limits. He had walked only a mile or so when a man stopped and gave him a ride. When Charlie told him that he was going to Coal City, the man said, "I'll be in Clarksburg about noon Saturday. You can ride with me until then if you like."

Charlie, embarrassed, explained his financial sit- uation, and the man, whose name was Ed Holden laugh- ed, and said he'd take care of the bills, just adding them to his expense account. Charlie agreed as he wasn't expected home till Saturday anyway.

Holden, a traveling salesman, was a jovial fellow, laughing uproariously at his own jokes, which he was continually telling, and slapping Charlie on the leg as he laughed. The jokes were funny, and Charlie laughed at them, too. Holden said Charlie was lucky; ordinar- ily Ed never drove this way, usually driving straight north from Cincinnati to Hamilton. But today he had to see a man briefly in Wilmington, after which he would double back to Hamilton.

At Wilmington Holden parked the car, and patted Charlie on the leg, saying, "Just sit tight, kid. I'll be back in a few minutes.

In about twenty minutes he reappeared and they started west toward Hamilton. Ed's jokes continued and the leg slapping became curiously gentle. At Leb- enon they stopped to eat lunch. When they came out of the cafe Charlie sank back in the car seat and sigh- ed with the satisfaction of a full stomach. Ed laughed and patted Charlie's leg, running his hand up and down the thigh a time or two. Ed made his calls at Hamil- ton, Middletown, and Springfield, where he said they would spend the night at Lima.

Charlie had stayed up late the night before and this, coupled with the hum of the car had made him drowsy. He dozed, dimly aware of Ed's ceaseless chatter and laughter and the increasing caressiveness in the touch of Ed's hand on his leg. Curiously enough he was pleasurably excited by these gestures. Sudden- ly his mind came wide awake; he had just remembered the feminine garments he was wearing, and there was a tingle of pleasure at the thought of Ed's caresses