Nogales international., 1932-02-06
Fourth Tnstalment

Sandal, surrcptiously enters the girls home
one night He tells her he used to call al, her her
desire to see life in the raw and to become
part of her mothers society. Her father
studies her surroundings. :. :,
Lynda visits her father in his dingy
when she arrives. One of them. Jock Ayle,
ward, her father tells her, is like . son to
him. but warns the girl he is a triAer.
Lynda pays . second visit to her father
and Jock takes her home, o., the way stop
! JOck asks her to dance. aS
NOW GO ON WITH 1HE STORY.
She rose. He took her into his
arms SO tightly that she could hardly
i breathe. ~
H., "Doa'ti I can't danes that
/ way-picase."
"Oh, I forgot. Let me sec. Sure.
This il the way, isn't it," And he
moved with her out on the floor.
dancing with the case, the pride and
the smoothness of a gentleman. And
he danced beautifully. 20
Abruptly, irrelevantly, she found
herself thinking that she was glad
he was young. Really young, supple
and quick, not dry and stiff like
Felix Kent, with his strong wooden
body and thick hot mouth.
Jock had his eyes upon hers. He
must have felt their sudden change
to gladness for his gray eyes were
ardent, bold. They came closer. She
drew back her face. He was erect
again. She glanced nervously over
her shoulder They were far from
4 the small table, dancing with thee
other couples at the larger end of
the room where it opened into a
sort of aicove or bay.
/ Aren't there some very queer
sort Of people here tonightf" asked
Lynda. u
"Are there7 I hadn't noticed it."
Look now, that big man with a
! white scar; dancing with the woman
in-irl-shoulder straps"
"In and out of 'em, chr Well,
yes, you might perhaps cali him
queer. He's Toni Padrona. Just
out"
'sOf the hospital? That's why he
looks so gaunt perhaps
"From up the river. He got off
with two years"
Lynda stopped. Her hand fell
! from that supple shoulder.
"Oh, can't stay here, Mr.. Ayie-
ward. | can't stay in a room with
! with criminals!".
"Hullo!" said Jock. go easy. If
| Mr. Padrona heard you he might
resent it,
I my father" said Lynda ready to
! weep, would certainly not want ME
| to be here, Mr.. Aylcward."
He gave her queer long glance
and took her back to the table
silently" He called for his check.
Lynda was distressed.
II haven't asked you :. you've
told me nothing about Nick"
Maybe you'd better leave it to
him. He would like to tell you HIM
self perhaps
Lynda looked at him graveiy and
cooily, resting her chin on her hands
in imitation of other women in the
room.
/ Jock shrugged. Apologies You
won't dance just once more?"
/ Lynda was tempted. ''If you will
promise not to, let me touch that
man."
! mot touch the jailbird, eh?"
/ She shuddered. "Ycs."
] "All right" But he looked so
queer and hard and so dangerous
that she found it difficult to let her
self be held by him. 1t was, how
ever, the most guarded and careful
/ dance she had yet had. He seemed
to shield her from all the other
dancers by making himself some
thing less than human than a living
man.
! WED better pull out OF this" /"
! Jock muttered.
He tried to steer her back along
and across the room. A hand
touchcd her. "Lend me the gfrlic.
I Jock-iH-t Box, :" said, hoarse
soice. ..jnse for the end Of the
Ssorry, Toni. SHE'S = j: lt:ised, w.s.
DittinG OUT = .4- /.
.oS, no. We are ! not : Come me on,
Il wilt not dance. with you"
kynQa voice. .hcr lace. n6T apufft-
ing lips were altogether too cxprcs-
sive. The bis-faced man stepped
back from her with an audible in-
take Of his breath and a black flush,
One second later Jock struck him
IN the face. ~
! Lynda did not know what he had
tone She could not understand what
he had said. She knew only the sick
ness of fright and shane-to be
standing there alone in the excited
shouting room while these beasts
fought for her.
Luckily Toni had no great desire
for publicity. He gracious1y allowed
himself to be held back from a MUIR.
dcrous-looleing Jock who did no.
come to his senses until he had beer
forced back by two walters and hele
for a minute against the wall. Thet
he shrugged and grinned and prom
ised peace and came over to tn,
scared girl. Together they hurried
out into the street.