Puzzle for Fiends Read Online Free PDF Page B

ungrudging thing about her made her sensuality clean and spontaneous as a pagan Greek’s.
    With my good hand I caught up some of the soft, shining hair, letting it slide through my fingers.
    “My wife,” I said. “How long have I been married to you?”
    “Two years, darling. Two years and a bit.”
    “Where in heaven’s name did I find you?”
    “Those bandages, they do something to me.” She arched her head up on her neck, kissing me. “Pittsburg, dear.”
    “I bet you were the Pride of Pittsburg.”
    “I was. They were crazy about me in Pittsburg. In the Junior League poll I was voted the girl most likely to exceed.”
    “Honest?”
    “Honest. “She nestled against me, bringing my hand down from her hair and holding it against her dress. “Darling, Nate’s awfully worried about you. Nate’s so sweet. Do try and get your memory back. It would do such things to his professional pride.”
    “To hell with Nate. “I studied the gentle line of her nose in profile. “Tell me more about myself. Do I love you?”
    The blue, blue eyes went solemn. “I don’t know. I really don’t know, Gordy. Do you?”
    “On a snap judgement, I’d say yes. “I kissed her before she kissed me. “How about you? Love me?”
    She moved away slightly, stretching contentedly. “You’re awfully sweet, Gordy. I simply adore you. I really do.”
    “But I’m an ornery character, aren’t I? Good for nothing. Drink too much.”
    “That Marny.” For a moment her face was almost savage. “The mean little limb of Satan. What’s she been telling you?”
    “Just that. That I’m an amiable heel and a lush.”
    “Really, she makes me sick. What if you do drink too much? How can anyone be nice without drinking too much?”
    “Do you drink too much?”
    She smiled and then laughed, a frank, husky laugh. “Darling, I do everything too much.”
    She sat up again suddenly, straightening her skirt, stubbing her cigarette on an ashtray.
    “Baby, this is all gay, but I’m supposed to help make you remember.”
    “That’s what you’ve been doing, isn’t it?”
    “I haven’t been doing anything. I’ve just been being pleased at having my husband conscious again. You can’t imagine how dreary it’s been sleeping with a husband as unconscious as a corpse.”
    “You’ve been sleeping here?”
    Her eyes opened wide. “But, of course. Ever since you came back from the hospital. “She pointed at the other bed. “Where d’you suppose I’d been sleeping?”
    “I’d only just started thinking about it,” I said.
    “Really, darling, and you all plaster of Paris.” Selena grinned and took another cigarette, inhaling smoke deeply. “But seriously, I mean, let’s talk about something—anything. Just something you’re supposed to remember.”
    I said: “Okay. I’ll take the Aurora Clean Living League.”
    “The Aurora Clean Living League? Really, I mean, do we have to talk about that?”
    “I’m supposed to know about it, aren’t I? It’s important, isn’t it?”
    “It’s terribly, terribly important, of course, but it’s terribly, terribly dismal.”
    “Even so—give with the Aurora Clean Living League.” Her full mouth drooped sulkily. “All right. Well, it all begins with your father. I suppose you don’t remember your father, either?”
    I shook my head. “They tell me he was called Gordon Renton Friend the Second and that he died a month ago. That’s all.”
    “Your father,” Selena brooded. “How to describe your father? He was a lawyer in St. Paul. He was terrifically rich. That was the nice thing about him. But the important thing about your father was that he was godly.” Absently she had picked my hand up again and was stroking it. “Incredibly godly. Against things, you know. Against tobacco and dancing and lipstick and liquor and sex.”
    “Uhuh. Go on.”
    “What nice hands you have, darling. So square and firm. Like a sailor’s hands.”
    “A sailor.” Something