Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-02-23

mans-chest look and thought I'd better not,
by myself"
They went at once passing the disgruntled
Garcia who was waiting faithfully at the foot
OF the stairs for her cry for help, and pres
emily faced each other across q battered table
IN the dim and sinister interior. Even the
geraniums growing in dented rusty cans on the
window sills had a rakish slant. After they
were settled in their places he asked her what
she had meant that day they barged into each
other round the corner, about happy dust"
"Oh, yes. You see, I'd been living so long in
place drenched in fog everything about this
place looked happy in the sun, even the dust"
Happy dust" he told her, was one of the
names for dope in the jargon Of criminals.
He was engaging, she told herself! Frank
Merriweni Bang, bang,-and ID more redskins
bit the dust!
later to give him final instructions. Coca Cora,
the old operative said, was beginning to give
up. . little. He figured she'd come through still
better pretty soon though she was game. He
had to hand it to her. She would write the
messages to Garini which would be forwarded
TO Reddfng to be mailed from San Juan The
play was to make both buyer and seller believe
that Coca Cora was on the spot in the mission
town, SO that the delivery would be made there.
Hennissey and his crew would be on hand, OF
course, with an augmented force and they would
make dazzling cleanup Of the ring.
Days slipped by-hot, sunny, breezy days
Of golden dust Miss Deering and young Red
ding took long morning walks. spent long after
Moons IN the drowsy plaza, long evenings in the
tiny tin theater (ancient and unsteady films
giving him no further trouble) and talking
together on the long upper veranda Of the hotel
A, special delivery letter from the chief
crashed harshly into the idyu. c. c. had
stitched. She had come across good and plenty
Notes were inclosed The sale was to be made
ae San Juan ON the third NIGHT following at
he RnYl rYsV,a
would come from Los Angeles In an airplane,
the buyers would motor down from San Fran
cisco in an armored car, with machine gun.
II wish" young Reddng told Diana earnestly,
that you'd go up to town or down to Carmel
tor few days until it's over"
she stared at him "what!"
He repeated his fervent desire. There was no
danger to her. but
She shook her head. '7Veverl How can you
ask such preposterous thing3"
He need tell her nothing further: let him he
able to look his chief in the eye and say that
no one knew the final details But she wasn't
going to leave the scene Of action that was
thatI
They passed a nervous high-keyed day, and
eventually the hours inched by and It was eve
ming She was sure. from the leashed anxiety
m his eyes. that the Federais had not come
Sne ionged ardentiy TO know the details Of the
plan: would they come early and hide? Would
eney follow the car Of the San Francisco gang?
R EDDING bade her goodnight at 8 o'clock
and hoped she would rest well She
thanked him and went obediently to her room
and wrote five letters which had been ON her
conscience for weeks and read three meaty and
nour1shing essays in solid book, and then
hung herself, fully dressed, upon the bed. star
ing wide-eyed for an hour at the chinks OF
moonlight in the old-fashioned shutters.
Suddenly with a muttered word she sprang
up, pulled dark sweater over her head, tugged
close black hat over her bob, took from the
closet the walking-stick which had been her
fathers and went always with her on her
journeys and adventures slipped downstairs and
went out hugging the shadows, stunning the
bright areas, silent on rubber soles.
Fiattened against the mission wall she stood
stiL catching her breath at the sheer loneliness
Of the scene. 1t was light enough TO read print
and the plaza swan in q sea of quicksilver. IL
was 700 utterly beautiful page out Of the past
70 De the scene for ugly modern violence
NO tfniest sound broke the silence Where