ned and stared, an avalanche of squeals came precipitately
down the great slide; struck the water and was transformed to gurgling
screams, and then heads came bobbing to the surface--three heads, and
one of them was Mary's. She swept the water from her eyes, looked up
and saw him, waved her hand and scrambled rather ungracefully over the
rail in her wet, clinging suit. The others followed, the man trotting
at her heels and calling something after her.

Andy, his brows pulled down over unhappy eyes, glared fixedly up at
the top of the slide. In a minute they appeared, held gesticulating
counsel, wavered and came down together, upon their stomachs. The
strange girl was in the lead, with Mary next holding to the girl's
feet. Behind her slid the man, gripping tightly the ankles of Mary.
Andy's teeth set savagely together, though he saw that others were
doing exactly the same; old women, young women, girls, men and boys
came hurtling down the big slide, singly, in couples, in three and
fours.

The spectacle began to fascinate him, so that for a minute or two he
could forget Mary and the man. There was a roar of voices, the barking
as of seals, screams, laughter and much splashing. Men and women dove
from the sides like startled frogs into a pond; they swam, floated and
stood panting along the walls; swung from the trapeze (Andy,
remembering his career with the circus, when he was "Andre de Greno,"
Champion Bareback Rider of the Western Hemisphere, wished that his leg
was well so that he could show them a few things about that trapeze
business) and troubled the waters with much splashing. He could not
keep Mary always in view, but when he did get sight of her she seemed
to be having a very good time, and not to be worrying in the least
about him and his sins.

Twice Andy Green half rose from his seat, meaning to leave the plunge,
the Casino and the whole merry-making crowd; but each time he settled
back, telling himself that he hated a quitter, and that he guessed
he'd buy a few more chips and stay in the game.

It seemed a long time before Mary finally emerged in the blue linen
and the white hat, but Andy was waiting doggedly at the entrance and
took his place beside her, forcing the man to walk beside the girl
whom Mary introduced as Lola Parsons. The man's name was Roberts, but
the girls called him Freddie, and he seemed composed mostly of a
self-satisfied smile and the latest fad in male attire. Andy set
himself to t