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vamping all the men who sat at the tables near the front. She even passed close to Eddie, flicking her soft petticoats over his head. With a partial strip finale to the tune "I Enjoy Being A Girl," Lola left the stage in panties and bra to a surprisingly, to Eddie's ears, loud burst of applause, interspersed with a few whistles.

When he arrived backstage, Hugh Graham had returned to the room, Eddie saw with regret. The blonde wig had disappeared as had the bra and waist clincher. "Whew!" Hughie grimaced, draining a tumbler of what looked like whiskey. "I get more out of shape everyday." He was pouring another tumbler from a Five-Star bottle. He raised it to his scarlet lips, his make-up now cracking a little. "Good audience, eh? Did ya like the show?" Eddie began to reply but Hughie went on without giving him a chance. "I know," his voice was weary. "It sickens you to see a man prancing about on stage dressed like a woman.'' He drank from the tumbler. "But they liked me, didn't they?" The grey, red-marked eyes pleaded for some kind of favorable response from Eddie.

"Sure," said Eddie automatically. "You were a big hit."

"You'll write that?" Without thinking, Hugh Graham had responded in the little girl voice he reserved for use as Lola Levine.

Eddie hesitated. "Sure," he said, "or I'll write something similar to that"

"I know," the bald head with red earrings nodded. "You'll write, but your editor will re-write." He drained the tumbler again. "It was nice to meet you, er ..." He tried to remember Eddie's name but the alcohol was obviously having an effect.

"Eddie McIntyre," said Eddie, rising to leave. "I'll write the report just as we said and we'll see what happens."

When at last he was back on the dark street in front of the La Don- na Club, the cold night air made Eddie shiver. For some reason, he was mightily relieved to be back on the street. He turned up his collar and headed back to the office. He had a deadline to meet.

*****

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