ANGEL PAVEMENT

"No/' he replied. Cocktails were not a part of real
life at all to him, and in a sudden burst of candour,
he added: "Matter of fact, I've never tasted one in my
life."

"Don't be silly/5 she screamed at him. "You're trying
to be funny. You must have had."

"I haven't really/' he assured her. "I've had beer and
whisky and port wine and sherry and all that, but I've
never had a cocktail."

"All right, my good little boy/' said Lena gaily,
"you're going to have one now—one of the special
Golspie Smashers."

He watched her take bottle after bottle from the side-
board and then shake a tall silver flask, just as he had
seen people do on the stage and in films. "Now just you
taste that, Mr. Angel Pavement/' she commanded, giving
him a little glass. It had a queer flavour, rather sweet at
first, then slightly bitter, and ending with a sort of
golden glow, which seemed to travel all over him.

'Tike it?" and she put her own glass down.

"It's fine."

"Have another then. Well just have one more and
then we'll eat."

After the second one, he felt larger and more im-
portant and even happier than he had done before. He
insisted upon showing her a trick with three pennies.
He knew three tricks, one with the pennies and the other
two with cards. The other two could wait; it would not
do to show her everything at once. She thought the trick
with pennies very smart, and they postponed eating until
he had shown her how to do it and she had practised it
several times. They were better friends than ever when
they sat down to eat the sardines and the two salads in