We were both beginning to settle in for the night. I volunteered Monkey to sleep on the floor, sharing the mattress was not an option. When the room settled to pitch blackness and the only sound that could be heard was the wind howling at the window, something struck my thoughts and I shouted to wake the dead.

"McCartney!" she sat up straight and looked about wildly.

"What the? Whatchew screamin for?"

"I thought a somethin."

"Is it that important?"

"Sure as hell is. Where am I supposed to keep my knife? I got no pockets."

"You woke me up for that? I don't believe you, shuddup and go to sleep."

I kind of growled under my breath and waited for her to settle back. I needed a cigarette. Where was I going to keep them? AHH, the life of a proper little girl is a rough one. In any case, I needed one, so when I was sure she was asleep, I went through my pants pockets and pulled out my cigarettes, matches, cards, dice and knife and stashed all but the cigarettes, matches and knife under the mattress. I stood and quietly made my way downstairs to the main entrance of which was already unlocked. Wonder why the door's open? I was sure that Miss Hemingway didn't leave it that way, so I opened it slowly, very slowly and very quietly and took a midnight peek outside. I had my cigarettes and accessories in my hand and my knife tucked into my boot and nearly dropped those in my hand when I saw one of Miss Hemingway's little boarders outside with cigarettes of her own. If I'dve known, I'dve got one off of her. She was facing away from the door and I slipped outside right behind her and leaned against the wall. The strike of my match against the brick caused her to turn and face me, almost dying of fright. She said nothing, but a look of horror befell her.

I took a drag from my cigarette and slowly let the smoke out of my mouth, then spoke to her, "Hon, that's a nasty habit."

"It's none of your business," she was trembling.

"Aye, but I do believe that it is Miss Hemingway's business," I moved from my position on the wall and walked to the curb of the sidewalk and laid my cigarettes and matches in the gutter.

"You---you're not going to tell her, are you?" She hardly noticed my movements to the street's origin.

"Naw, I ain't gonna tell 'er, an' my word's as good as gold," I gave a sly grin to her and she breathed a sigh of relief. I slipped back in the door and closed it, without bolting it and shouted, not too loud, but loud enough, "Miss Hemingway!" I had to be sure that the girl outside didn't hear me, and when she didn't come running inside, I was sure she didn't.

A frantic rushing down the stairs assured me that Miss Hemingway was coming, responding to the siren of alarm. She saw me, and was almost nice to me when she spoke.

"Mary, good gracious, what is it girl? Speak up."

I leaned in to whisper to her, "I couldn't sleep, so I came down here to see if I could get my hands on a warm glass of milk and I noticed the door was unlocked, so I looked outside..."

"Child, what does all of this mean?"

"One of your girls is out there smoking a cigarette," she immediately pushed past me and flew through the door.

I leaned on the staircase to watch. She brought the girl in and she had tears streaming down her face and the girl looked at me, and shouted.

"You said you wouldn't tell. You said your word was as good as gold," as Miss Hemingway led her away to her punishment, I replied.

"Gold ain't good unless you can afford it. Miss Hemingway, I'll get the door for you," I laughed as I went back outside and picked up my cigarettes from the gutter and smoked one down to nothing. Then I shut the door and went back upstairs. The commotion had woken Monkey and the rest of the building. I was gonna have some fun at this place.

"McCain, what are you doing?"

I lay down on the mattress and smiled, "Making friends."

ch.25