The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1932-10-21
CHAPTER l


She stood at the dressing table
in the small hotel room and counted
the money Tony had thrust upon
her, with hands that shook. She did
not glance into the mirror as many
women would have done, yet her
young face, although blind with fear,
deserved the tribute of a personal
appraisal.
1t was very early in the morning.
She had come, alone, 10 the hotel
in Oakland the night before. Tony
had told her to go there. Its quiet,
seer" he'd said, they'll be watching
the hotels in San Francisco. Regis
ter as-as-Miss Smith" He'd
smiled, she remembered incredul-
ously, white teeth flashing in the
dark, intent face. "Ivc made your
plane reservations" he went on,
Miss Smith. They'll be watching
the big commercial airports. too.
This is safer"
He had given her few tense,
terse directions, risen from his chair
at the plain deal table, bent over
her moment, kissed her stunned,
cold lips into something resembling
life and then, Goodbye, kid" he'd
said easily, happy landings! Watch
the Eastern papers for a personal
When I get out of this mess I'll find
you again. Don't worry!" From the
doorway of that little Darkroom in
the speakeasy he'd waved to her,
still sitting there. There was no one
else in the room. Tony had seen to
that. There, in the doorway, his lips
had moved once more making no
sound. But she'd thought they had
formed the words-"forgive me-"
She couldn't forgive him. She
couldn't forgive herself.
She counted the money again.
Four thousand dollars. Some day
she would pay it back. How? When?
To whom?
She put the bills in her handbag.
Looked, once, briefly, into the mir
ror, a mechanical gesture. Pulled her
small felt hat closer over the broad
forehead.
Her skin was satin in texture. 1t
was, amazingly, golden; partly gift
of nature in benevolent mood,
partly bestowal of the years lived
under the hot Hawaiian sun. Against
such skin her eyes were as blue as
turquoises, her hair heavy, blue
black, and her mouth wound Of
crimson.
She was girl at whom the pass
erby would look twice this
Miss Smith"
She turned from the dresser;
walked across the room to the bed
and snapped her overnight case shut,
picked up a tweed top coat and put
it over her arm. She was very
plainly, very correctly dressed. Her
suit, matching the top coat, was Of
dark blue, her fine Isle stockings,
small Oxfords, her gloves, smart
and serviceable.
She was ready to check out. She
went downstairs and asked for her
bill. The clerk gave it to her incuri-
ously, accepted the money she hand
ed him and said something conven-
tional and pleasant in farewell. The
one uniformed factotum of the hotel
took her bag out and called taxi
for her.
On the way to the private flying
field she sat we'll back in the cab,
her hat pulled low, her hands twisted
together in her lap. Panic rode her
like nightmare; panic greyed the
golden skin. whitened the curved red
mouth, clouded the eyes of tur-
quoise. Panic was her familiar, her
travelling companion, panic ate and
walked and slept with her and had
done so for these last few hideous
days.
A newsboy jumped on the run
ming board as they slowed tip in
traffic with early editions. cali About
the Mystery Woman" he howled,
get your paper-all about the big
gang killing. ="
The cab went onward with a jerk.
The newsboy dropped off. Now
Miss Smith" was perfectly white,
white to the lips.
If someone should see her ;?
recognize her 81. ;? as "Tony's
girl!