He waited until she had crossed to him, smiled ingenuously. "Gerry in the hay, baby," he said gently. "Mister Kells in public."

She laughed softly——a metallic softness.

Kells asked: "Did you get my note?"

"Uh huh." She spoke rapidly, huskily. "I woke up right after you left, I guess. Your phone's been raising bloody hell. I'm going home and get some sleep. . . ."

She held out a closed, black-gloved hand; Kells took his key.

He said: "Come on back upstairs——I've found a swell spot for your stuff."

"Oh——yeah?" Her face brightened.

They went to the elevator, up to Kells' room. Granquist sat in a steel-gray leather chair with her back to the windows, and Kells walked up and down.

"Lee Fenner has been the boss of this town for about six years," he said. "The reform element moved in last election, but Fenner's kept things pretty well under control——he has beautiful connections all the way to Washington. . . ."

He paused while Granquist took out tobacco and papers, started to roll a cigaret.

"You wanted to sell your stuff to Fay for five grand," he went on. "If it's as good as you think it is we can get fifteen from Fenner. . . . That's ten for you and five for me"——he smiled a little——"as your agent. . . ."

Granquist said: "I was drunk when I talked to Fay. Fifteen's chicken-feed. If you want to help me handle this the way it should be handled we can get fifty."

"You have big ideas, baby. Let's keep this practical."

Granquist lighted her cigaret, said: "How would you like to buy me a drink?"

Kells went into the dressing room and took two bottles of whiskey out of a drawer. He tore off the tissue-paper wrappings and went back into the room and put them on a table.

"One for you and one for me." He took a cork-screw out of his pocket.

The phone buzzed.

Kells went to the phone, and Granquist got up and took off her gloves and began opening the bottles.

Kells said: "Hello. . . . Yes——fine, Stella. . . . Who? . . . Not Kuhn, Stella——maybe it's Cullen. . . . Yeah. . . . Put him on. . . ." He waited a moment, said: "Hello, Willie . . . Sure. . . ."He laughed quietly. "No, your car's all right. I'll send one of the boys in the garage .out with it, or bring it out myself if I have time. . . . I'm taking a powder. . . . The Chief: six o'clock. . . . Uh huh, they're too tough out here for me. I'm going back to Times Square where it's quiet. . . . Okay, Willie. Thanks, luck——all that . . . G'bye."

He hung up, went to the table and picked up one of the opened bottles. He said: "Do you want a glass or a funnel?"

Granquist took the other bottle and sat down, jerked her head toward the phone. "Was that on the square——you're going?"

"Certainly."

"You're a sap." She tilted the bottle to her mouth, gurgled.

Kells went to a little table against one wall, took two glasses from a tray and went back and put them on the center table. He poured one of them half full. "No, darling——I'm a very bright fella." He drank. "I'm going to get myself a lot of air while I can. The combination's too strong. I'm not ambitious.

"You're a sap."

Kells went to a closet and took out two traveling bags, a large suitcase. He took the drawers out of a small wardrobe trunk, put them on chairs.

"You'd run out on a chance to split fifty grand?" She was elaborately incredulous.

Kells started taking things out of the closets, putting them in the trunk. "Your information is worth more to Fenner—than anyone else," he said. "If it's worth that much he'll probably pay it. You can send me mine. . . ."

"No, god-damn it! You stay here and help me swing this or you don't get a nickel."

Kells stopped packing, turned wide eyes toward Granquist. "Listen, baby," he said slowly, "I've got a nickel. I'm getting along swell legitimately. You take your bottle and your extortion racket, and screw. ..."

Granquist laughed. She got up and went to Kells and put her arms around his body. She didn't say anything, just looked at him and laughed.

The wide, wild look went out of his eyes slowly. He smiled. He said: "What makes you think it's worth that much?"

Then he put her arms away gently and went to the table and poured two drinks.