PAGE 9
The Hooker-Up-The-Back
by
A sob caught Julia in the throat, but she turned it into a laugh.
“I didn’t hardly hear it. I was busy promising him a licking from Jo.”
Sadie Corn opened the door.
“Come on down the hall. I’ve left no one at the desk. It was Jo I was telephoning you for.”
Julia grasped her arm with gripping fingers.
“Jo! He ain’t–“
Sadie Corn took the girl’s hand in hers.
“Jo’s all right! But Jo’s mother won’t bother you any more, Sadie. You’ll never need to give up your housekeeping nest-egg for her again. Jo told me to tell you.”
Julia stared at her for one dreadful moment, her fist, with the knuckles showing white, pressed against her mouth. A little moan came from her that, repeated over and over, took the form of words:
“Oh, Sadie, if I could only take back what I said to Jo! If I could only take back what I said to Jo! He’ll never forgive me now! And I’ll never forgive myself!”
“He’ll forgive you,” said Sadie Corn; “but you’ll never forgive yourself. That’s as it should be. That, you know, is our punishment for what we say in thoughtlessness and anger.”
They turned the corridor corner. Standing before the desk near the stairway was the tall figure of Donahue, house detective. Donahue had always said that Julia was too pretty to be a hotel employe.
“Straighten up, Julia!” whispered Sadie Corn. “And smile if it kills you–unless you want to make me tell the whole of it to Donahue.”
Donahue, the keen-eyed, balancing, as was his wont, from toe to heel and back again, his chin thrust out inquiringly, surveyed the pair.
“Off watch?” inquired Donahue pleasantly, staring at Julia’s eyes. “What’s wrong with Julia?”
“Neuralgy!” said Sadie Corn crisply. “I’ve just told her to quit rubbing her head with peppermint. She’s got the stuff into her eyes.”
She picked up the bottle on her desk and studied its label, frowning. “Run along downstairs, Julia. I’ll see if they won’t send you some hot tea.”
Donahue, hands clasped behind him, was walking off in his leisurely, light-footed way.
“Everything serene?” he called back over his big shoulder.
The neuralgic eye closed and opened, perhaps with another twinge.
“Everything’s serene!” said Sadie Corn.