Evening star., 1934-06-30
SHANGHAI ROSE
By ANNE FORESTER
author Of Spite WUe."

attracted by the staggering ruthless
ness, the consciously charming man
ners, the fiattering difference of his
attentions though she might be-how
could this girl who had everything
life could give, throw 1t away for a
thing like Austin Deer:ng? That it
was she. herself, who was the inno-
cent cause of Barbara's state of mind,
Rose Therrold was never to know.
The outskirts of the county seat
flung struggling, Sprawling tentacles
across the road. Block after block OF
shabby, dun-colored houses; the i'm
print Of countless footprints smeared
on the slush that had once been white
snow. Streets wheeling by. Red
lights, green lights. ahead. The shrill.
distant whistle of crossing black
with holiday throngs.
New Years eve at the county seat.
Sirens and crashing glass. and the
wild ululation of horns, of whirling
rattles, of bells and confetti-strewn
human forms. People spilling out Of
doorways milling about the sidewalks,
blocking the crossings. purposeless and
artlessly gay. A taxi drivers curse
and a woman's high scream. cutting
the clamor like a knife. Trafic bells
shrilling where no trafic could move
even In this quiet, back-water town.
New Year eve-with the surrounding
countryside gathered to drum the old
year away!
Tensely, Jeffrey Therrold guided
the car toward the Main Hotel; the
girl beside him sitting rigidly forward
in the seat. all of her straining ahead.
How stupid it seemed-with so much
that was vital at stake! The be-
wildering phantasy, the clamorous
background, the piquant composite
that was q holiday note for these
revelers. sounding threatened
death-knell to the hopes of the man,
who strove with grim purpose to push
on against that tide.
With q final skillful ma aneuver, the
huge car slid expertly into a cramped
space by the curb. jeffrey Therrold,
his fingers tense on Roses arm, led
the way into the Main Hotel.
The foyer, gay with revelers, with
walters and the slow drip of jazz.
Music, beating relentlessly against the
sides OF the car that bore them
creakingly upward toward Suite O.
Stained. sticky panels of the closed
door ahead, as they walked with
jerky haste down the odorous, mar
row hall.
Capt. Deering was in. the room
clerk had said. Checking out later
tonight. His smile was a smeared,
crawling thing. Roses small I'm
gers, closing tensely on JEFF Therrold's
arm, showing him gently. wordlessly
toward the elevator that gaped beyond
the desk. ).
Roses heart pounding now. as she
Jagged hesitantly behind his purpose
full stride. Roses eyes staring over
his shoulder into the murky light of
the room rs the door of Suite 9 swung
ajar.
Austin Deering, stretched out in q
wicker chair, sat with his shining pat
ent leather boots propped up before
him. In his hand q long glass of
some bubbling golden fluid, which he
hastily set down as jeffrey entered the
room.
In the corner by the window hud-
died numbly into herself. Barbara
Therrold sat as one stunned-her pale
face growing paler. the cry that rose
to her lips a living thing. The table
beside the wall was cluttered with
glasses; the stale air seeming to stand
still OF itself above the Uttered ash
tray and leaning bottles of liquor and
ginger ale.
well, Deering!" Only that one
short word; but the sound sent the
girl on the opposite side of the room
into a scrambling fury of haste to
reach his side
Jeffrey! Oh. how did you know?