kinds of ivory domes to make a nuttery. I ran across a new brand of
simp this morning. Just before I came to you I'm scheduled to show up
at one of these Astorbilt homes t'other side of the park. First I mix
it with the old man, then son and heir blows in and I attend to him.

"Well, this morning, son acts like he's all worked up. He's one of
these half-portion Willie-boys with Chippendale legs, but he throws out
a line of talk that would make you wonder if it's safe to let him run
around loose. Says his mind's made up; he's going to thrash a gink
within an inch of his life; going to muss up his features so bad he'll
have to have 'em replanted.

"'Why?' I says. 'Never you mind,' says he. 'Well, who is he?' I asks.
What do you think happens then? He thinks hard for a spell, rolls his
eyes, and says: 'Search me. I've forgotten.' 'Know where he lives?' I
asks him. 'Nope,' he says.

"Can you beat it! Seems to me if I had a kink in my coco that big I'd
phone to an alienist and have myself measured for a strait-jacket. Gee!
You meet all kinds, going around the way I do."

Kirk laughed and lit a cigarette.

"If you want to use the shower, Steve," he said, "you'd better get up
there now. I shan't be ready yet awhile. Then, if this is one of your
energetic mornings and you would care to give me a rub-down----"

"Sure," said Steve obligingly. He picked up his clothes and went
upstairs to the bathroom, which, like the bedrooms, opened on to the
gallery. Kirk threw himself on the couch, fixed his eyes on the