Nevertheless she sang "Take Back Your Gold" with
touching effect, which brought a fiery moisture into the eyes of the
Fraction King, who listened greedily, for the time being experiencing
unwonted ethical yearnings.
The applause was generous, followed immediately by Bishop, who toasted
the singer as the "Enchantress of Bow Bells," to the reverberating
"bottoms up!" of Jake Cornell.
Two hours later, Frona Welse rapped. It was a sharp, insistent rap,
penetrating the din within and bringing Corliss to the door.
She gave a glad little cry when she saw who it was. "Oh; it is you,
Vance! I didn't know you lived here."
He shook hands and blocked the doorway with his body. Behind him the
Virgin was laughing and Jake Cornell roaring:
"Oh, cable this message along the track;
The Prod's out West, but he's coming back;
Put plenty of veal for one on the rack,
Trolla lala, la la la, la la!"
"What is it?" Vance questioned. "Anything up?"
"I think you might ask me in." There was a hint of reproach in Frona's
voice, and of haste. "I blundered through the ice, and my feet are
freezing."
"O Gawd!" in the exuberant tones of the Virgin, came whirling over
Vance's shoulder, and the voices of Blanche and Bishop joining in a
laugh against Cornell, and that worthy's vociferous protestations. It
seemed to him that all the blood of his body had rushed into his face.
Pages:
203
204
205
206
207
208
209
210
211
212
213
214
215
216
217
218
219
220
221
222
223
224
225
226
227