Finally the car stopped where Billy directed. Billy
hobbled out, followed by Elaine and her chauffeur, his arms piled
high with provisions. She was indeed a lovely Lady Bountiful as a
crowd of kids quickly surrounded the car.
In the meantime Dago Mike and Kitty the Hawk had gone to a
wretched flat, before which Billy stopped. Kitty sat on the bed,
putting dark circles under her eyes with a blackened cork. She was
very thin and emaciated, but it was dissipation that had done it.
Dago Mike was correspondingly poorly dressed.
He had paused beside the window to look out. "She's coming," he
announced finally.
Kitty hastily jumped into the rickety bed, while Mike took up a
crutch that was standing idly in a corner. She coughed resignedly
and he limped about, forlorn. They had assumed their parts which
were almost to the burlesque of poverty, when the door was pushed
open and Billy burst in followed by Elaine and the chauffeur.
"Oh, ma--oh, pa," he cried running forward and kissing his pseudo-
parents, as Elaine, overcome with sympathy, directed the chauffeur
to lay the things on a shaky table.
"God bless you, lady, for a benevolent angel!" muttered the pair,
to which Elaine responded by moving over to the wretched bed and
bending down to stroke the forehead of the sick woman.
Billy and Mike exchanged a sly wink.
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