“Yeah,” she said, “sit here twiddling my thumbs, eh? till you happen to feel like coming round.”
“I haven’t got anybody but you.”
“So you say. How do I know whether you have or not? It’s nothing to me either way. . . . You’ve got a wife.”
“Aah! I don’t trouble her no more. It’s better that way. As long as I did, we used to scrap. . . . She never meant anything in particular to me. Too high-toned.”
“You got plenty other interests,” said Jewel. “Men are my amusement. They come here, and talk about their wives. I listen, and thank my God I’m no man’s wife. I’m a luxury to them, see? And you bet they have to mind themselves around me.”
“Just the same . . .” grumbled Joe.
“What’s the matter with you? You never bothered about it before. Only to-night you happened to. . . .”
“Who was he?”
“I shan’t tell you. He don’t cut no ice, anyhow.”
“Well, I admit I don’t like to have my bed warmed for me.”