“Well, I’ll tell you,” Jenny went on. “You see, it’s like this . . . we goes out and rents a room in a hotel or a room in some house. . . .” More lurid details followed. . . . “O’ course, these guys know what they’re comin’ for, they ain’t never in the dark about that. . . .” She gave accurate descriptions. . . . “That’s what we calls a quick turnover. Babe was great at that stuff. . . .” And so on.

Alice’s clenched hands showed white at the knuckles.

“Where did your acquaintance with this Babe Gordon begin?”

“In the Harlem nigger joints.”

“Do you mean that her associations all her life have been with prize-fighters and negroes?”

“Yeah, and dope peddlers. She peddled dope herself right in the Baldwin store in Harlem. Your brother got her out of the mess when she was caught.”

“I heard something about trouble up there.”

“Yeah,” said Jenny with a grin of malicious satisfaction. “Before she went with your brother, she had a rich nigger lover. He’s in jail now, but he’ll soon be out lookin’ for her, an’ if he catches her wit’ your brother there’ll be hell to pay. That’s one of the reasons why I’m here. To tip youse off. An’ youse don’t like that kind of stuff in the newspapers. Especially to be mixed up wit’ a nigger.”

Alice felt sick. She swayed slightly. Her hand sought the bell. Jenny saw the motion and got ready to go. “Jeeziz! Ain’t this dame comin’ across wit’ a little dough, after me spillin’ the dirt to her?” she thought, and lingered.

She wants money, Alice thought. But I had better not give her any. She might make a habit of coming here. Perhaps, later, I could give her something.

“Thank you,” she said. “Thank you for telling me—everything.”

“You ain’t gonna let this Babe Gordon make a mess of your brother’s life, are ya?”

“I shall take what steps I think necessary,” said Alice.

Greaves appeared in the doorway.

“Yes, madam.”

“The young lady is going, Greaves.”

“Yes, madam.”

The next thing Jenny knew she was standing outside on the entrance steps, the door closed firmly behind her.

“Well, of all the cheap, lousy dames. Wort’ millions an’ she wouldn’t even slip me a saw-buck, after me givin’ her the low down. But I ain’t finished wit’ you, you yeller haired Babe!”

XXI THE BALDWINS

THE IMMEDIATE effect upon Alice Baldwin of her scene with Cokey Jenny was a violent attack of hysterics. A little street-walker had come into her life and told her a tale which shook the Baldwin household to its foundations.

Never within the memory of living generations had there been a scandal associated with the Baldwin name. Now everything that name stood for was threatened by the outrageous conduct of her brother.