Carmella Commands
Dixon followed them, strolling casually. As they got into the machine he said:
“Been near a year now since I had a real good fight. I was hoping you had more guts, so’s to make it a match. From now on, mister, you’re away from here. See?”
The agent scowled heavily, and made no reply.
Carmella turned to her father.
“That’s that!” she said, in Italian. “Now if you keep your gang at work you’ll save some money. And Mr. Barrington here will save some time.”
Tommaso whirled on the three sets of workers, who were already bending to their shovels.
John Barrington came closer to Carmella.
“Gee, Miss Carmella,” he said, “you’re great! How’d you dare talk that way?”
“He’s just a bluffer,” said Carmella. “You’ve got to talk to him like that.”
John, three years her senior, but slender and hesitant, like one whose decisions had always been made for him, gazed in continued admiration.
“But how,” he persisted, “can you tell a bluffer from the real thing?”
“Mostly you just know it. Feel it, you know. I don’t know how.”
She returned his gaze, perplexed by his sudden interest. He went on:
“You know, Miss Carmella, that time you came to the house, I liked you.”
[166]
