is new stuff into your head all of a sudden? You
never used to care if--"

"And you got to quit writing me them long-winded letters, Mae, about
what's come over me. Sometimes a fellow just comes to his senses, that's
all."

"Max!"

"And you got to quit butting in my business hours on the telephone. I
don't want to get ugly, but you got to cut it out. Cut it out, Mae, is
what I said!"

He quaffed his wine.

"Max dear, if you'll only tell me what's hurting you I'll find a way to
make good. I--I can learn lawn-tennis, if that's what you want. I can
take off ten pounds in--"

"Aw, I don't want nothing. Nothing, I tell you!"

"If I only knew, Max, what's itching you. This way there's days when I
just feel like I can't go on living if you don't tell me what's got you.
I just feel like I can't go on living this way, Max."

Tears hot and ever ready flowed over her words and she fumbled for her
handkerchief, sobs rumbling up through her.

"I just can't, I--I just can't!"

He pushed back from his half-completed meal, rising, but stooping to rap
his fist sharply against the table.

"Now, lemme tell you this much right now, Mae, either you got to cut
this sob stuff and get down to brass tacks and tell me what you want,
or, by gad! I'll get out of here so quick it'll make your head swim. I
ain't going to be let in for no tragedy-queen stuff, and the sooner you
know it the better. Business! I'm a business man."

She swallowed her tears, even smiling, and with her hand pat against her
bosom as if to suppress its heaving.

"I'm all right now, Max. I'm so full up with worry it--it just slipped
out. I'm all right now, Max. Sit down. Sit down and finish, dearie."

But he fell to pacing the red carpet in angry staccato strides. His
napkin dropped from his waistcoat to the floor and he kicked it out of
his path.

"By gad! I didn't want to come, anyhow. I knew the sniveling I'd be let
in for. Gimme a healthy woman with some outdoors in her. Gimme--"

"I ain't going to let out any more, Max; I swear to God I ain't. Sit
down, dear, and finish your supper. Looka, your coffee's all cold. Lemme
go out and heat it up for you. I--"

"I'm done. I'm done before I begin. Now, Mae, if you can behave yourself
and hold in long enough, just say what you got me up here for, and for
God's sake let's have it over!"

He planted himself before her, feet well apart, and she rose, pushing
back her chair, paling.

"I--I 'ain't got much o