reminded me of who I am, that's all." Lily was still looking into the mirror, with what seemed to be tears gathering on her dark, painted eyelashes.

"Ah," Rip gave an impatient snort. "In front of that crowd, you're Lily Dupree. Forget Mon- ty Lewis," said ," said Rip Hassell. "We've got a real mint going here Your share of tonight's take will be more than you and that other fool would have got for a two week stint here. And there'll be more tomorrow, with the big ones over the weekend. I tell you Lily, you're sitting on a gold mine over there."

Lily gave an awkward, little smile. "My bustle?" she said, her red mouth twisting in an ironic smile.

"Of course," Rip was frown- ing, hardly thinking of her reply. "I tell you though, we're going to have to be awfully careful. It won't be long before some of those guys get the idea of creep- ing up on you even in your

room.'

""

-

There was a look of panic on Lily's face.

"Don't worry," said Rip hast- ily. "I'll have a guard posted. But I tell you what would be best for us. You should dress like Lily Dupree all the time. Then there won't be any slipups."

"All of the time!" Lily was shocked. "But I can't!”

"Sure you can," said Rip easily. "In bed, too, if you got the proper things in the case of yours." One look at Lily's face told him that she had. “It won't be for long, anyway," he said, deciding to let her in on the hard part. "When the marshal finds out I got a woman in here, they will be in like a herd of buffalo. I reckon that'll be by about Tuesday. Then Lily can change back into what's-his-name." He smiled at her, but she hardly re- sponded.

"I can't be a woman all of the time," Lily said hoarsely.

"Sure you can," Rip said again "It's just a part, right? A new part. You're playing a woman named Lily Dupree, entertainer, and darling of all the men in Cottonwood. Try it, he said, tak- ing out a roll of bills and begin- ning to count them off in front of her. You're going to love it."

Jim Douglas, older than his cowboys and running to fat now, caught Lily's act on Saturday night. Technically, he wasn't un- der the same embargo as the town of Cottonwood in regard to women. His ranch had held the entrance to the valley from South Bend for a decade. But, sensing what could happen, he'd had his daughter, Leah, and the wives of the cowboys, move out to South Bend. There was no telling what the crazy miners from Cottonwood might do if they learned of women that close.

Lily Dupree now was different from her earlier performances. She handled the men with ease, and she was talented, too. In the sketches with the other perform- er, the ventriloquist, she put him to shame every time. In the num- ber where she was a bar-room

queen, hustling drinks for a living she'd ended with a number of high kicks to show off her beau- tiful legs, along with her black stockings, black garters, and white, frilly panties. Out of breath, but laughing, feathers pinned into the dark hair that fell over her bare shoulders, she was accepting tribute from Kwe- skin and some of his boys at the bar before they restarted their poker game, when a genial voice spoke from just behind Jim Douglas.

"You liked her?" asked Rip.

27

He had come from the stage area, and now he sat down with the ranch owner.

"She's lovely," said Douglas simply, watching the way she held herself proudly, her breasts firm and well supported. "I'd like to meet her."

"Everybody would," said Has- sell with a grin, but when Lily looked about the bar, possibly trying to find him, he stood and waved to her. She caught his sign, excused herself to Kweskin, who tried to hold on to her hand but she managed to free herself, laughing, after allowing him to kiss it. She was still panting from her exertions on the small stage as she sat on the chair pro- ferred so gallantly by Jim Doug- las.

"Thank you," she said, ex- changing a slightly amused glance with Hassell.

"Jim Douglas," said Rip, "I'd like you to meet Lily Dupree, the star of the Good Times' little show."

"I'll buy you a drink," said Douglas, his heavy-jowled face serious. "A real one," he added with a glance at Hassell.

While Rip gave her a frown, Lily smiled and gave Big Jim a short, throaty laugh. Douglas just loved to hear women with deeper, sexier voices like Lily. “I could really use a bourbon," she said lightly in the high, breath- less tones of the dumb, dancehall queen. She reached out and touched his arm. "I thank you so much.'

"It's O.K.," said Douglas im- patiently. "You don't have to play hustling games with me. You can speak normally." Again there was that quick exchange of glances with Hassell. "I'm not at all impressed with cute, little girls. I had enough of that in my first marriage. I like a woman to be a woman.”

There was an uncomfortable