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Show 127 "I'll be seventeen, Karl. That's a pretty important birthday. Jame wants to take me out to dinner in Pittsburgh. I told him it's up to you." "Why up to me?" "I can only go if you'll take my place at the nickelodeon Saturday evening." Her eyes were on the keyboard; she rubbed a speck of soot from one of the ivories. "Will you do it? You'll make fifty cents for three hours' work." Karl considered. "Wouldn't Mom wonder where I was all that time?" he asked. "We'll tell her the projectionist said you can come and watch him run the machine." Kathleen answered so quickly that Karl could tell she'd planned every detail. "Please, Karl, I'd really like to go to dinner with Jame. He's been doing odd jobs for Harry Ward just to earn enough money to treat me on my birthday. We'll be back on time -- we'll get off the streetcar at Center Street and meet you below the middle dip the way we always do." "What if the streetcar's late?" he asked. "It won't be." She raised her eyes to his. They looked so anxious that Karl said, "Sure,, I'll do it for a birthday present for you, since I don't have any money to buy you anything." He'd surprise her, though. He'd use the fifty cents to buy her a gift, a day late. "Thank you, Karl! You're the world's greatest brother." Kathleen hugged him hard, seeming so relieved that Karl was puzzled. "Now," she said, getting back to business, "let me teach you 'Love |