Show n C 1 7 RIO L tl nEAN 4 I CONSPIRACY M J I I II BRENDA CONRAD c- c c- c I V t I I I 1 1 THE TUE STORY SO FAR FAU Anne Heywood beautiful daughter of a wealthy New NewYork NewYork York newspaper publisher goes to Puerto for her fathers father's on an assignment paper Also on the Island are arc Pete S WilcoT a reporter on her fathers father's paper pa pa- per now a U. U S. S Army Intelligence om t EL leer Miguel Valera a 3 Puerto RIcan educated edu edu- In the United States whose orders I 1 to report to an army camp were abruptly cancelled Richard Taussig an engineer engineerS German agent Is sus sus- S whose Identity as a but not yet proved and md Russell Hussell I Porter a young American engineer and andrs his wife Sue When she sho finds him Wm rs trailing Mr Tau Taussig to a r rendezvous Miguel Valera tells Anne ne he is a u. u 0 a. a agent then swears her to secrecy CHAPTER XII XH Pete Wilcox came out of the Bachelor Bachor Bach Bach- elor or Officers' Officers Quarters on the road lip o Morro above San Juans Juan's most r astonishing slum ironically known as asLa asLa asLa La Perla and walked along toward 10 Headquarters The fact that by this time everybody on the Post knew hed he'd had the Provost Marshal and the the Insular Police out looking for forne Anne ne Heywood when she was over at the dancing with Migel Miguel Mig Mig- uel el Valera didn't particularly bother him It was damned lucky Valera had run into her There were too I 1 many stories stones going around and while most of them weren't true tropical streets at night were no place for girls 1 He stopped at the bend in the wall to let a train of Army trucks go through the old military road along the rim of the hill above the A 1 A ocean t t n woman UI Ull me LUC ULU was watching him and without warning of any kind made a dash across between a couple of olive- olive drab motors Pete held his breath The driver swore jammed on his brakes and went ahead again Senor Wilcox Pete looked at her in surprise She wasn't as far as he knew either a a friend or an agent You know Miss Amer American Heywood Amer Heywood-Amer- ican girl Blonde Pete nodded The girls girl's eyes darkened He couldn't tell ten whether she was pleading pleading pleading plead plead- ing or angry or both Take her away she said pas pas- I dont don't know very good English She must go back to Amer Amer- ica Understand Pete scratched the back of his head Yeah I understand all right t. t Why The girl dropped her hands in despair I dont don't know how to say she cried She have to go Will ViII get hurt She broke into a torrential flow of Spanish Pete stood listening blank blank- ly You understand All he had got was that Anne was going around with Miguel Valera that it was dangerous that she was warning him so he could make her hergo hergo hergo go back to America She turned and hurried across the street and n the cor corner without without looking back Pete stood watching her That he said aloud is a big help Pete hung up his sun helmet and went to his desk There was something something something some some- thing about the melodramatic business business business busi busi- ness of shooting a rival that was ludicrous on the whole Nevertheless less the girl had been in dead ear ear- nest It worried him At the same time it put him on a spot If he asked for any kind of protection for her after last night they wouldn't even wait till he got out to laugh And he couldn't very well warn her Or could he He glanced up as a soldier came out of Colonel Fletchers Fletcher's office with witha a sheaf of papers The Colonel said you'd check these sir I Thank you He glanced through them On the fourth from the top he saw Miguel Valeras Valera's name in the second line of v I Tonight at o'clock I was in Padilla Street Miguel Valera y Delgado Delgado Delgado Del Del- gado got out of his car and went into Avenida Juan de and waited there I do not know why but I saw an American lady come comein comein comein in the he street alone Miguel Valera y Delgado went down the street I thought the American lady was lost but but when I spoke she was afraid and ran after Miguel Valera y Delgado Delado Del Del- gado ado and followed him in to the thedoor thedoor thedoor door of the stores of the sugar and coffee agents Albert Benoist It was dark and they were there a long time ime and came out together I report report report re re- re- re I port this not because I have pert perk antipathy to Miguel Valera y Delgado or because I wish to injure the good name of the American la lady lady la- la dy but because I have been instructed instructed instructed in in- to tell what I know about Miguel Valera y Delgado by people who believe he is of the anti Ameri can party Pete put the paper down He could get sorer at Anne h Heywood W wj was than at anybody else in in the world At the moment however he wasn't exactly sore It was Js something ing he couldn't define f She bhe didn didn't t know what she was letting letting let let- ting herself in for of course Nobody No No- body but a Latin maybe would so instantly suspect the worst and say it either directly or by implication But she was in a Latin country and it was time she was finding it out The phone r rang mg as he was reaching reaching reach reach- ing for it He took up the receiver Captain Wilcox speaking he said curtly This is Miss Heywood speaking captain captain and and wishing to apologize for last night Pete caught his breath Everything Everything Every Every- thing inside him melted It was what her voice always did to him Wont Vont you even speak to me Pete Im I'm horribly sorry she was saying saing I 1 just wanted to ItO tell you so before I go out Im I'm going to the Valera Sugar Central to see them grind the cane Anne had been sound asleep when the phone on the table rang noisily She struggled through the entanglement entanglement entanglement entangle entangle- ment of cloth cheese-cloth pulled the back under and said Hello Her heart gave a n little leap It was Miguel Did I wake you did Im I'm Its UIt's a good thing you supposed to be going to your your our sugar mill this morning Did you know The darkness an and the dream had gone With the brilliant sunlight on the liquid cobalt world through the window she forgot the illusory terror of the night It no longer had any meaning as pain has none when its it's gone It was just something something something some some- thing shed she'd dreamed because shed she'd eaten a lot of the lobster and clams and things all aU mixed up in saffron- saffron colored oil and rice nee I UI heard it last night when I got home Miguel said why I called Why not put it off until to- to p r 4 1 4 Tell him Mrs Russell Porter is downstairs morrow so I 1 can go along My father father fa fa- ther and I have to go to Ponce on the south coast today Id I'd like to tobe tobe tobe be along to show you around That would be wonderful Anne said warmly Good Then Ill I'll see you tonight About eight She put the phone back and sat with her feet crossed under her whistling softly About eight That was twelve hours which wasn't very long really She stretched her hands up and made little waves of thin convex ceiling of her cheesecloth cheesecloth cheese cheese- cloth box Just being alive was marvelous marvelous marvelous mar mar- And she didn't have to be disturbed about going out with Diego Diego Diego Di Di- ego and Mr Taussig It was stupid to worry about things They always worked out somehow She thought of Pete and glanced at atthe the e. e clock I It was too oo early arly to call him yet She ordered breakfast breakfast breakfast break break- fast and got up to take a shower while she waited for it At past half-past eight the phone rang again him now she thought going over to the table But it It was Graciela Her voice over the phone was high- high pitched so that it was difficult to understand her English which was much less fluent than her fathers father's or orDon orDon Don Alvaros Alvaro's even Finally Anne made it out Don Alvaro and Miguel Miguel Miguel Mig Mig- uel had found before they left that they wouldn't be able to get back perhaps not for several days Her father had asked her to call caU and tell Anne they'd decided to go ahead with the trip They would call for her at eleven For an instant Anne hesitated Something of the feeling of the dream slipped across her mind as asa asa asa a frail wisp of mist sifts across a country road early in the morning It was gone as quickly All right she said Ill be ready She put the phone down picked it up again and asked for Headquarters at Fortress El EI Morro Two hours later she stopped at atthe atthe atthe the desk to get her mail It wasn't eleven yet and being Spanish they'd i probably be late anyway She crossed the thc lobby and sat down to read her mothers mother's letter Darling Darling Do Do you remember Sue Lattimer I saw her mother at lunch at the Colony yesterday She says Sue and her husband are down there where you are and that Sue adores I it She's so enthusiastic about the country and the people and her husbands husband's husbands husband's hus bus bands band's work Mrs Lattimer her Lattimer-her her names name's something else now but Ive I've forgotten it it-hasn't it hasn't ever really forgiven forgiven forgiven for for- given her for marrying It was somebody Porter wasn't it And I gather she thinks Sue is just being perverse in being happy on thirty- thirty five hundred dollars a year I must say the little I saw of Sue when you were at school together I never thought the child had it in her her A. A n nA h nth r J a u vu ji UL ers er's vigorous scrawl were a little misty suddenly Poor little Sue Sue Sue- hating it like poison and too proud and too loyal to Russell to let her mother know it Anne looked up not quite sure she was seeing prop prop- erly enly Sue herself was crossing the lobby toward the deskIs deskIs desk Is uIs Mr Taussig aussig in she asked brightly Tell him Mrs Russell Porter is downstairs She turned and saw Anne Her face flushed a little Oh hello Anne She turned quickly to the telephone operator Never mind Thanks Her smile as she came came over to Anne was too bright to be altogether convincing How are you darling What an adorable dress and I love your shoes I haven't had any really decent clothes since my trousseau wore out What are you doing Why dont don't you come out to the Club and play golf with us and have lunch Im going out to Valera Central to see how they make sugar Anne said Mr Taussig's going too Sues Sue's transparent little girls girl's face fell Oh really When will you yoube yoube yoube be back This afternoon some time I sup sup- pose Why U dont don't you bring him over overto overto overto to our house to tea Sue brightened instantly Not me angel Anne replied Frankly I dont don't like your friend Mr T. T And the less I see of him the better I like him Oh Anne youre you're youre you're being perfectly perfect perfect- ly foul The tears sprang to her eyes He thinks youre you're splendid intelligent and beautiful He said so the other night And even if you dont don't like him couldn't you yoube yoube yoube be nice to him just for us Its It's so horribly important I dont don't think hes he's very attractive either but but but- Anne said Mr Taussig was getting out of the elevator He didn't see them until he got to the desk Then he turned and came over beam beaming ng cordially Good morning Mrs Porter He held out his hand Ive been trying trying trying try try- ing to find a moment to pay a party call to thank you for one of the evenings had for a along along along long time He hardly more than noticed Anne She sat watching Sue being cornflower eyed and breathlessly ea ea- ea- ea ger Shed She'd hoped Anne would play golf that morning but it was wonderful won won- de ful really having such a mar mar- chance to see a sugar millAnd millAnd millAnd mill And if youre you're not too awfully late getting back Mr Taussig why dont don't you bring Anne over for tea It seemed to Anne to have the most convincing spontaneity Im afraid Miss Heywood is too popular to waste much of her time on me Mr Taussig replied urbane urbane- ly But I shall shaH certainly come With Miss Heywood or without her if I may That would be lovely Sue cried Mr Taussig turned to Anne And you Miss Heywood are Heywood-are are you ready for an educational tour of the Islands Island's Islands Island's Islands Island's Is Is- lands land's chief industry It was wonderful Anne Annc was think think- ing Mr Taussig was a perfect emulsion of paternal kindness and gentleman of all the world He probably felt that way too she thought just as he could stop and pick up a cat and stroke it while he was doing business in a deserted store on an empty street busi busi- ness that whatever it was was sufficiently sufficiently sufficiently suf suf- nefarious to interest an undercover un un- undercover der-cover der agent from the Var War Department Department De De- in Washington On second thought shed she'd tell teU Miguel about him and Sue Sue was hell bent for forcall forcall call caU it collaboration she thought Like a butterfly collaborating with a aboa aboa aboa boa constrictor Mr Taussig could iTe be e charming however when he put his mind to it She was aware of that as the big shiny black limousine with Graciela Graci Graci- ela cia between them and Diego Gon- Gon garo in the folding seat in the middie middle middle mid mid- dle die of the car sped it seemed perilously perilously peri pen fast through the narrow curving curving curving ing road canopied ants and Indian almonds toward Central Valera He was not only charming he was amazingly well informed He knew the names of all the trees trees the the silk-cotton silk tree the lignum vitae the violet tree the tree candle-tree the He knew all the flowers too and when they stopped at the market for a moment mo mo- ment meat in Rio Piedras he knew know the J Jobo obo and the sour sop the star appie apple apple ap ap- pie and the custard apple He knew the guinea grass in the fields the different kind of palms and the water water wa wa- vater va- va ter hyacinths in the river under a narrow bridge He knew all about the economic struggle of the Island the value of cane crops coffee pineapple pineapple pineapple pine pine- apple grapefruit and tobacco Graciela restive under the flow of bE information that fascinated Anne Acne stared straight ahead of her her hands folded in her lap TO BE DE CONTINUED |