Show 1 DEAN g g J CARIBBEAN RIO j y- y I C 1 D lJ I COIN ISI IRAC i U BRENDA by-BRENDA BRE BRENDA DA CONRAD CON r I i i TilE THE STORY SO FAR FARt Anne beautiful daughter of a wealthy NewYork New NewYork NewYork to Puerto York newspaper publisher goes fathers father's assignment for her to Rico on an paper Also I on the Ule Island arc are Pete Wilcox Wile Wll- cox a reporter on her fathers father's paper now a n U. U S. S Army intelligence officer Miguel l Valera a Puerto Rican educated In tn the United States whose whoso orders to report report re re- cancelled cancelled can can- abruptly were port to an army camp celled Richard Taussig an engineer German agent Is whose Identity as a n suspected but not yet et proved and Russell American engineer and and Porter a young his wife Sue Walking through tho the streets Is has a feeling she of San Juan Anne being followed Now she has Just met Miguel Valera CHAPTER IX Anne sipped the cool frosted daiquiri daiquiri daiquiri dai dai- quiri subtly blended with almond and rum that the waiter had put in front of them as soon as they sat down Miguel she said suddenly How U-How How strong is the Falange here He glanced at her calmly Its been disbanded Why do you ask I HI was just wondering Was your father a member of it Most of the Spanish people here were Were Vere you Im not Spanish Spanish Spanish-I'm Im I'm Puerto Rican Rican Rican Ri- Ri What can he said with a smile would you like to eat cat You'd better get used to Spanish food gradually What about some chicken soup and an I dont don't want you to have a stomach ache ache or or to get fat Anne could not tell when she first became aware of the woman in the black dress on the other side of the street L. L She was standing in front of a shop window looking at them through the open arcade Her eyes met Annes Anne's now and held them so intently that there was no possibility of being unaware unaware unaware un un- aware of her any longer It was not a hostile interest exactly but it was not friendly in any sense And most of the glances shed she'd met on the street had be been n very friendly indeed indeed heart heart so as a matter of fact The uThe people of Puerto Rico are extremely loyal to the United States Miguel was saying Independence Independence Independence Inde isn't a burning issue not now Statehood or some kind of dominion dominion dominion do do- minion sta status status- Miguel She interrupted him abruptly Who Who is that girl across the street She realized at the same time that she didn't want to know and that it was too late He was turning arou around d. d Her heart died slowly Why couldn't she have been a woman of I the world Or Latin Pete Wilcox sat in the office of the Assistant Chief of Staff G 2 at atthe atthe atthe the General Headquarters of the Puerto Rican Department He wondered wondered wondered won won- dered what the shades of the monks who had read their breviaries and told their beads along the cool interior galleries would think if they knew It didn't look much like a monastery now with the clerical force trooping out and the staff officers officers officers cers and uniformed soldiers closing up for the day He looked at the clock He was waiting vai in for Colonel Fletcher to get back from a meeting meeting meeting meet meet- ing with the local representative of the F. F B. B I. I He hadn't talked to Anne all day She was out the three times hed he'd called The message in m front of him that shed she'd meet him at the Granada at seven was cold comfort but it was comfort all aU the same He couldn't get her out of his head He lit a cigarette and opened the paper folder stamped SECRET There were two new items to go goin goin goin in it One was brought in at noon by a taxi driver the other later later later lat lat- lat lat- er by a ragged urchin who sold papers and lottery tickets The whole thing was a goo collection for less than three days Pete thought grimly If it weren't for Anne Her face was there in the folder looking up at him wide-eyed wide and wilful and very precious Im going bats he thought He picked up the two sheets of cheap tablet paper He was sick of all the spying ferrets slinking around reporting re- re reporting reporting re re- porting every move people made Pete lit a cigarette He heard Colonel Colonel Colonel Colo Colo- nel Fletchers Fletcher's quick firm tread coming coming coming com com- ing along the gallery He put the cigarette down and started to get up Sit Sit down Colonel Fletcher said snide Or bring brim that stuff and come in my office He hung up his sun helmet and put his swagger stick on the chair What about a couple of weeks' weeks leave while Miss Heywood is here Wilcox he said He sat down at his desk and looked up pleasant pleasant- ly There are plenty of us to carry on For an instant Petes Pete's face brightened brightened brightened bright bright- ened as if he were six and had been given a toy plane that flew Then he shook his head Thinks Thanks a lot sir Id I'd rather wait till later if its it's all right with you Just offhand he couldn't remember remember remember ber when hed he'd made a decision so totally opposed to his own best in in- in If it hadn't been for the folder Bolder folder in his hand he wouldn't have made made it If he went on leave he would be out of touch with what was going on If he stayed on the job maybe hed he'd be able to soften the blow keep blow keep her maybe from getting hurt Colonel Fletcher looked at him He had the idea for a moment of ordering him to take it anyway and giving a little sound advice while he was doing it He hesitated Wilcox and attractive chap chop was a pretty could probably hold his own Miguel Miguel Miguel Mig Mig- uel Valera was attractive too of course Still Stin Wilcox was tough enough to take it Suit yours yourself elI he said If you change your mind let me know What have you got there Sit down and have a cigarette Pete put the two slips of paper on the desk and sat down A translation translation translation tion had been typed at the bottom of each one Miguel Valera attended the meeting of the Society of the Spanish Spanish Spanish Span Span- ish Friends of the United States last night I do not know of my own I knowledge but it is said that he has been in New York undertaking to organize nationalist sentiment for Puerto Rican independence to collaborate collaborate collaborate col col- col- col with Central and South American groups under European fascist domination Don Alvaro Valera Valera Valera Va Va- lera was not present nor was Diego Diego has not been seen at any meeting since the toast was drunk to the fall of France It was not signed and was obviously obviously obviously written by an educated per per- son Colonel Fletcher looked at the second letter Miguel Valera visited the house of Sebastian Diaz Caleta San Juan at 11 1125 25 and left at 1246 S. 1246 S. S Sebastian Diaz he asked What do we have on him Hes the law in of the guy that stole the dynamite from Isla Grande Pete said They live in i I Q 7 1 L- L t I Y 1 r l a ai i y lj 4 Who Vho is 15 that girl ac across ross the street two rooms in one of those old houses down there He worked for a powder powder powder pow pow- der and explosive firm in New Jer Jer- sey Hes He's an old oIa employee of the Valera Central too Colonel Fletcher took the folder and ran through the other items filed in it He closed it and leaned back in his chair You went to that meeting last night Pete nodded He uHe was there all aU right All theold the theold theold old boys cheered him like mad He was about the only one they did but he was the only one who didn't make a winded long-winded harangue Maybe Maybe May May- be that's why Colonel Fletcher smiled Maybe May be He was silent for a moment Then he said What about your friend Taussig I thought you'd called off the Hounds of Hell Hen Pete said sardoni sardoni- cally I supposed you'd keep one eye open Colonel Fletcher answered dryly Its a little delicate If he finds out were we're w re on his trail therell there'll be a political uproar If If he did find it out it would practically prove it of course Innocent people dont don't know they're being watched Then Ive I've got an unofficial green un light Pete asked Orange Olange said Colonel Fletcher Just before the red one comes on It may land you on fatigue duty somewhere in Montana That's your problem I wont won't know anything about it Okay Okay sir Pete got up Then lets let's go and have a drink Youre You're sure you wouldn't like to take a couple of weeks leave instead in- in instead instead in in- stead Damned sure sir Anne settled comfortably down in inthe inthe inthe the front seat of Petes Pete's car and took a long relaxed breath This is wonderful Peter she said And it was It was the warm effortless ef of artless feeling she always had when she was with him She felt the same way when she came home after after after aft aft- er being away all summer curling her feet up under her in front of a winter night in the country He grinned at her and gave her ner hand a little squeeze What have you been doing all allday allday day he asked as soon as he could get his vocal cords straightened out The way she got in a car and the way she sat in the corner slightly facing him with her knees crossed as if she didn't care where they were going or if they went any place at all was something he always waited for Ive been sight-seeing sight and I went to the Country Club for a swim this afternoon Hows the story coming What story The uThe story Hawley sent you down downto to write Anne looked up at him in sur sur- prise Did he tell you No You did Pete grinned I was pretty sure of it anyway Youre a pig Captain Wilcox Anne said As a matter of fact I seem to have forgotten all about it Im I'm glad you reminded me Tell me about the Falange There isn't any And if there was its it's been written so many times its it's corny Ill I'll find you a stor story You spend your time at the Country Club Its It's cooler and pleasanter And nd you used to be so nice Anne said wearily She hadn't paid any attention to where they were going until Pete turned down a narrow street lined with cars the sidewalks full of people people people peo peo- standing aimlessly about She realized suddenly that she was going going going go go- ing to l again A sharp unhappy feeling of not wanting to togo togo togo go there with Pete just then did something odd to her throat like this place Pete said A man on the sidewalk motioned him to an empty space and the door Local touch for that old louse Hawley of The New York Chronicle Chroni Chroni- cle Miss Heywood Pete remarked taking her arm You give these birds a nickel and they watch your car all aU night If you dont don't they cut your tires or so Im I'm told They were back again where she and Miguel had been with the girl watching them from across t the e street The table they'd sat at was empty Anne passed it quickly and went to one in the corner under the towering majolica vase She sat down and glanced around so she wouldn't have to speak for a mo mo- ment It was funny how clear it had all aU been clearer been clearer than the present moment by far The nostalgic sentimental sentimental sentimental senti senti- mental ballad a Mexican girl was vas singing with the orchestra heightened heightened heightened height height- ened it sharply for her The room was pleasantly crowded gay and noisy That seemed to heighten it too Pete looked at her worried Hed He'd thought she would like it because he did And she he wasn't herself at all He watched her eyes moving around the room and saw them stop darkening an instant as they reached the bar He looked around A man in a wrinkled white linen suit was standing there his back to them In the mirror Pete caught a glimpse of is face He had se seen m them too and turned to nod smilingly smiling smiling- I ly at Anne His mouth reminded Pete of a barracuda thin and cruel and fish white in the 1 h h ar d 1 Y j u. u e reflected from the spotlight on the chanteuse His eyes were lost behind behind behind be be- hind the thick lenses of his cles your friend and shipmate the eminent plumber isn't it he remarked Sanitary engineer Captain Wilcox Wilcox Wil Wil- cox Anne retorted lightly And tourist extraordinary She sipped her flavored almond-flavored daiquiri What do we eat Podia Pete said Its everything everything everything every every- thing they have in the sea with a ashell ashell shell sheIl on it mixed up with rice and beans and stuff And a lobster cock cock- tail This is the first place Ive I've ever had all aU the lobster I could eat What about Maine Ive never been to Maine Mr Taussig had moved around to the end of the bar and was watching watching watching watch watch- ing them Pete could see him reflected reflected reflected re re- re- re in the mirrored pillar under the clock Tell me about Taussig Anne he saidI saidI said I thought you knew every everything thing thing- that's what you told me Then she does know something something something some some- thing Pete thought Maybe l it wasn't Valera after allI allI allI all I saw your friend Miguel at the meeting last night he remarked He said it casually to see how shed she'd shed she'd take it but he hadn't expected her herto herto herto to take it the way she did She looked at him blankly her lips parted a little the color receding re- re receding receding re re- ceding from her face She put her glass down Miguel Miguel at at the Falange Falange- Are you sure Pete Its not the Falange he said Its Ht'S the Sociedad del Amigos del Estados Unidos But you said last night night I III was just being funny No you weren't she retorted The color had come back into her face in two hot bright spots Look Pete Youve You've got to tell me Do Do you think think- I uI never think Pete said placid- placid ly Im in the th Army Were We're not allowed to to- to Stop it Pete Her voice was low and tense She was leaning forward her eyes wide and getting dark and hot Ive K g got cot cotto of I to know TO BE DE CONTINUED I Y |