eardofhim.Mustbeanobody.”

    “Nowayboss.Heisamysterioustrillionaire,really,reallyloaded.Heownsalotofbusihathehirestorunforhim.Henevershowshimselfinpubliooneknowswhohereallyis.”

    “What’sthatgottodowithme?HegoeshiswayandIgomine.Wehavenothingtodowitheachother.”

    “Ohno,boss.Ithinkyou’llbeingintobigbucks.ThatdudeDimitrilovestodressupasahomelesspersonandfooroundwithotherdirtyandstinkyhomelesshobos.Nooneknowsanythingabouthimsoit’sveryhardtocatchhim.Butretlywordoreetishehasbeeblindsohemustwearshadesandcarryawhitee.JustnowIsawamaastuswithanotherhobo,thatmyeyestoldmewaswomanindisguise.Hey,bossthat’swhyIsaidyouareabouttoeintobigbucks.IfthathomelessmanisDimitri,wecouldeasilytakehim.IfyouhaveDimitriinyourtrol,youareintrolofhisimmeuohispanion,westripoffherclotheswheholdofher.Thechickmayeventurnouttobeagreatbeauty!Sobossyoumaygaintrolofbothafortuneay!”Themanheaddressedaschief,ughedheartilyandsppedtheshuyonhisshoulderssaying,

    “Great,bro!IfIgettrolofthisgreatfortuneIwillshareitwithyou.Letmekillthespyfirstandthengoandcatchthesetwohomelesspersons.”Theshuyointedheadandmouse-likeeyessaid,

    “Noboss,don’tkillhimyet.JustnowhewasshoutingforDimitri.WhatiftheguyisinDimitri’scamp?PeoplesayDimitriisagoodfriendofMr.Kaffeethatretiredunderworldbigshotwhoisstillverypowerful.What’sworse,thatkillerBig-Oisloyaltohiheymakeourliveshelndkickusoutofourturf.IfBig-Oesafterus,therewillbenotomorrow.Whydotieuptheoldfellowandthrowhimbytheroadside.Weshouldhurryafterthetwohobosintherosegarden.”

    “Yht.Don’tsweatthelittlestuff.Weshouldgoaftertheimportanttargetsfirst.”

    Flowersswayedandleavesrustledassomeonewalkedthroughtherosebushesandcametowardsthepiicsite.ThecleverandevervigintlittledogMaureenbarkedatthedirewherethenoisewasingfrom.Dimitriimmediatelycaughtholdofitandpatteditsheadsaying,

    13

    “Don’tbeafraid,mylittlefriend.It’sonlyanoldfriendofmineingtoseeus.Stsoyouwon’ttheprettyrosesthatarealsleep.”ThenlookingupatCharina,hesaid,“It’sagoodfriendofminecalledImagination.Shebeinvisibleandhideherselfintheairbutshewillbeshowingherselfprettysoon.Pleasedon’tbeafraid.”

    “KingDimitri!”calledasweetvoitheair,“didyoucallme?WhatIdoforyou?MayIshowmyself?”

    “Yes,showyourself”calledDimitritotheemptyair.Nosoonerhadthewordslefthismouththahemoonlightayoungwomanwithlonghairfallingtoherwaistsuddenlyappearedbeforethem.Shehadanalluringfigureaifulface,whichrevealedtwomysteriousdimpleswhenshesmiledatthem.ShestooduhemoonlightandbowedreverentlybeforeDimitri.“Nowthatyouarehere,pleasesitdownsothetwoofyoutalktogetherfortably.”Hehelduphisgssofwhiskeyfulltothebrim,fiwithaquaffandsaid,“I’mafraidIhavehadtoomuchtodrinkandamfeelingabittipsy.IthinkIhadbettergotosleep.Youtwochattogether.”Sayingso,heidhimselfontheground,immediatelyfelsleepandwassoonsn.Charina’seyeswerestillwideopeninshockatthedramatitsthatenfoldedbeforehereyes,butImaginationcurledherlegsunderherselfandsatdownquitenaturallybesideCharina,saying,

    “IknowyouaretheauthoressCharina.Ihaveknownyousiheveryfirstdayyougottokno

eardofhim.Mustbeanobody.”

    “Nowayboss.Heisamysterioustrillionaire,really,reallyloaded.Heownsalotofbusihathehirestorunforhim.Henevershowshimselfinpubliooneknowswhohereallyis.”

    “What’sthatgottodowithme?HegoeshiswayandIgomine.Wehavenothingtodowitheachother.”

    “Ohno,boss.Ithinkyou’llbeingintobigbucks.ThatdudeDimitrilovestodressupasahomelesspersonandfooroundwithotherdirtyandstinkyhomelesshobos.Nooneknowsanythingabouthimsoit’sveryhardtocatchhim.Butretlywordoreetishehasbeeblindsohemustwearshadesandcarryawhitee.JustnowIsawamaastuswithanotherhobo,thatmyeyestoldmewaswomanindisguise.Hey,bossthat’swhyIsaidyouareabouttoeintobigbucks.IfthathomelessmanisDimitri,wecouldeasilytakehim.IfyouhaveDimitriinyourtrol,youareintrolofhisimmeuohispanion,westripoffherclotheswheholdofher.Thechickmayeventurnouttobeagreatbeauty!Sobossyoumaygaintrolofbothafortuneay!”Themanheaddressedaschief,ughedheartilyandsppedtheshuyonhisshoulderssaying,

    “Great,bro!IfIgettrolofthisgreatfortuneIwillshareitwithyou.Letmekillthespyfirstandthengoandcatchthesetwohomelesspersons.”Theshuyointedheadandmouse-likeeyessaid,

    “Noboss,don’tkillhimyet.JustnowhewasshoutingforDimitri.WhatiftheguyisinDimitri’scamp?PeoplesayDimitriisagoodfriendofMr.Kaffeethatretiredunderworldbigshotwhoisstillverypowerful.What’sworse,thatkillerBig-Oisloyaltohiheymakeourliveshelndkickusoutofourturf.IfBig-Oesafterus,therewillbenotomorrow.Whydotieuptheoldfellowandthrowhimbytheroadside.Weshouldhurryafterthetwohobosintherosegarden.”

    “Yht.Don’tsweatthelittlestuff.Weshouldgoaftertheimportanttargetsfirst.”

    Flowersswayedandleavesrustledassomeonewalkedthroughtherosebushesandcametowardsthepiicsite.ThecleverandevervigintlittledogMaureenbarkedatthedirewherethenoisewasingfrom.Dimitriimmediatelycaughtholdofitandpatteditsheadsaying,

    13

    “Don’tbeafraid,mylittlefriend.It’sonlyanoldfriendofmineingtoseeus.Stsoyouwon’ttheprettyrosesthatarealsleep.”ThenlookingupatCharina,hesaid,“It’sagoodfriendofminecalledImagination.Shebeinvisibleandhideherselfintheairbutshewillbeshowingherselfprettysoon.Pleasedon’tbeafraid.”

    “KingDimitri!”calledasweetvoitheair,“didyoucallme?WhatIdoforyou?MayIshowmyself?”

    “Yes,showyourself”calledDimitritotheemptyair.Nosoonerhadthewordslefthismouththahemoonlightayoungwomanwithlonghairfallingtoherwaistsuddenlyappearedbeforethem.Shehadanalluringfigureaifulface,whichrevealedtwomysteriousdimpleswhenshesmiledatthem.ShestooduhemoonlightandbowedreverentlybeforeDimitri.“Nowthatyouarehere,pleasesitdownsothetwoofyoutalktogetherfortably.”Hehelduphisgssofwhiskeyfulltothebrim,fiwithaquaffandsaid,“I’mafraidIhavehadtoomuchtodrinkandamfeelingabittipsy.IthinkIhadbettergotosleep.Youtwochattogether.”Sayingso,heidhimselfontheground,immediatelyfelsleepandwassoonsn.Charina’seyeswerestillwideopeninshockatthedramatitsthatenfoldedbeforehereyes,butImaginationcurledherlegsunderherselfandsatdownquitenaturallybesideCharina,saying,

    “IknowyouaretheauthoressCharina.Ihaveknownyousiheveryfirstdayyougottokno