The Coolidge examiner., 1934-06-01
LIFE AND
DEATH
s.
By THAYER WALDO
g ~ McL1ure NewHrs ref Syndicate.
WSu Service

@at&Nt+
n It's overhead fixture cast a
fat white glare down upon them.
sharply Illuminating faces that we're
sober and tense.
Garrison sat before the desk. n
telephone receiver to his ear. walt
Ing without speech.
Fibcrs lowered close by. watching
his face, similarly silent
by the window stood Wilma. sta
uesque. black -pompadoured. ain eve
ming wrap caught loosely about one
shoulder. She stared through the
smuited panes az blank wall
twenty feet beyond. eyes wide. M
wlnking.
The voice OF the man at the IN
strument suddenly sounded:
"Hello-whai7 Not Damn
II. / don't want Berlini This IS
Zenith Pictures. Hollywood. and
we're trying 10 put through a call
+ TO Hotel Graz In Yleuna, for
whai7 Oh. how soonf =. HI
/ Well. keep the line open and call
me the moment there's a chance"
/ lie cracked the earplece home.
FiberE leaned forward TO ask
thlnly:
$50 whatY'
''No good-couldn't make connec-
tlon." the publicity man said
II was little above a murmur
Service all tied up Can't tell
when we'll get clear wire. She
wanted 10 give me Berlin. but that's
no use. Couldn't get any informa-
T ton there"
A pause his gaze went 10 the
F immoblle figure across the room.
AZ las, be querled:
"yilma's positive he's In yienna7 p
sure" the producer mutterea
that's how we know where he'd be
staying. she goi from him n cable
+ yesterday Just before he's taking
the train In Berlin"
4 Garrison mumbled something dark.
ly unln,elllglble and slumped back
In the chair.
After an instant he pulled out
cigarettes. plucked one. and passed
FIberg the pack.
when both had lights. the pub
licity man growled:
Damn strange quirk OF fate, or
something-Erich getting there just
the day this revolution burs; loose
Fiberg's head bobbei In glum as
sent.
Yes. and him an Austrian too
Wilma thinks he's sure 10 be get.
ting mixed up In Il. Such a busI
ness The best director we got
best IN the buslness-phenaglIng
around in civil wars and maybe get.
ting all shot or. Oy"
/ Garrison rose abruptly and com
menced 90 stride the floor.
God Almighty. J. l.. =" he grltted.
"Is that all you can think of What
about him--ihe man we've known
and worked wlthi Remember there's
bullets and blood and death over In
those Vienna streets. and Erich's
right IN the middle OF f. ErIch's
there, the woman who loves him Is
here--and we're helpless. Doesn't
that mean anything 10 your
ssvagely the producer ground bis
cigarette under a heel and blurted
"why don't you shut up When
I'm trying 10 forget things Ike that.
you have 10 be throwing them IN
my facer'
The other man swung around,
forcing a smile.
Il know" he said brusquely.
-Sorry: it's just sort OF got me.
This waiting and not being able 10
do anything I mean. Perhaps II
Wilma weren't here. or II she'd only
say something.
He halted. dxing an oblique brood
Ing look upon the woman.
Her posture was unchanged. save
for a closer wind OF the cloak about
her shapely figure.
Garrison swore-a soft, cultural
sound-and fllcked his sfag-end
against the wall.
Before him. spread out on the
desk top. lay a paper. From the
bun rectangle a huge scare-head
screamed:
VIENNA RIOTING GROWS
TOURISTS IN JEOPARDY
For a long moment he stood glow
ering down at II, scanning once
again the columns OF print below.
Suddenly he spoke. and for the
first time his voice was raised
harsh with baffled anger.
Listen! We gotta do something
anything! I'll 60 nuts just stand
Ing around here. reading stuff like
that and thinking about him Lord
II he'd only stayed in Berlin one
more dayl"
Fiberg waved a meaty hand pro
testingly.