealing. I’ll be around to keep you in order.”
“I’ll do it—for no other man in the world but you,” she said, and picking up the knife she cut me free.
I stood up with a grimace. “We must get over to Myra,” I said, stamping life into my legs.
“I’ve left her too long as it is.”
“Don’t fuss,” she said. “She’ll be all right.”
I suddenly remembered Whisky. “My goodness!” I said hobbling to the telephone. “Maybe Peppi’s cutting poor old Whisky’s throat right now.”
“You worry too much,” Arym said calmly. “He’ll have his throat cut sooner or later, he’s that kind of a dog.”
I got through to police headquarters.
When Summers came on the line I shot him the story. “Get a squad over there,” I said feverishly, giving him Harriet’s address. “And make it snappy. You’ll have Kruger and his mob on ice if you get that picture.”
“We’ll get it,” Summers said excitedly, and hung up.
“I hope they do,” I said. “Well, let’s get over to the hospital.” I put my arm around her and kissed her. “You’re a nice kid,” I said. “And you won’t have any regrets. Now, come on. Go into your vanishing act. The cops mustn’t see you.”
“Consider it done,” she said, and a wisp of smoke indicated where she had been standing.
When we reached the hospital we found Clancy and a couple of cops still waiting outside Myra’s door. Bogle had been taken away.
I went up to Clancy. “How is she?” I asked anxiously.
Clancy looked mournful. “She’s bad,” he said. “The doc’s in there now.”
“Can I go in?”
“Not yet,” Clancy said, shaking his head. “Maybe when the doc’s through.”
I turned away. I was tempted to burst into her room, but I knew it wouldn’t do, so I wandered over to a chair and sat down.
“Who’s the guy with a face like a tomato?” Arym whispered in my ear.
I told her.
“He looks like a heel,” Arym said. “I think I’ll throw a scare into him.”
“Lay off,” I said hurriedly. “We don’t want any trouble here.”
“It wouldn’t be any trouble to me,” she said wistfully. “It’d be fun.”
“Now for the love of mike behave yourself. Haven’t I enough on my mind without you adding to it?”
Clancy had drawn near and was staring at me with startled Interest. “Do you have to do that?” he asked suspiciously.
“Why not?” I returned. “Can’t I talk to myself without you horning in?”
“I guess so,” he returned, looking at me old fashioned. “But, I don’t like it much. It shows softening of the brain.”
“That’s better than having no brain at all, you cretin,” Arym’s voice snapped.
Clancy stiffened. “What’s that?” he said, glaring at me. “I didn’t say anything,” I returned hurriedly.
“Don’t tell lies,” Clancy said. “One more crack like that and I’ll toss you in the can. And cut out that falsetto voice. I don’t like it.”
Just then a young and pretty nurse came down the corridor.
Clancy, who never passed up a nice-looking girl, swallowed his wrath. He adjusted his necktie and smirked at her. “Evening,” he said, swelling out his chest.
She paused and smiled brightly. “Good evening,” she said. “Is there anything I can do for you?”
Before Clancy could reply, Arym’s voice said from behind him, “You can wipe that smile off your insipid face.”
Clancy couldn’t believe his cars. He looked around wildly, his mouth gaping.
The nurse tossed her head. “If it comes to that,” she said, “your face isn’t so much, and from the sound of your voice you should be shuffled and dealt again.”
As she passed Clancy there came the sound of a sharp slap. The nurse gave a convulsive start and stifled a scream. For a moment she stood rigid and then turned, her face scarlet.
“That wasn’t a nice thing to do,” she said. “Do you call yourself a gentleman?”
Clancy blinked at her. “I ain’t done nothing,” he said uneasily.
“It may seem nothing to you,” the nurse returned. “But, I’ll have you know that back in my home-town gentlemen don’t do such things.”
Clancy began to get mad. “You’re not the only one who has a home-town,” he snapped.
“I shouldn’t like to visit yours, if you’re a specimen of what comes out of it,” the nurse returned, putting her hands carelessly behind her and edging away.
This remark hurt Clancy’s pride. “I’ll have you know,” he said, “my home-town’s the oldest in the country.”
“That doesn’t surprise me,” the nurse said feelingly. “You have some of its oldest habits,” and tossing her bead, she went off down the corridor.
“What kind of hospital is this?” Clancy demanded, glaring after her. “Even the nurses are nuts!”
While he was speaking, Myra’s door opened and the doctor came out.
I jumped to my feet. “Can I see her?” I asked anxiously.
He looked at me gravely. “I’m sorry,” he said. “But I did all I could for her.”
My heart went cold. “She’s not…?” I began, but the look in his eyes told me.
“She wouldn’t fight,” he said. “I can’t make it out. She just didn’t seem to have the will. I pushed past him and went into the room.
A nurse had pulled the sheet over Myra’s face. She glanced at me sympathetically and left the room.