shot. Back on the couch he saw Paar sitting next to Selma, who was patting her eyes and nodding her head. If Paar thought he was getting a deal there, he had a big, mushy surprise coming. And welcome to it.

Catell let his eyes wander over the dim room. Couples were sitting or standing together, there were groups of young punks in tuxedos, and everybody looked prosperous. Catell recognized one or two faces; the rest were strangers to him. Everybody was young, slick-looking, and everybody seemed very sure of himself. Then Catell thought of California. Pretty soon now he would be back on top. In a very short time all these punks were going to hear about Tony Catell.

“Where do I get smokes in this place?” he asked the bartender.

The guy nodded to the left and kept on wiping a glass. Catell was going to say something else, but his eyes had followed the direction of the nod. He saw a young blonde with long wavy hair who was carrying a cigarette tray in front of her. She was dressed in a brief thing like a corset, all black, and the rest of her was the most satiny, fair thing he had ever seen. The girl had the improbable figure of a calendar nude, and most of it showed. She turned around and came his way. She walked with a high-heeled bounce that made her breasts move. They were full, and Catell noticed that the black corset just made it in front.

He asked for cigarettes and she took a pack from her tray. Then she tore the pack open, shook out a cigarette, and offered it to him. He stuck the cigarette in his mouth and she gave him a light from a small gold lighter she carried. Over the cigarette Catell caught the girl’s eye. She looked at him in an unconcerned way, smiling with the corners of her mouth. Then his eyes wandered down again.

“Don’t you want them, sir?”

“What’s that?”

“Your cigarettes, sir. Don’t you want them?”

He grabbed the pack out of her hand and gave her a bill. She smiled her thanks and slowly moved down the aisle in front of the bar. Catell could have sworn that she didn’t know he was staring at her.

He walked back to the couch where Paar was sitting next to Selma. She was smiling again, looking pretty good in the dim light. Paar’s hand was lying on her thigh. When Catell walked up Paar moved his hand away slowly, as if he didn’t care one way or the other.

“I see you got some cigarettes,” he said.

“Yeah.”

“I think I fixed your little quarrel very nicely, Tony, my boy. Selma is in a very good mood again and I don’t want you to spoil it for her.”

“Yeah?”

“He won’t,” Selma said, smiling at Paar. “He’s really a nice boy, aren’t you, lovin’ cup?” She had a brassy smile on her big face. “ ‘Scuse me, gents, while I do a little fixing.” She got out of the couch with an effort.

“Sit down, Catell, sit down. Selma and I have become great friends while you were gone. She tells me you’re leaving us. You have other interests, maybe?”

Ignoring Paar’s question, Catell jerked his head toward the blonde cigarette girl. “Who is she?”

“Selma is a little upset about your plans. Or at least she was before she and I had our little talk. We both feel you should stick around, Tony.”

“What’s in it for me?”

“She’s only eighteen, Tony. Besides, she’s been spoken for. However, as I was saying—”

“We got no business, Paar. I told you I’ll only deal direct.”

“As you wish, Tony. But let me remind you, Selma is a very emotional woman. Ah, did you know that our little Lily is leaving us?”

“Who?”

“Lily. The young thing you’ve been admiring so. And as I’ve said, she’s been spoken for, Tony. She’s leaving for Los Angeles.”

“So what?”

“I think Selma mentioned something about your going to Los Angeles, or am I mistaken? Of course, Selma doesn’t know that Lily is going to Los Angeles, Tony.”

“And what if she does? What exactly are you trying to pull?”

“Just this, Catell: I think you might do better staying here. And, I repeat, if there is any way in which I can be of help to you—”

“Can it. Here’s Selma.”

When she sat down on the couch, Paar rose and turned to go.

“Don’t leave now, Paar honey,” said Selma, grabbing his sleeve. “Sit down for a minute and we’ll talk some more. With