sentimental type； the worst kind。 The more sentimental they got； the less they seemed to spend。 This one； perhaps more perspicacious than she gave him credit for being and sensing something within her beneath the scabby outer shell； wanted her to e back to the ship with him； wanted to marry her and take her to someplace called Copenhague and settle down with her there on a dairy farm that he would buy。
This was sheer nonsense as far as Clo…Clo was concerned。 A peso slipped into one's hand at leave…taking； as a little gesture of gratitude for one's time and entertainment efforts； was worth a dozen offers of marriage in Copen； whatever it was。
She was sitting perched there on one of the tall bar stools alongside him； hair a short…cropped black chrysanthemum mop； in a pert bang above the eyes。 Her attitude was a clever synchronization of absorption and vacuity； the former assumed； the latter real。 She was sitting sidewise； with her face toward him； the point of her elbow to the bar and the back of her head balanced in her outspread hand。 She sidled one leg unnoticeably off the rung of the stool； felt for the floor with it； and poised it toe down； having decided to break this off short without wasting any more time about it。
〃And you'd like it； I know you would。〃
〃Sure；〃 Clo…Clo said readily。 〃Where'd you say it was again？〃
〃Copenhague。 I told you three times。〃
Clo…Clo was having trouble with this。 She knew the names of most of the principal countries； Eng land； France； Spain； like that。 You picked them up around town。 It was either a country she had never heard of； or it was an utter lie。 She decided it was an utter lie； since there couldn't be many more countries than England； France； Spain。 It was time to get going。 The shows would be out soon。 Her second leg shifted down and lined up against the first。 There was only one more thing that had to leave the chair now。
He noticed finally that her entire figure was about to leave him； just as her attention already had some time before。 He thought it was because his hospitality was remiss。 He looked a little huit； stopped offering her his heart and soul。 He called the barman over。 〃Another for the lady。〃 He'd already told her he didn't like to see her drink。 He'd already started in trying to change her around。
〃No； I've got to go；〃 Clo…Clo said。 She was off the stool now； and he couldn't get her back。 Every move in these breakaways had to be carried out craftily like that； to acplish them successfully。 Now if he reached for her to hold her； she'd just have to step quickly backwards。 〃I've got a date。〃
〃But this is one now you're having with me。〃
〃Sure； but I've already had it； it's over now。 So long。〃
〃But I want you to marry me。〃
〃Day after tomorrow。〃
She was two stools away now。 The barman cut in sidewise toward her； said in a rebuking undertone； 〃What's your hurry？ He's buying good and steady； what do you want to break it up for？〃
〃Give me my mission；〃 she said out of the corner of her mouth。 〃e on； or I'll tell him you insulted me。 And you know what that'll mean； the mirror behind you； all the glasses on the shelves…〃
〃You little bandit；〃 he said bitterly。 Their hands touched briefly across the top of the bar。
〃I can go to Robles' just as well； I don't have to e in here。 You're not losing money on me。〃
Her late host tried to reach her with a persua。 sive sweep of his arm。 She knew enough to stay back beyond reach of it。 〃e here a minute； Clo…Clo。 Little Clo…Clo； don't leave me like this。 We were just beginning to get along so well。〃
〃I know； but time's up now。〃
He wavered toward the entrance after her； both arms out。 〃I wanted you to marry me。 I wanted to take you out of this。〃 He seemed undecided for a minute whether to cry maudlinly or fly into a rage。
She got out over the threshold backwards。 〃Keep him in there； Manuel。〃
Manuel just gave her a dirty look； for cutting short what had been a profitable session。
Her recent escort stood there in the lighted entrance； looking out after her。 〃You're a fine one；〃 he called resentfully。
〃You better go back to your ship； mister； and get some sleep。 Marry the girl in the next port you e to； instead。 After all； we're all alike。〃
She moved on down the narrow； crooked； poorly lighted street； swinging her bag jauntily at her side； a long…legged dryad in a tight black satin skirt。 She glanced back once and he was leaning up against the side of the door； with his face burrowed into the right angle of his upthrust arm； crying because he'd lost her； after looking for her half around the world。 Probably it was just the alcohol alone。 How could you tell when it was real and when it wasn't； anyway； this love stuff？
〃Maybe I should've at that；〃 she dismissed him with an unconcerned shrug。 〃Who knows； maybe if I could see ahead； I'd be sorry that I didn't。〃
Around the very next corner a sudden confrontation occurred。 He stopped short； came back to her。 〃Oh； it's you； is it？〃
〃Have we met before？〃 Clo…Clo asked with polite uncertainty。
〃Have we met before！〃 he scowled。 〃You were ing back in five minutes； and I sat up there alone waiting for you all the rest of the night； like a fool！ The whole hotel staff was laughing at me behind their hands； when I had to walk out in front of them by myself the next morning！〃
Clo…Clo shoveled her hands ingenuously toward him。 〃I couldn't find the room again； when I tried to get back to you。 There were so many halls and turns； I got lost。 Was it my fault？〃
〃You know what you are？ You're a cheat。 A false alarm。〃
She touched the underside of his chin lightly with one finger。 〃Don't be sore。 Look at all the fun you'd already had out of me by then； anyway。 You told me so yourself。 You shouldn't be a hog。〃
〃I wasn't out for fun；〃 he let her know aggrievedly。 He reached。 〃C'mere； you。 I've got something ing to me。〃
Clo…Clo did the back…step again。 〃No you haven't；〃 she laughed。 〃That was then； this is now。 No long…term credit extended。〃 She shifted around to the opposite side of an octagonal advertisement kiosk； saw to it that it stayed between them。
〃C'mere； or I'll e over there and get you。 You're ing with me if I have to drag you by the back of the neck。〃
She just laughed； flirted her handbag out toward him at the end of its strap。
He saw that threatening wouldn't work； he tried bribery。 〃C'mere； he coaxed； 〃I'll buy you a drink。〃
She made a face at him。 〃I've just had a drink。〃 Return engagements； she knew by long experience； were no good。 Never any good。 Not with her； anyway。 There was always a redoubled vigilance on the part of the investor； remembering how he had been given the slip the first time； and she found it twice as hard to get away。 Fool them once and then stay away from them was the best policy。
He held out both hands toward her； appealingly。 〃Ah； e on； won't you？ I like you。 I can't help it； moma； there's something about you that's gotten to me。 You're so hard to pin down。 First you're here； and then you're not here。〃
〃Isn't it the truth； though？〃 she laughed。 〃And now take a good look； I'm not here。〃
She glanced back once； a wholly precautionary measure to make sure that he wouldn't rush after her and try to take her by surprise； and he was still standing there forlornly where she'd left him； in the middle of the sidewalk。 Looking after her sort of wistfully； as though hoping she'd change her mind。 She really must have made an impression on him； she reflected indifferently。 As for her； she already couldn't have told what he'd looked like very precisely； although she'd just left him。
She took a look into the Select from the outside first。 It was a little bit slow tonight in there； for some reason； so she decided on the Tabarin instead。 It always paid to reconnoiter first。 After all； even the best of places had its off…nights； and once you'd sunk your own twenty centavos into a grenadine； you couldn't get it back again。
The Tabarin was brimming over。 She retouched herself at a mirror panel in the lobby and went sauntering in。
You couldn't demand a cut in these swell places。 You had to be glad if they'd