Texas by the Tail

Houston.

The Blackest Land, The Whitest People…

Where You Never Meet A Stranger.

They say that as Texas sloped to the south, the cream of its population was drained off into Houston. They say that Houston does what other cities talk about doing-and never, never talks about it. One does not flaunt his wealth here. One makes his multi-million-dollar gifts to universities and philanthropic foundations-if he has it, he is expected to-and shuns the publicity ordinarily accruing from such largesse.

Houston is south, you see, and it cherishes all that is best of the south. Gallantry, generosity, hospitality. Forth Worth is west and Dallas is east and Houston is south. And don't you ever forget that it is south!

The whitest people (it says here). Where you never meet a stranger (it says here). But don't ever forget that word white- particularly if the adjective doesn't fit you…

Red still had the frost on the next morning as they stepped down from the train at Houston, a striking-looking pair who left a wake of envious and admiring glances behind them. The trim, handsomely tailored man, jauntily distinguished with the touch of gray at his temples. The impeccably dressed woman, regal with her high-held red head, her square little shoulders trailing an improbable length of silvery sable.

Her gloved hand rested on Mitch's arm as a matter of course-she detested public breaches of etiquette. But it was purely a formality. Her occasional smile went no further than her lips; there was bare politeness in her reponses to his remarks.

Mitch knew it was time for drastic measures. Otherwise, her anger allowed to deepen, Red might easily turn drastic herself.

Reaching the interior of the station, he excused himself and signaled the redcap to wait. Then, he entered a phone booth, and opened the directory. He was in the booth for quite a while. Red was obviously puzzled and irritated by the delay, but of course she said nothing.

Not until they had been in the cab for several minutes and she suddenly became aware of its direction, did she turn to him.

'What's this? I thought we had reservations downtown.'

'I canceled them. We're checking in at a hotel-apartment for a month.' Mitch dropped his voice, glancing meaningfully at the driver. 'We need to be together for a while, Red. Some place where being together won't seem out of line.'

'We were together last night, remember?'

'I know, and I'm sorry, dear. Terribly, terribly sorry. Please forgive me, won't you?'

'I'll think about it. Keep asking me for a few years.'

Mitch took her hand. She pulled it away, but not until he had held it for a moment or two. So she was melting a little. He went on talking to her, pressing his advantage.

'I know a month's a long time in one place. But we can both use a rest. The Fat Stock show in Fort Worth coming right after that convention in Mineral Wells…'

'I can take it. I'm not the one who's blowing my top all the time.'

'I know. But, anyway, I thought we might rent us a car while we're here. It's only about a hundred and fifty miles to the school, and we could drive over and see the boy.'

'Big deal! I should care about seeing your kid.'

Mitch repressed a smile. She was nuts about his son. There was a moment of silence, while Red somehow moved a little closer to him. Then, with vast indifference, she asked how soon they could see the boy.

'I mean,' she amended hastily, 'when do we have to?'

Mitch laughed fondly. He told her that they could and would do anything she wanted to any time she wanted to, and they would never do anything she did not want to do.

Red said they would go tomorrow, in that case. Then, barely whispering, a lovely blush suffusing her paleness, 'I suspect we'll be pretty busy today.'

Her hand gripped his convulsively.

Hand in hand, they arrived at their destination.

Mitch registered for them in the usual manner, Mr. and Miss Corley: Once you started a thing like that you were stuck with it to the end. Since they were taking the place by the month, the rent was payable in advance. Mitch paid it, adding on another thousand as a credit-an amount certain to be used up in charges long before the month was out. Ever so faintly worried, he turned away from the desk and joined Red at the elevator.

Of course, there were still a few bills in the safe-deposit box; a little better than three grand, probably. But even so, he was very low on money, almost dangerously low by the standards of the big-time hustler. Even without splurges like the present one, the overhead for Red and himself-travel, payoffs, everything-was conservatively fifty thousand a year. And he had other expenses, his son's among them, besides Red's and his own.

With that kind of money pouring out, with the necessity to be able to bet big and to absorb the rare but inevitable losses, wisdom demanded a bankroll of at least twenty thousand dollars. Now, including the dough in the deposit, he had barely half that.

Something would have to break fast, he told himself. Something would break fast. Houston was a hell of a town. All the money in the world was here… well, most of it, anyway… and the people were wonderful.

Confidently, with Red's incredible body brushing against him, he stepped out of the elevator and into their apartment.

Red suppressed a gasp when she saw it. The bellboys had hardly departed before she had her arms around him, hugging him with fierce, half-fearful delight.

'Oh, my God, honey! What have you done?'

'Like it?'

'Like it! B-But-I'm afraid to ask what it cost.'

'Don't. Not unless you want to be called One-cheek Red.'

'Mmm?'

'I mean I'll bite a big juicy chunk out of your tail.'

Red laughed, blushed, and gave him a feverish kiss. Grabbing his hand, she began dragging him through the place. It was a penthouse with a three-sided view of the city. In the immense living room, with its ceiling-high fireplace, was a full-size grand piano, ivory finished to blend with the snowy white carpeting.

There were two bedrooms and a maid's room, three baths and a powder room. In the master bedroom, Red wheeled and put her arms around his waist, breasts shivering with excitement.

'Don't tell me,' she begged. 'I don't want to know how much. But-just a little hint?'

'Not half what it's worth to see you pleased.'

'You darling! I'm going to make it up to you today… for last night, I mean.'

'You couldn't be a little more specific?'

'Anything! You k-know?' Her body seemed to be on fire. 'Anything!'

'Big category,' Mitch pointed out. 'Little girl.'

'You'll see. Now, about that hint…'

'We-ell, a very well-known public figure is reputed to have stayed here.'

'How well-known?'

'The well-knownest. The biggest.'

His meaning suddenly sank in on her. 'You mean the Pres-!' She put her hands against his chest and firmly pushed him away. 'Out! Out right this minute! I want to get into something comfortable before I