Black； inky black from nose to tail tip； not a white hair in its coat。
She started to draw warily backwards a step at a time； hand out to the wall beside her； trying to get out of the loop it had half drawn around her； before it had a chance to close it entirely。 Trying to keep their two paths from crossing at any point。
Just when she had got abreast of it on her rearward way； it took further fright； trickled over the paving stones an additional length away from her。 Still in the wrong direction； behind her。
She flattened her back against the wall and tried to edge past it without disturbing it further in its new halting place。 Suddenly it sighted sanctuary； closed in again to the same side of the way it had originally emerged from； squeezed through some sidewalk…level vent and vanished； with a delayed' withdrawal of its tail a moment or two after the rest of it。 Behind her。
It had drawn a plete arc around her。 She couldn't move now in either direction； backwards or forwards； without crossing its ilb…omened orbit at some point。
She called upon her patron saint； sponsor of that given name she so seldom heard any more； except around the shack。 〃Santa Gabriela； get me out of this！〃 She touched her shoulders and her forehead and her breast； to ward it off。 It was worse； they said； even than breaking a mirror。
But she couldn't stand here all night upon this island of safety。 The damage was done now； irretrievable。 She gathered herself together； lowered her head defensively as though she were about to charge through a curtain of fire or water； even gathered up her already brief skirt higher still with one hand； to give her limbs more freedom of action。 Then she drew a deep breath and went plunging through the cat's esoteric path and brought up short on the other side of it。 Free； but tarred by misfortune。
She gave a look behind her； sighed； and continued on her way。
A few minutes later she had hit the straightaway of the Gable de Justicia； a wide diagonal swath cut remorselessly through the maze of crooked older byways； its corners a continuous series of wedges and acute angles due to its biased progression。 Now all she had to do was keep on it to its outer reaches and she'd arrive back at the shack。
A street…light poob picked her up momentarily； lost her to the darkness again。 A short wait； and then the next one ahead did the same thing。 Then the one above that。 They were spaced about one to a crossing。
Still as it was； she failed utterly to hear the car until it was almost upon her。 It must have been gliding after her with its engine tuned down to inaudibility； its lights out； for several moments past。 Probably he had sighted her ahead under one of those betraying light pools。
A slithering sound； light as a tape being dragged along the ground； was all the warning she had。 She swerved； and it was only a few yards in back of her； pacing her。 The bights must have been left off purposely； until the last minute； so that it could get close。 They switched on now； drenched her from head to foot； photographed her； so to speak； then dimmed again to a dull glow at the touch of a switch。 She faltered there bbinded； the back of her hand to her eyes。
But the photographic proof had turned out satisfactory； the car had stopped； and a figure had alighted to the sidewalk beside it。 All she could glimpse was a rakishly diagonal hat brim and a figure that was young； almost juvenile； in its symmetry。 He must be some rich man's son； out trying to beam about life at first hand。 The mere fact that he would alight and stand there waiting by the open door； instead of just sitting tight and cabling her over； showed how inexperienced he still must be。 They were veritable gold mines； if you were lucky enough to strike one。
〃Hey； chica； how about a little spin with me？〃 Yes； she'd been right； the voice was that of a youth； and slightly nervous at its own daring under the man…about…town nonchalance it tried so hard to assume。
She had already taken a step over toward him to parley； both out of long habit and because of the special circumstances involved in this instance； before she realized what she was doing。 She jolted to a sudden halt again。
〃Wait a minute； what color is that car？ It books to me…〃
〃It's black；〃 he said proudly。 〃Some beauty； eh？〃
〃Get outta here！〃 she shrieked in sudden unreasoning panic。 〃Get away from me with that thing！ Ay； dios mio； don't e near me with it！〃 She fled full tilt down the street as if pursued by demons。
〃It's an Hispano；〃 he cabled after her in high dudgeon。 She looked back to make sure he wasn't ing after her in it。 He was standing there by it； booking from her to it； and from it to her； in outraged pride of ownership。 He even backed one arm at her in resentment。 She had evidently wounded him in a very sensitive spot。
She kept running； to get away even from the very vicinity of the thing。 She didn't stop for almost a block； tapering off finally to a bedraggled scamper simply because she was pletely out of breath。 What a close shave that had been！ The thing would have probably telescoped itself into a wall and burned her alive inside of five minutes after she'd gotten in。
Her stockings were loosening from her flight； and she had to bend over and tug them up。 Her jacket and the blouse under it were all awry too； and she had to straighten them。 Then she continued at a tottering walk； still panting from her efforts。
That got her home finally。 That saw her the rest of the way to the shack。 It was a one…story； two…room cabin of adobe bricks covered with plaster； and roofed over with broken tiles； out where the buildings were beginning to thin out； the land wasn't worth much； and nobody was exactly sure who owned it。 It had a small patch of open ground out in front； with sunflowers struggling up through the discarded gasoline cans and broken water jugs； and usually the old bady's wash strung out。 It was home。 She liked it。 She liked to e back to it。 It was what she sat drinking at bars for。 It was what she brought home a hundred and fifty pesos…or a peso and fifty centavos…to。 She didn't take the money from here elsewhere； she brought it from elsewhere here。 That showed where it ranked in her favor。 Sure； they'd have a better one someday a little farther out； but the idea； the system； would be the same。
Their mongrel yard dog reared belatedly up from the ground at her passage and gave its usual vociferous； craven bark； while remaining prudently at a distance。 〃Quiet； Conejo； it's me；〃 she said。 Then it went to the other extreme of tail pumping and getting in her way until she had gotten inside and closed the door on it。
She had to pick her way among the pallets on the floor； but she knew where most of them were。 The old lady always left a path clear for her from the door over to her cot。 Once in a while she stepped on a hand； but that was because the sleeper had carelessly shifted position after the general retirement。
One of the younger kids had pre…empted her cot； she found when she got over to it。 She didn't mind if they did that； until she was ready to use it herself。 She woke it； remonstrated in an undertone： 〃Get off； now； palomita。 I'm back。 Go on； get down where you belong。〃 The kid sidled off to the floor； went ahead sleeping。 Clo…Clo sat down in its place； took off her shoes。
She stretched luxuriantly； arms high overhead； yawned； sighed blissfully。 Gee it was good to be back here； to have the whole thing over with。 She sat inertly slumped over there for a moment or two； half asleep already although still upright from the waist； while a jumbled kaleidoscope of the whole night fanned through her dimming mind。
〃You'd like it in Copenhague； I'd like to take you out of this。。。 First you're here； then you're not here。。。 Watch your manners in here； take the one on the end； none of that smoke…ring stuff； understand？。。。 Papa； the car is waiting outside； what'bb I tell Elena！。。。 Five more minutes； I'm closing up。。。 Hey； chica； how about a spin with me？ It's an Hispano。。。〃
One hundred and fifty pesos。 If there'd only be a few more nights like this； she could cut it out； chuck the whole thing overboard。