"Well, since that ain't enough for you," still with affected
resignation, "let me tell you this: You're going to dance to bigger
crowds and higher class ones than you ever saw before, because you're
going to be advertised proper, see?" And then, sketching out plans with
his former bold, optimistic confidence, "We're going to travel on the
other side and travel in style, too, a big touring automobile. I guess
you can show those foreign managers something new in the dancing line.
How would you like to see your name all over London and Paris? The Black
Pearl! Eh?"

She slipped away from him and took a few buoyant dancing steps. "Fine!"
she laughed. "It sure sounds good to me." Floating nearer to him, she
pinched his arm. "Ain't you the spellbinder!"

He caught her with one arm. "Oh, Pearl," his voice falling to
seriousness, "you don't know how happy you make me. Honest, I've been so
plum scared these last few days, I been almost crazy. I didn't know, you
see, just how much influence your Pop and Flick might have over you, and
I got locoed for fear you wouldn't see me and give me a chance to
explain."

"Pop and Bob Flick kindly took the bother of explaining things off your
shoulders, didn't they?" with a short, vindictive laugh.

"Darn 'em," bitterly. "I don't want to say anything about your Pop, but
Flick's a sneaking coyote, and sooner or later he'll pay for snooping
into my business. Oh, I've cursed myself more than once for letting him
tell you, but I never loved a woman before, Pearl, and I couldn't take
the chances, honest I couldn't. I hadn't the nerve." There was a