“Oh, Vancie, I can’t stand it if you’re in trouble again,” Marcia heard her stepmother moan.

“It isn’t my fault, damn it,” Vance muttered.

His sister hastened to reassure him.

“I know it isn’t, Vancie, but you do have the worst luck. Some woman again, I’ll bet. I’d just like to lay my hands on her.”

There was a moment’s silence and then Vance began talking quickly and quietly, interrupted only by smothered exclamations from his sister.

“I’ve got to skip town and I’ve got to have money. A girl I’ve been running around with got herself in trouble and the wire just came through the office to her relations that she died in the doctor’s office this morning in Lesterville. It’ll be all over town by tomorrow. I’ve got a guy’s Ford down by the office and I’m going East, only I’ve got to have some dough. How much you got here?”

There was another moaning sigh from his sister, and then, “You might as well tell me the rest, Vancie. Who’s the girl?”

“Bonnie Purdy,” Vance said, “your husband’s old girlfriend. If you want to know so much he gave her the dough for the operation too. I wasn’t going to get hooked when she came to me, by George.”

“Harry gave her money? Harry Willard?” her voice was incredulous. “It must have been the money for the car. That’s why they haven’t delivered it. Of all the dirty tricks!”

“I told her to go ahead and go to him when she came after me about it,” Vance went on angrily. “He was so damned careful of her he didn’t want anybody else kissing her. I guess he could be careful enough of her to pay for her doctor. No girl is going to trap me that way, believe me. Only now she’s conked out, everybody knew I was going with her, she told people about it, so that lets me in on a fine mess. Girls always got to blab and get a fellow in a jam just when he’s getting his feet on the ground.”

“But Harry—I can’t get over Harry giving it to her.”

“Yes, and he can pay for her funeral expenses too, he’s such a gentleman,” Vance snorted. “He can lay her out, if that’s any satisfaction to him, and pay for the pleasure. Only that isn’t going to get me out of town.”

“If Harry has the money unbeknownst to me to pay for Bonnie Purdy,” said Mrs. Willard tensely, “then I guess I can find some to get my brother out of trouble.”

“That’s the old girl,” Vance exclaimed, much relieved.

There was a rustling of paper. She must keep her money in her blouse, Marcia decided, not daring to peek, and praying that they would both get out before her breathing could be heard.

“Go on, now, quick, out the front door,” Mrs. Willard urged.

“I knew I could count on you,” Vance’s voice came back jubilantly. “I’ll write Mom and she’ll tell you where I land. Bye, old girl. Don’t let on. You think I’m killed or something, that’s the ticket.”