"Who's that, Mike?"
"Lemme tell you," continued Clinch, resting more heavily on the shelf while Smith, looking out through the pantry shutter at the dancing, listened intently.
"When I was in France in a Forestry Rig'ment," went on Clinch, lowering his always pleasant voice, "I was to Paris on leave a few days before they sent us home."
"I was in the washroom of a caffy -- a-cleanin' up for supper, when dod-bang! into the place comes a-tumblin' a man with two cops pushing and kicking him.
"They didn't see me in there for they locked the door on the man. He was a swell gent, too, in full dress and silk hat and all like that, and a opry cloak and white kid gloves, and mustache and French beard.
"When they locked him up he stood stock still and lit a cigarette, as cool as ice. Then he begun walkin' around looking for a way to get out; but there wasn't no way.
"Then he seen me and over he comes and talks English right away: `Want to make a thousand francs, soldier?' sez he in a quick whisper. `You're on,' sez I; `Show your dough.' `Them Flies has went to get the Commissaire for to frisk me,' sez he. `Go to 13 roo Quinze Octobre and give it to the concierge for Jose Quintana.' And he shoves the packet on me and a thousand-franc note.
"Then he grabs me sudden and pulls open my collar. God, he was strong.
"`What's the matter with you?' says I. `Lemme go or I'll mash your mug flat.' `Lemme see your identification disc,' he barks.
"Bein' in Paris for a bat, I had exchanged with my bunkie, Bill Hanson. `Let him look,' thinks I; and he reads Bill's check.
"`If you fool me,' says he, 'I'll folly ye and I'll do you in if it takes the rest of my life. You understand?' `Sure,' says I, me tongue in me cheek. `Bong! Alez vouz en!' says he.
"`How the hell,' sez I, `do I get out of here?' `You're a Yankee soldier. The Flies don't know you were in here. You go and kick on that door and make a holler.'
"So I done it good; and a cope opens and swears at me, but when he sees a Yankee soldier was locked in the wash-room by mistake, he lets me out, you bet."
Clinch smiled a thin smile, poured out three fingers of hooch.