Red Lodge daily news combined with Carbon County news., 1932-06-09

- 6hi otppu IN a tiny palcn or shade
al n n OF lthe porch, covering
from the all-entmpassing heat. She
vas young ancr beautiful, with the
straight, slendeEs figure OF a hoy. For
the thousandth lime she STUDIED the
scores OF stands to north, EAST and
south. then turned her gaze toward
the sharply-edged segments OF hor-
izon between two islands to the west.
The flash of hope hat always lighted
those brown eye when she began her
frequent surveys faded into hopeless
ness.
She leaned against the porch rail-
ing. forgetting everything but the
heat ana the ever growing tention In
the house. Those little patches OF
mangrOve-covered sand might never
know the touch Of human foot nor
those shimmering waters h splash
OF paddle or beat of propeller. The
twenty-acre island upon which the
house stood seemed utterly lost amid
an uninhabited Archipelago OF island
dotted sea. The madhouse Of which
this porch was a part might burst
into flames and disintegrate under
the torrid heat, together with its
company of desperate men, n the
outside world might never O She
shiyered, altho the very air scorched
her like the blast from an open door.
An hour more before the malev-
olent sun would drive into the sea
with tropic haste. Then one would lie
able to breathe. The tension which
bound the island like an iron band
would relax. The men would become
almost normal. remembering their
stations in life before they We're set
dow on this 'sun-ridden, hate-mad
spot.
Enjoying yourself, Nancy" A sar-
donic voice came from behind her
shoulder. She wheeled, her hand on
her breast.
lOrN >" she challenged him coldly.
Mallory teetered unsteady on his
feet. His close clipped red hair was
awry, his jade-green eyes bloodshot.
His broad shoulders sagged YEARLY.
| Lack of exercise and too much drink
was taking its toll upon a figure
which had, but three weeks ago, been
1.-THE and hard-muscled. Here there
were no polo fields with spirited pom
les and pretty women, no hand ball
courts with showers n experienced
rubbers. no golf links with frosted
highhalls at the nineteenth hole. or
all of these, only two were left. the
~highballs and one pretty oma So
to both he had devoted himself assid-
uously, the drink without restraint,
the woman to the limit of her pat
fence. Now he stared openly at Nancy
and smirked.
No, not drunk yet he said. Per
haps a little later His mood changed
suddenly. His irritable voice betrayed
a man whose nerves We're frayed and
jangling. What else would one do
to help him forget the passing of time
in this hell-hole? Hamilton. with his
blamed solitaire, Martin, sitting there
like a bump on a log until you could
smash his face In just to make him
speak. Williams, stealing every
chance to make calf's eyes at you.
'Lucci, the gunman, pacing back
and forth like a panther in his cage.
And every time we take a walk to-
ward the beach or the hangar two
or three guards watch us with their
hands on their bulging pockets, hop
ing that we'll DO something that will
give them a little gun practice. If
on weren't here, Id have U amuck
long ago. | will yet If something does
not happen to break the monotonyi'
"That will be very helpful to me-
The girls voice was heavy with sar-
casm. You fill me with admiration
for your se~lf-control."
See here Nancy" he complained
ENORMOUSLY. ITS all your fault. You
know I've not been myself. I'm madly
In love with you and you treat me
like a dog. I've loved you ever since
your opening night at the Criterion,
two years ago. I've tried, God knows
how many times, to meet o But
you never went out on parties, never
met people. And now we're together
here. | can't think of anything but
you"
you've thot OF nothing else,' she
countered s~cornfully, but the heat
and the liquor and the chances of
escape. Have you given any thot to
your wife, lately?"
MY wife? I've told you that my
wife and I have been separated for
years. he declared tempestuously.
'Ill have her get a divorce the NOM
ent we return to New York"
New York; A million miles away
from this madness. 1t hardly seemed
to exist.
THAT might be a favor to your
wife, she said drearily, but please,
Nancy" His voice was vibrant
with Intensity. 81 can't-you've be-
witched mel You are"
In another instant she was In his
arms, kicking, hammering with her
little fists at his burly chest n
shoulders, squirming silently to break
his hold. His kisses fell upon her
cheek. A guard, strolling along the
beach, stopped and watched them in
frank, cynical enjoyment.
She was sick and giddy. Then, sud
denly, she felt, rather than heard, a
sharp, ringing crack. The straining
arms sagged as his body relaxed, be-
came limp and settled toward the
floor. She was dragged down with
him. Strong hands seized her by the
shoulders and jerked her back to her
feet.