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it a date I should beware of？ Today's the； bet me see…〃
〃No； it's no date。 There are no dates in these cards。 It's in the first row over you； so it's soon。〃
〃Well； is it a man？〃
〃No； the picture cards are men； the jacks and kings。〃
〃Well； what could it be then？ Something with four legs？ Maybe it means I'm going to be trampled by a black horse。〃
La Bruja shrugged。
Clo…Clo snapped her fingers。 〃I've got it。 Four。 Something with four wheels。 I should stay out of a black automobile or I'm going to get smashed up。
〃It could be；〃 Le Bruja said uncertainly。 Whatever it was； it was as disturbing to her as to her client； she wasn't taking it bightby。 Perhaps because it was a challenge to her professional skill。 She continued to stare downward in stony concentration at it； the brick of still…unused cards retained in her hand； kneading a corner of her lip every now and then between her teeth。
The proprietor had fallen into a doze somewhere in the dusk…laden background。 His heavy breathing was the only sound to be heard in the silences between their remarks。
〃But they're your cards。 Gan't you read them？〃
〃Sure I can read them…as far as they go。 The spades suit is always trouble or misfortune。 The ace of spades itself is the one to book out for； that's the death card。〃
Clo…Clo took a deep breath of unutterable relief。 〃It's not out。 So maybe if I just steer clear of a black car…〃 She lit a cigarette with a hand that was shaking so； the match singed the paper all down one side nearly to her lips。 〃Go ahead a little further； instead of turning back。 Pay more out。 Maybe something'lb e out after that'bl… that'll make it clearer。〃
La Bruja lidded her eyes acquiescently。 Her hand moved。 〃That's a money card。〃 Her hand moved again。 〃That's a card that means a trip or journey； a small one。〃
〃I'm to get more money and go on a trip or journey？〃 suggested Clo…Clo hopefully。
〃No； they're in reverse。 That means； a trip back because of money。 Money is going to cause you to make a return trip to somewhere。〃
This time Clo…Clo didn't ment； she kept〃 her own counsel。 She thought： 〃Sounds like I'm going back to the Tabarin one of these nights' and meet that same darling of a papacito and be given another…〃
〃Go ahead；〃 she urged； 〃put the next one in line down。〃
La Bruja's free hand moved to the brick she held； stripped the top of it； carried it to the table； reversed it with a deft twist。
There was a sort of impalpable detonation between them； unseen； unheard； but as keenly felt as the flare of flashlight powder。
〃Wait a minute； what'd you say just now was the…？〃
Clo…Clo； eyes dilated craned her neck toward the layout。 Before she could verify it； La Bruja had slapped her hand over it； effacing it。
〃Don't look at it。〃 La Bruja suddenly whipped it out of the set…up and left a blank space where it had been。
〃The death card；〃 Clo…Clo whispered。
〃It wasn't right over you；〃 La Bruja said roughly。
〃But it was right over this other one； this four thing。 And that was touching me。 Corner to corner！〃
〃Now look at your face；〃 La Bruja said accusingly。 〃You're all white。 You shouldn't have asked me…〃 She swept her hand back and forth across the cards； obliterating their arrangement beyond repair。 She jogged her chair back。 〃Let's get out of here；〃 she said impatiently。
Clo…Clo didn't move for a minute； didn't act as though she'd heard her。 Her eyes were still fixed unseeingby on the barren table top； where the cards had been until now； as though she could stilb see them。 Once she backed her hand across the brow fringe of the chrysanthemum hair mop； leaving a little indentation in its evenness of line through which a triangular wedge of forehead peered。
〃Gome on； don't take it like that；〃 La Bruja tried to cheer her up。
Clo…Clo moved her head at bast； but not toward her panion。 She turned it slowly； warily； the other way around； toward the half…visible streetbevel window of the shop； across the room from them； with its shutters already backed together behind it in closure for the night。
She writhed slightly； as if trying to throw some thing off。 〃I keep getting a feeling of somebody looking at me； somebody looking at me hard。 I already had it once before； tonight； before I even came in here 〃
〃Maybe somebody just took a squint in； in passing； to see if Pepito is still open。 I was sitting facing that way the whole time； and I didn't see anyone。 Pay the guy and let's get out of here；〃 La Bruja said； in reminder that it was her invitation。 〃You'll feel better outside。〃
Clo…Clo put on one shoe。 Then she felt underneath the shredded inner sole of the other； dredged up a thin ten…centavo piece； and put it on the table。
La Bruja had opened the door and gone out ahead。 〃There's nobody out here；〃 she called back reassuringly。 〃The street's empty！〃
Clo…Clo came out after her。 She drew her short elbow jacket closer around her as though she were cold。 There wasn't another moving thing in sight but the two of them。 Gable Quince de Mayo lay desolate ifi the gloom around them； a blue…black tunnel running through the night。
〃The tailings of the night；〃 La Bruja grimaced。 〃I always hate it。 Webb； until next…〃 She took a preliminary step away from her。
Clo…Clo grabbed her almost spasmodically by the arm。 〃La Bruja； walk part of the way back with me； will you？ You can go my way as well as the other； it's just as near for you。〃
La Bruja jeered； 〃What's the matter with you all of a sudden？〃 She turned nevertheless and fell into step alongside her。
〃I dunno； I've got a funny feeling I can't throw off。〃
〃That fortune got you。〃
〃No； I had it even before I met you； but not as strong as now。 I was feeling leery already back at the Tabarin。〃
〃I can tell you what's the matter with you；〃 La Bruja told her； with the wisdom born of greater experience。 〃Don't go in too heavy for this distilled stuff； like brandy or aguardiente。 It overstimulates and then depresses you。 I used to make that mistake when I was first beginning to go around； too。 Don't let them buy you just anything they feel like。 Stick to wine and light stuff。 These cheap guys are only too glad to daze you； if you give them the chance。 Unless you get some system into your drinking； you'll find yourself； at the end of a hard night； with the horrors。〃
They had reached the lower end of the street by now。 〃Well； here's where we split up；〃 La Bruja let her know。 〃I'm not going out of my way for you； I've done enough tramping around already for one evening。 Take it easy。〃
She turned sharply left； and the tap of her heels； for a moment or two； could be heard receding along the sidewalk。 Clo…Clo continued on alone in their original direction。 Just before the opposite corner line cut them off from one another for good； she called out； almost despairingly： 〃See you around tomorrow night。〃
〃Maybe；〃 came echoing back blurredly along the resonant； empty stone chasm of the street。
Clo…Clo went her way。 To her surprise； she discovered she felt a little better after leaving the other girl； rather than worse。 La Bruja had a sort of dampening personality； she was well known for that； maybe that was it。 Or maybe there had been a lack of sympathy there。 Not that she didn't hurry； and not that she wasn't stibb uneasy。 Plenty of both。 The way home was a long one； and it had never seemed longer than it did tonight。 Her feet played chopsticks under her along the sidewalk； and the tubular street； like a megaphone； seemed to carry the sound far in advance of her。 They went： tickchock； tick…chock； tick…chock… And then suddenly they had stopped。
What was that？
It had coursed out swiftly before her； made a wide turn around her out into the middle of the road； before she could identify it。 Then it fell motionless out there； poised for further flight； uncertainly booking over at her。 It went 〃Miaow；〃 in slurred remonstrance。
A thrill of horror surged through her。 Oh God； no； not tonight； after that card…！
Black； inky black from nose to tail tip； not a white hair in its coat。
She started to draw warily backwards a step at a time； hand out to the wall beside her； trying to get out of the loop it had half drawn around her； before it had a chance to close it entirely。 Trying to keep their two paths from crossing at any point。
Just when she had got abreast of it on her rearward way； it took further fright； trickled over the paving stones an additional length away from her。 Still in the wrong direction； behind her。
She flattened her back against the wall and tried to edge past it without disturbing it further in its new halting place。 Suddenly it sighted sanctuary； closed in again to the same side of the way it had originally emerged from； squeezed through some sidewalk…level vent and vanished； with a delayed' withdrawal of its tail a moment or two after the rest of it。 Behind her。
It had drawn a plete arc around her。 She couldn't move now in either direction； backwards or forwards； without crossing its ilb…omened orbit at some point。
She called upon her patron saint； sponsor of that given name she so seldom heard any more； exc