balloon man, if they would marry in the air, was promptly accepted by King but spurned by Billee.

Then they ran races on the beach with other carefree couples, built sand houses with little children, ate popcorn, “hot dog” and cotton candy and saw the movies. And Billee drank a pony of beer and lit a cigarette for King.

Once they came across a wild, ragtime dance scene, and Billee screamed with delight. It seemed to be everybody’s frolic.

“Come on, King, I must dance with you!”

“But,” sadly, “it’s the one accomplishment I lack, Billee. All the others I have. My young life was not cast in ragtime circles.”

“Come, sir, come! I’ll teach you!” He went. She said it was easy. It was not easy. “It’s easy” is a fiction of the game. She did not teach him, but among the dancers was a young man, coat buttoned tight across his waist and lapels spread wide and a little felt hat slouched across his northeast temple, who handled himself and partner like a pair of Indian clubs. It was a pleasure to watch him and the little “skirt” he toyed with. His eyes met Billee’s. He left his partner in the middle of the floor, as a matter of course.

“What’s the matter, Bo’?” he said to King. “Can’t little Beauty dance?” King regarded the visitor with amusement. He was too cosmopolitan to take offense. This was New York’s playground.

“Ask her,” he said, ironically.

“Dance, kid?” said the boy cryptically, to Billee.

“Sure!” said Billee, giving her hand. And Billee danced. It was the most wonderful thing, of the kind, King had ever seen. The band was playing “Don’t Blame Me for What Happens in the Moonlight,” and the two figures, threading a marvelous path through the crowd, swayed, dipped, hesitated, glided and whirled in perfect rhythm. Billee’s face glowed with excitement, her gentian eyes half closed harbored all the fun in the world. Passing King, she called:

“Going some, friend!” Breathless, at length, she joined him.

“T’anks, lady,” said the boy, “you are sure some stepper.”

“Same here,” said Billee, politely. Billee was learning slang easily. The boy took one long look at her, his soul in his eyes.

“Gee!” he said, and turned away.

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