She's standin' with the
table between her 'n' a swell-lookin' guy.

"'Mr. Chandler,' she says. 'Let me introduce you to my brother.'

"'How do you do?' says the swell guy. 'You have a charming sister.'

"'She's a great kid,' I says.

"'You don't look much alike,' says the swell guy.

"'She's not my full sister,' I says. 'Our mothers weren't the same.'

"The chicken coughs a couple of times.

"'That explains it,' says the swell guy.

"'Now,' I says to him, 'I hate to tie a can to one of sis's friend, but
she's goin' East at six o'clock, 'n' she's got to pack her duds.'

"'Oh, Blister, _am_ I?' says the chicken.

"'Yep, I hears from auntie,' I says, pullin' out the roll 'n' lay in'
it on the table.

"The chicken gives a shriek, 'n' starts to hug me right in front of the
swell guy.

"'I seem to be dee tro,' says he, 'n' backs out the door.

"'Where did you get the money?' says the chicken, countin' the roll.
'Why! There's _over a hundred here_!'

"I takes fifty bucks fur myself, 'n' hands her the rest.

"'I cops it at a poolroom,' I says. 'A ten-to-one shot comes through
fur me. Now get busy. I'll send fur your trunk in ten minutes.'

"The chicken won't hear of ridin' in a street-car, so we takes a cab
like a couple of Trust maggots.

"'I'll buy your ticket 'n' check your trunk fur you,' I says, when we
get to the station. 'Where do you want to go? New York?'

"'Anywhere you say,' she says. . .

"I'm standin' there lookin' at her, lettin' this sink into my bean, 'n'
she begins to get red.

"'Don't stand there gawking at me!' she says, stampin' her foot. 'Say
something!'

"'How about this St. Louis guy?' I says. 'With all his--'

"'Oh, he was only a Johnny,' she says.

"'How about De Mott?' I says.

"'Ugh!' she says, makin' a face.

"I don't say nothin' after that till I has it all thought out. The
start looks awful good, but I begins to weaken when I thinks of the
finish.

"'You act just suffocated with pleasure,' says the chicken. But I
don't pay no attention.

"'You'll be lucky if you gets a job swipin' fur your eats when you hit
New Awlins,' I says to myself. 'Wouldn't you look immense with a doll
on your staff?'

"'Now, listen,' I says to her, 'how long is this here panic goin' to
last?'

"'You can search me,' she says.

"'Well, how long is this hundred goin' to last?' I says.

"'Not long,' she says.

"'That's the answer,' I says. 'Now, you hop a deep sea goin'