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er of sidewalk； took the indented middle of the narrow thoroughfare； undeterred by the thread of open sewage coiled along it。 A moment later she was glad she'd done so。 A columnar blackness standing unsuspected in the niche of a setback doorway found voice as she went by； slurred softly： 〃Hey； what's your hurry？〃
〃Shop closed！〃 she snapped； and quickened to a run； and kept it up until she'd reached the lower end of San Rafael； and it had opened up into one of the subsidiary plazas that dotted the town。 This one had palms； a bandstand kiosk； a gleaming white statue of one of the heroes of independence； and faint arc lights gleaming in misty violet around the four sides of it。 It was dead to the world。
She cut across it； and on the other side had a choice of two。 San Jacinto was the shortest way out to her own place； but it was another of those long； dismal； poorly lighted lanes like the one she'd just left。 i5th of May would take her a little out of her way； but it boasted a little better lighting and there was an occasional food or drink shop to be found along it。 Other nights when she came along here she never hesitated； she took the quickest way。 Tonight； for some reason； she was in a creepy mood； shy of dark and lonely places。 She entered the Calle Quince de Mayo。 The two diverged like the arms of a narrow V。
She had just gone past a small； dimly…lighted bodega； a drinking and eating place patronized by the poor； a few moments later； when someone came out and hailed her。
〃Hola！ Is that you； Clo…Clo？〃
It was one of the others of her own immediate sorority； a girl known as La Bruja （the witch）。 She had a shawl coifed around her head to ward off the night chill； and might have looked almost nun…like save for the cigarette suspended between her lips without benefit of fingers。 She stood there arms akimbo。
Clo…Clo turned and went back to her； glad to find herself in someone else's pany； even though it meant a tethporary delay in her return home。 After all； you didn't have to be afraid of another girl。
〃What's the matter； you getting airy？〃 La Bru；ja demanded。
〃Get out；〃 Clo…Clo chuckled disarmingly。
〃Going home already？ How are things？〃
Clo…Clo hooked two fingers； kissed their tips to denote the indescribable。 〃What a night！ I ran into Croesus himself。〃
〃Who's he； one of these rich paisanos in town for a spree？〃
〃No； it's somebody my mother's always talking about。〃 She described the supper in glowing terms； prudently omitting all reference to the hundred…and…fifty…peso bonus。 It probably wouldn't have been believed anyway。 〃You know； I'm almost frightened。 When things are so good； they say it's a sign you're in for trouble； to watch out。 I hope this night don't end up bad。〃
They stood for a while like that chatting； two lone figures on the night…bound sidewalk。 〃Knocking off？〃 La Bruja asked finally。
〃Sure am。 I don't want to crowd my luck any。〃
〃I guess I will too。 Got a cigarette left on you？〃
〃I'll do better than that for you。 e on； I'll blow you to a cup of steaming coffee。 I keep feeling chilly down the middle of my back。〃
They went back inside the place La Bruja had just left。 There was no one in it but the proprietor； a weary…looking man in rolled shirt sleeves and a floor…length apron。 They sat down at one of the battered wooden tables。
The first thing Clo…Clo did was kick off her shoes under it； wiggle her toes。 〃Some relief； huh？〃
La Bruja brooded dully down on the table top； flicked a leftover matchstick away； flapped her band in disgusted agreement toward her。
〃This is the part I like best； when 'it's all over。 Don't have to smile； don't have to listen； don't have to watch what you say next。〃
〃Are you that way？ I'm that way； too；〃 Clo…Clo admitted。 She siphoned hot； watery coffee noisily into her mouth without lifting the cup from the table at all。
Presently； the warm brew flooding through her； she began to wax philosophical。 〃I wonder where we'll all be a year from now。〃
〃Tomorrow night； for that matter；〃 said the disgruntled La Bruja； continuing to lower down upon the table。
〃Tell my fortune；〃 Clo…Clo urged。 〃e on； chica。〃
La Bruja grinned lopsidedly at her。 〃I know you； you little monkey； that's the reason you offered me the cup of coffee。〃
Clo…Clo didn't try to deny it。 〃After all； it's the only relaxation I ever get during the course of an evening。〃
La Bruja balanced her cigarette on the edge of the table。 〃All right；〃 she acceded wearily； 〃pass me your mitt。〃
〃No； try it with the cards。 I like it better with the cards； there's more stuff to it。〃 Clo…Clo raised her voice to the shopkeeper in the shadowy background。 〃Hey； got a deck of cards？〃
〃Yes； but I'm going to close up。〃 He turned off a light； and doubled the previous dimness。
Clo…Clo looked around at him with a mixture of sudden annoyance and nervousness； totally unlike her usual self。 〃Couldn't you wait a minute； what's your hurry？〃 she said sharply。
〃I want to get some sleep myself；〃 he grumbled。 〃Think all I've got to do is stay up all night for two hustlers？〃
Clo…Clo gave the table a smack。 〃You bring us those cards！〃 She wanted respect for her ten centavos。 She was； for once； in the unusual position of being the customer in her own right； and she was going to get everything out of it that was ing to her。
He shuffled grudgingly forward and slapped an insanitary deck down between them。 〃Five more minutes； you two；〃 he grunted。 On his way back he turned out another light。 There was only one left now in the entire place； casting a smoky pooi of light down over their immediate table and nothing else。 The rest was all shadows。
〃Will you be able to see？〃 Clo…Clo asked anxiously。
〃Good enough。〃 La Bruja； cigarette vibrating unsupported between her lips once more； shuffled deftly with a low whirring noise。 〃Cut；〃 she ordered。 She began to pay them out。
Clo…Clo pointed both elbows to the table top； rested her face between her hands； looked on absorbedly。 A period of low…voiced intermittent recital ensued； all on La Bruja's part。 Then it broke off again suddenly。 There was a long pause。
Clo…Clo raised her eyes from the cards to the other girl's face。 〃What's the matter？ Something go wrong？〃 Le Bruja had mangled them all together； was restacking them to start over。
〃What're you doing that for？〃
〃I want to try it over；〃 La Bruja said nonmittally。
The low…voiced recital began again。 Then it stopped short again； just as before。
Once more she began over。 Once more she stopped； as though at a loss。
〃What do you keep quitting bike that for？〃 Clo…Clo asked。
La Bruja shook her head slightly； whether at the question itsebf or at the condition that had caused the question to be asked she left unresobved。
〃It's still here；〃 she murmured finabby。
Clo…Clo booked them over。 〃I know； but what is it？〃
〃It's something； but I can't make out myself what it is。 It's nothing good。 Wait a minute； I'll see if I can get it for you。 It's dark； and that means some kind of trouble。 It's a four card。 It's the four of spades and it's right over you。 Every time I shuffle them it keeps ing Out right over you。 Whatever it is； it's something that's hanging over you； that's nearing you； that's on its way。〃 She spread her hands helpbessby。
Clo…Clo rolled her eyeballs upwards half under her lids in unspoken dismay。
〃Wait a minute； I'll try it again。〃 La Bruja's hands reached out； harvested the cards into a bristling heap。
Clo…Clo turned her head stiffly aside； booked off into the shadows。 〃Gall me if…if it es back again。〃 She cross…barred one index finger over the other； held them that way。
There was a period of bated waiting。 She could hear the faint tick the cards made going down on the wood。 It was very stibb in the room。 The only thing that moved was a silent thing； the shadow of La Bruja's hand on the floor； rising and fabling； rising and fabling； where Clo…Clo was booking down with averted head。
The hand stopped。 The ticks of cardboard stopped。 La Bruja spoke。
〃It's back again。 Fourth time in a row。〃
Clo…Clo bunched her shoulders。 〃It's drafty in here；〃 she said。 She turned slowly； glanced down as at something coiled to strike her。 〃But isn't it you that puts them there？ Isn't it…isn't it your hand？〃
〃They e in rotation。 What have I to do with that？ As soon as you e out； and fall into the center place； all those that follow have their places in order around you。 If I meddled with that； the fortune would be worthless。〃
〃You mean it has been in that exact…upper corner of my card； each of the four times？〃
〃No； but it has been in the row over you each time。 It has e out within three or four cards of your own。 It is something on its way to you。〃
Clo…Clo slashed out； caught the other's wrist in frightened appeal。 Her voice broke。 〃Bruja。 Brujita。 You gotta figure out…you gotta tell me what it is！ Try！〃
She waited； then seeing that no answer was forthing； began to try to coach her in her own metier。 〃What does the four mean？ Is it a date I should beware of？ Today's the； bet me see…〃
〃No； it's no date。 There are no dates i