Red Lodge daily news combined with Carbon County news., 1932-07-06
Chapter %
HATE

Chapter 20
SUPPRESSED HATE
UTF YOU'LL excuse US, Wen go out
l. on the porch" Jerry told Ash
wood. We find the room crowded"
He turned to Nancy, who repress-
ing a start Of surprise, rose instantly
and put her arm thru his.
Why not, indeed?' agreed the
cripple. Il think it is duly recorded
in the Book of Etiquette that the
young couple should invariably sit
for an hour or two gazing starry
eyed at the moonlight, if any"
Jerry stood there in hesitation, his
self-control worn to a thin edge by
the subtle taunts. If Ashwood had
only been of Lucci's build! What
pleasure he would take in beating him
down. Nancy's slight pressure on his
arm brot him back to reason. He
wife out into the darkness.
Hamilton swept his seven rows of
cards together, placed the deck
meticulously in the upper left corner
of the table and, murmuring a con-
ventional WORD of apology, left the
room.
The wide, comfortable porch, in the
utter quiet Of the tropic night, was
like a haven of peace after the throb-
bling intensity of the living room.
Nancy stepped to the rail, silently
surveying the long, sparkling path of
moonlight across the black waters.
What do you think Ashwood viii
do, Jerry2' she whispered.
Il don't know, Nancy" he answer
he only thing I'm sure of. I'm get
ting so | don't know what anyone
will do. We're all strained to the
swapping point. Word has p%ercolated
thru the crowd that Ashwood is fly
ing away from here tomorraw.
There's been a lot of activity al the
hangar all afternoon. One-shot and
Hamilton have asked me a dozen
times whether we're going to be re-
leased tomorrow or not. Ashwood has
said nothing about it and they're all
afraid We're going to be left here
while ne gets away. If we have an
other hot night tonight, there's no
telling what may happen. The whole
place vibrates with suppressed hate"
IF he takes me away tomorrow,
I'll jump out Of his plane" she
burst out passionately. land if I'm
tied in; I'll jump overheard from his
yacht tomorrow night"
He won't take you away he
declared firmly. THE first move he
makes towards you in the morning
III grab him with my two HANDS and
~ a his DUN Dtl0it Iulo EudIuS can
pull a trigger. If | were positive he
still had it In his mind I'd walk right
in there and do it now"
please. Jerry" she whispered
Aren't things bad enough now with
out your adding to them before it
becomes necessary
He made no reply, being afraid that
If he spoke at all, it would be to say
too much. He dared not even look at
her cameo-like profile, lest he loose
the words which trembled upon his
lips. For some moments they stood
there in silence. At last:
Nancy, you-you aren't worrying
about-tonight, are your
Il don't know, jerry she con-
fessed, hardly above a whisper. II
was watching Ashwood's face when
he listened to your announcement.
He's going to make 1t as difficult as
he can for us, If only out of a per-
verse wish for revenge"
well" he ventured, cursing him
self for his fumbling about in a
difficult situation, wen have to
make a pretense Of being really
married, you know, or all this BUSH
won't do any good"
Why couldn't ne express himself to
girls as he could to men? Ii he were
talking to a fellow, now, he'd have
no trouble. But here he was found
tIilB IKE Il SHY hlul MAKING IL more
for her instead of less. His
cheeks were hot, 100. 1t was fortunate
that the night hid his face. He'd
give his share of the reward, right
now, if Lucci or Mallory were to
stride out on the porch and give him
someone to poke at.
Listen, Nancy he added. "You
go to bed early. After you've gone
to sleep I'll just creep in and stretch
myself OF the floor right against the
door. You'll never know I've been
there"
She was still silent. The pause
seemed interminable.
soothingly. but by tomorrow night
it'll probably be all over
she suddenly became rigid and
thru the darkness.
"Look!" she whispered, clutching
arm There's someone down
there in the palm grove crawling on
hands and knees"
He peered in the direction indi-
Gated and saw a faint blur against
the darkened background Of the trees.
he watched, 1t moved, progress
sing very slowly thru the sawgrass
the black bulk Of the hangar.
That may be the blrd who killed
ed. You stay right here on the porch
until / come back
please, please be careful, Jerry"
she whispered. /
He pressed her hand reassuringly,
then vaulted over the rail, landing
with cat-like silence on the resilient
In another instant, he vas tip
toeing in the direction taken by the
crawling man. Hurrying at first, then
his pace as he caught sight
Of the man he was pursuing, he drop
ped to his hands and knees, creeping
cautiously from the shelter Of one
palm trunk to another. Sand hurrs
punctured his knees, elbows and bare
hands like a thousand tiny needles.
The hangar was not far distant, now.
He heard a faint hiss from the man
before him. A door In the aide OF the