get away with it! By Heaven! you
can't!"

He drew tight fists to his sides, his lower jaw shot forward. "You start
a row here and, by gad! if I don't--"

"I ain't! I ain't! But don't throw me over, Max, after all these years!
Don't, Max! You need me. There ain't a woman on God's earth will do for
you what I will. I--I 'ain't got nobody but you, Max, to do for. I
tell you, Max, you--you need me. Think, dear, all them months when the
customs was after you. Them hot days when you couldn't show your face,
and I used to put you to bed and fan and fan you eight hours straight
till you forgot to be scared and fell asleep like a baby."

"Now, now, Mae, I--"

"Them nights we used to mix a few drinks when we came home from a show
or something and sit right here in this room and swill 'em off, laffing
and laffing till we got a little lit up. That time when we sneaked down
to Sheepshead and you lost your wad at the wheel and I won it back for
you. All them times, Max! That--that Christmas Eve you sneaked away from
your old woman! Remember? I tell you, Max, you can't throw me over after
what we been through together, and get away with it. You can't, not by a
damn sight! You can't!"

In spite of herself her voice would slip up, raucous sobs tore through
her words, tears rained down her frankly distorted face, carrying their
bitter taste of salt to her lips.

"You can't! You can't! I 'ain't got the strength! I 'ain't got a thing
in life that ain't wrapped around you. I can't go back to hit or miss
like--like I could ten years ago. I 'ain't got nothing saved out of it
all but you. Don't try to ditch me, Max! Don't! I--I'll walk on my knees
for you. I--"

"For God's sake, Mae, I--"

"If there's a way to raise two times fifteen thou for you, Max, I--I'll
raise it. I'll find a way, Max. I tell you I will! I'm lucky at the
wheel, Max. You watch and see. You just watch and see. I can work. Max,
I--"

"Get up, Mae, get up. There's a good girl. Get up and--"

"I'll work my fingers down, Max, only don't try to ditch me, don't try
to ditch me! I'll go out to the country where your old woman can't ever
sniff me. I--I'll fix it, Max, so you--so you just can't lose. Don't
ditch me, dear; take your Maizie back. Take me in your arms and call me
Maizie. Take me!"

"Girl, 'ain't you--'ain't you got no shame!"

"Just try me back for a month, Max. For a month, Max, and see if--if I
don't fix things so they come out right. Gimme a month,