The Chinese Parrot (Charlie Chan Detective Series) — page 69: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

———_ o- on happens to be among my possessions at the moment, and I'm going to drive you out." "T couldn't think of taking you away from your work." "Oh, don't joke like that. You're breaking my heart. My work! Here I am, trying to string one good day's work along over all eternity, and you drift in and start to kid me—" "I'm sorry," said Eden. "Come to think of it, I did see your placard on the door." Holley shrugged. "I suppose that was just cheap cynicism. I try to steer clear of it. But sometimes— sometimes—" They went together out of the office, and Holley locked the door. The deserted, sad little street stretched off to nowhere in each direction. The editor waved his hand at the somnolent picture. "You ll find us all about out here," he said, "the exiles of the world. Of course, the desert is grand, and we love it —but once let a doctor say 'you can go' and you couldn't see us for the dust. I don't mind the daytime so much— the hot friendly day—but the nights—the cold lonely nights." "Oh, it isn't so bad, Will,” said the girl gently. "Oh no, it isn't so bad," he admitted. "Not since the radio—and the pictures. Night after night I sit over there in that movie theater, and sometimes, in a newsreel or 69 comiicboeoe S CO