n Jack gwine wid you?"

"I'll say she is. Whither I goeth there shall she also go. Git those
trunks fixed up."

With the departure of the master of the house a cloud of melancholy
settled about the Wildcat which was not dispelled until suppertime.

3.

On Wednesday night the Wildcat soused himself with bay rum and musk.
About his neck, in lieu of a collar, he wrapped the spliced sleeves of
a discarded silk shirt whose cerise dyes had barred it from Captain
Jack's wardrobe. On his feet he wore a pair of patent leather violins
whose tight interiors had been plentifully massaged with axle grease.

He started out with his mascot. "C'm on heah, Lily--you stahts gittin'
social wid quality folks. How come dese shoes pinches all de time sho'
beats me. By rights I weahs twelves. Man whut sold dese shoes said dey
wuz fifteens--feels like sho' take bofe to make 'at much. But when dey
sees dis heah neckerchief dey won't notice de shoes."

Halfway to the weegee party he removed the shoes and carried them in
his hand to the portals of the Lee establishment. He sat down outside
the door of the ouija castle and put on his shoes. He tethered Lily at
the step and knocked at the door. A moment later he was being greeted
by twenty friends and half as many strangers.

"Befo' I turns down de lights," the hostess announced, "I wants you to
meet up wid Colonel Boone, one ob de culled heroes whut made de wah
safe fo' white folks. Colonel Boone, say howdy at Misteh Marsden."

The Wildcat and the uplifter again stood face to face. "Honey Tone, how
come Cuspido' calls you 'Colonel'?"

"By rights 'at's mah rank."

"By rights you is rank." The Wildcat turned to his brunette hostess.
"Ah knows dis Boone man. Met up wid him in France. How come he
projectin' roun' heah?"

Cuspidora was quick to sense a rift of jealousy in the social lute.
"He's aimin' to claim me fo' a weddin' mate."

She made haste to switch the deal.

"Blow out dat light, Sis' Mosby." She reached for a second coal oil
lamp and turned it down until the room was hardly light enough to
distinguish the black letters on the ouija board which lay on the
table. The uplifter deflected the impending embarrassment which might
develop from continued conversation with the Wildcat by functioning as
master of ceremonies.

"Rally roun'. Spirits is willin' if de flesh ain't weak. Wilecat,
fondle de weegee board an' take a ra'r at seein' whut de future holds."

"How come?"

"Di