features. Shy and just a little childish. In the nice way, I mean.

Paula stared at her. "The nice way?" she said uncertainly.

"Yes. Trusting. Affectionate. Still curious about people and life. It's a very endearing quality."

"And you think I'm like that?" Paula gazed disbelievingly at her.

Beebo, seeing that she had unsettled her, chuckled. "Aren't you?" she said.

"No. I've been told I'm a bitch. Nasty and spoiled and selfish andchildish in the bad way."

"Who told you that?" Beebo exclaimed. "Miss Plaid Pajamas?" "Yes."

"Well, if you were bitchy with her, Paula, she must have done something to deserve it. You have the air of a natural-born angel."

Paula looked up at her again with a new expression on her face. "That's a very nice thing for a stranger to say," she said. "Thank you."

"My pleasure," Beebo said.

There was a queer pause, while it dawned on Beebo that lesbian love wasn't always a question of sweeping girls off their feet and carrying them away to bed, as it had seemed with Mona. What did you do with a sensitive well-bred girl like this one? Mow her down with kisses? Strongarm her? Obviously not. Beebo stood near her, quietly gazing at her and debating how to make herself welcome for the night. It was once when she wished urgently for a bit of experience in the field.

"I suppose somebody's waiting for you?" Paula asked softly.

"No. Nobody, now that Mona's indisposed."

"Don't you live with Jack Mann? Maybe he's waiting," Paula said.

Beebo was surprised. "Do you know Jack?"

"Everybody down here knows him," Paula explained.

"Well, I live with him, but we're just friends. And my friend Jack Mann is in the sack with another friend at this moment." she said, salting her words lightly with sarcasm. "And I'm too long to sleep on his goddamn sofa. Excuse me."

"Well, I'm afraid you're too long for mine, too," Paula said with an embarrassed smile. Another pause ensued and Beebo was about to admit defeat and give up gracefully, when Paula added, "But I could sleep on the sofa if you'd like to take my bed."

"Thanks, Paula, but I wouldn't dream of it," Beebo said, and walked over to get her jacket.

"I don't mind. I would have slept on the sofa anyway if Mona had gotten here tonight. So you could use the bedroom, I mean. I mean..." She paused, flustered.

"I wouldn't have let you. And I won't now."

"Beebo, don't make a federal case out of it." Paula said with a small laugh. "I really don't mind. I'm short and it's long. We're used to each other.'"

"You and the sofa?" Beebo smiled. Paula nodded, but Beebo zipped the jacket up and said, "You're a sweet girl, Paula. Miss Plaid Pajamas must have been a crackpot, if you ask me. Find somebody who deserves you, and I promise she'll never make you sleep alone on that damn sofa."

She started for the door but Paula put a restraining hand on her arm, and Beebo turned around, feeling a shiver of excitement radiate through her. For, needless to say, she was not nearly as cool and sure as she seemed.

"Beebo," Paula said, speaking in a voice so low that Beebo had to bend