Show SHE SH ID A S py SYLVIA TAYLOR TOE THE STORY SO FAR join joan leland secretary to a arthur If mulford fullard san frn fran elseo we importer import er Is 1 amazed and acry be hen be dl 41 her and nd refuses any her s ter sybil with whom it be shares bare an apartment loses her beau if y sjon position the same day join joan accepts a position in a night club as secretary to handsome karl miller who pays her ber a high salary la in advance and div t S the he unusual hours as the reason be obtains obtain a job ob lor for sybil and makes love to join joan who Is fascinated paul sherdian his manager interrupts them interns later to invite joan to dinner with th him joan meeta meet karls partner erie eric strom both paul and eric seek 10 make dates with joan on one sunday sanjay when hen karl eric and joan were at dinner karl Is called to the tele abone he then asks joan to come to the office for some dictation she writes one short letter and nd karl suggests she be to home hanne in a taxi 1 I while she Is waiting paul paol shows up in his car she tells him she te had bad forgotten her purse now continue with the story CHAPTER V ill get it for you paul offered and let karl know youre taking me home oh no ill go myself joan wondered why everything seemed to interfere with her romance with karl both paul and eric seemed bent on making trouble but she could not be rude to paul after all karl seemed to like him the door of the club was unlocked as she slipped in and hurried down the corridor afterwards she wondered what instinct prompted her to pause for a moment as she stood with aith her hand on the doorknob of karl millers office the hall was dark save for the crack of light beneath the door an open window beside her led to a fire escape where the rain tell fell noisily on the metal balcony perhaps her hesitation was due to the fear that karl would be angry with her perhaps the uneasy feeling that he might discover paul was taking her home but joan paused and her heart was beating heavily it seemed a long time but in reality it was only a few seconds that she stood there listening to eric stroms voice ilia ja karl bittel f karls reply was harsh nel nein ri nein kein Es verboten ver boten joan did not understand but instinctively her hand drew back from the door this was a private conversation karl would not want her to hear but her nervous gesture had made a small sound which karl millers ear caught immediately he threw open the door with a violent gesture joani what are you doing 1 I forgot my purse she faltered feeling eric stroms sardonic eyes upon her karrs karls relieved smile reassured her of course here it is joan made a hasty exit closing the door quickly behind her but as the she walked down the dark hall she realized that she was shivering 0 0 0 the matter paul demanded as joan got in the car youre as white as a ghost nothing but the girls hands were clasped nervously lets go 90 home please joan tried to tell herself that nothing was wrong just because karl and eric strom had been speaking in their native tongue was no cause for alarm but she found herself saying to paul do you speak german so it you overheard karl you answered my question 11 and I 1 am not going to paul said firmly as he stopped the car in front of her apartment building do you mind m ind if I 1 come in tor for a minute joan was not very gracious about it she was tired and confused the last thing she wanted was to be forced to listen to pauls subtle insinuations against karl paul however settled himself comfortably before the fire lit a cigarette and said joan why dont you quit working forking at the club she stood before him green eyes harrowed Ira Car rowed with anger her head high I 1 dont think its any of your business ness what I 1 do or where I 1 work im tired of your insinuations if you have anything against karl miller why dont you come out and say ay so why I 1 work for hira him she threw her hat on the table and td smoothed her hair in front of the e mirror over the fireplace paul lose osband and touched her arm in sorry coant I 1 guess I 1 used k the e wrong approach I 1 suppose from your point of view im meddling where I 1 have no right to their eyes met in the mirror his lace ce was unsmiling the brown eyes serious you dont seem like the type of girl to be working for karl miller club SS you dont belong at the T in sick 1011 ot of hearing that th g everyone say ai im old enough to know what IM doing alg I 1 dont fram need advice from om anyone anyone 1 I ans ay oil are a a very 7 stubborn woman w paul laughed light the room asom was cheerful ful in the fire the polished phed brass shone and tas a large la alue ue bowl ol of ins furnishings lent a gay note to the somber ayou do you live ve here alone with roy MY sister sybil 16 1 1 A 0 A please joan cried exasperated Is there any good reason why I 1 work for karl and she approve of your working for karl either cleasel Pl easel joan cried exasperated Is there any good reason why I 1 work for karl kari do you know something against him paul stared into the fire but he was silent then you dont know anything it joan continued paul tossed his cigarette into the flames okay joan you win I 1 cant say any more but remember this watch your will you thanks for the advice its for your own good P paul aul sherman said picking up his hat how about that date tomorrow night joan smiled faintly dont you ever give up I 1 told you I 1 go they stood at the door measuring each other with their eyes pauls a mask that told her nothing joans challenging him defying him to speak one word against karl miller 1 I wont bother you any more then paul said quietly good goo j night in the bedroom sybil was propped up in her bed wearing a blue satin bed jacket reading a magazine was that karl no paul sherman giving me some good advice about working at the club he think im the type what whatever evir that means she slipped into her warm bathrobe and sat down on the edge of her sisters bed 1 I met karls partner eric strom tonight he tried to make a date with me too its a shame the way everyone tries to double cross karl how in the world did you happen to come home with paul joan explained but did not mention what she had overheard when she went back to get her purse before she could finish the telephone rang karl millers voice came forcefully over the wire joan you are home safely yes ive been home for some time she smiled picturing karl on the other end of the line how sweet that he could be so concerned 1 I just wanted to be sure that you were all right good night darling it was the first time that he had called her darling her pulse leaped at the unfamiliar endearment we will not work tomorrow karl informed her we shall hake have dinner together alone joan went back to the bedroom with shining eyes to tell sybil then you wont meet paul of course not I 1 anyway joan had not considered the possibility lity that karl miller might take her to dinner at the same place paul suggested but as they walked into the lobby of the hotel paul had mentioned joan saw him coming out of the bar he nodded pleasantly as he passed them and joan breathed a sigh of relief their meal was almost finished when joan saw paul again he was sitting alone at a corner comer table directly behind karl when they left joan looking over her shoulder saw paul behind them was he deliberately following her was this his idea of a joke but joan did not tell karl he might have discharged paul and she did not want him to lose his job on her account karl drove swiftly along the embarcadero bar cadero have you ever been on a freighter he asked the girl at his side like to see one id love it she answered sweet thing he reached for her hand they stopped at pier 27 joan could see sec the hulk of a small ship looming out of the mist karl took her arm as they walked through a large storeroom out into the foggy I 1 night and up the swaying gangplank of the freighter on deck she followed karl up a narrow staircase to the captains quarters but though a lamp burned brightly in the cabin there was no sign of the captain joan w was as intrigued by the round wooden table the small desk the faded curtains that inadequately draped the portholes port holes anyone on board she asked drawing closer to karl there are a couple of sailors below I 1 saw them as we came up well wait here a few minutes do you mind no its karl walked to the table poured some whisky out of an old fashioned crystal decanter and quickly downed it this ship has been to 0 south america all through the west indies even to japan how id love to go to some of those places im so tired of living such an ordinary life just eating and sleeping and working day after day she moved her hands with an impatient gesture her figure was straight and slender in its black wool dress her face pale ivory with its eager mouth and flashing emerald eyes karl miller caught his breath as he looked at her id like to take you to south america dar darling lingl maybe I 1 can some day would you like to have me show you the world more than anything she cried recklessly oh karl he pressed her hand to his lips youre beautiful he murmured youre beautiful and exciting and I 1 love you lieb chent do you know what liebchen means it is sweet hearal it is what you are to me mel his arms were around her lieb cheal this foreign word held a curious fascination for her it was like karl strong strange and sweet you believe me joan you believe me the drone of foghorns fog horns seemed a mournful undercurrent to her rapidly beating heart yes karl I 1 believe you As karls arms closed about her joan heard a faint sound outside the cabin door startled she cried what was that karl did you hear it probably one of the sailors but his hand reached to the inside pocket of his coat and he walked swiftly to the door and flung it open there was no one the stairway leading down to the deck was empty karl looked out into the dark night you must have imagined it no one is there 1 I heard something I 1 know I 1 did oh karl lets get out of here you can see your friend some other time cant you his voice was controlled just as you wish but as she preceded him down the steps joan saw a figure disappear into the shadows of the deck and even in the fog she could see that it was paul sherman Sherma nl three weeks had passed since the night joan went to the freighter with karl and was followed by paul sherman she had not mentioned it to karl she wanted to solve the mystery of pauls curious behavior for herself she was surie sue that paul meant no harm looking over karls appointment book she saw that paul sherman would be at the club at ten thirty that night im going to try to see him alone she decided and demand an explanation if he tell me IU ill threaten to go to karl about itla it her relationship with karl could not have been more perfect since the night on the freighter when he told her he loved her she felt much closer to him at least three evenings a week karl took her dancing on sundays they went for long rides across the golden gate bridge into marin county where the trees flashed their autumn reds and browns in the deep november sunshine only sybil was able to shatter her peace by saying if karl is really in love with you why he ask you to marry him he probably will joan said stubbornly in time after all we known each other very long karl not once had mentioned marriage you still dont trust karl do you joan asked as the girls washed the supper dishes TO BE CONTINUED |