The Waterbury Democrat., 1936-03-16
CHAPTER VIII


 on the morning of the third day loirk told her they had passed n ship and some islands in the might. "We're over the Gulf Stream Slowl" he said. "Just look at the Dllosphorescent colors in the water"
 But Jane saw that he was ob- serving her, not the brilliant colors Sin the water, this morning. He rave her profile cool appraising glance, from the bronze ringlets of hair on the nape of her neck to her freshly-rouged mouth. She had spent hours adjusting her makeup to the new tropical glare just to make him notice her!
 She had liked him irresistibly lastn night. The pehsonality she had discovered in his lips lifted her to new, strange heights of ecstasy - far above the vague ter- TOTS which had enmeshed her a few days before in the cold and elush of the city.
 They had gone to the ball last night and danced until 2 in the morning, and he was a marvellous dancer! But of course, she thought . little unhappily, a young man who spent all his time playing in the snow at Lake Placid ought to be Q good dancer.
 She still wondered if Dirk had seen through her pretenses, and if knowing she were only a girl from the workaday canyons of the city, 1t would make any difference to him. She had been a little foolish leading him to believe she was studying for the stage. Later in tho day, she promised herself, she was going to tell him the truth.
 They swan and took long sun baths before retiring to their deck chairs for the morning. At inter- vals of perhaps 10 minutes Snow- shoes passed them in his solitary promenade around the deck. They Joined him for few laps, and to Jane his observations were as dark as they were amusing. The poor detective couldn't take a rest as long as there were human beings at odds on shipboard.
 "She came down to dinner last night" he said.
 "Who came down to dinner where?" Dirk begged.
 "Nora Lane, the actress. And she wore the Kokinor diamond on her throat. It was as big as hens egN, and you should have seen the peoples eyes"
 Jane said. "why doesn't she have it put in the ships safe?"
 She may, for all one knows. But who do you think followed her out of the dining salon?"
 "I1l bet five to one, Snowshoes, that, 1t was you" Dirk put in laughing.
 Me and somebody elsel fol- lowed him. Just as cautiously as you please he sauntered along the deck behind her until he located her suite. When he lit a cigaret I saw his face, and 1t was your drinking pal, Minnie Jackson"
 "No pal of mine," Dirk insisted Can't I take a drink with a man without being his accomplice--"
 No harm meant, son, but young people ar ealways letting them- selves get tangled up with sharp guys like that. That's how crime careers begin."
 Long after they had left Snow shoes they pondered on his words Az Co that tg b Ta said, what do know about you2 What do you know about me? This business of getting to know strang- CTS"
 q think I know you pretty well, ' he said.
 DO you?" she asked pertly, and glanced at him. The look they ex- changed was enough heart-search- ing at this moment. But I'm not what you think I am," she added "I'm just me-"
 But 1t was not until early that evening after they had dined to- gether with Snowshoes that she told him. They were up on the hurricane deck which was almost deserted at this hour. It was very dark. They sat behind a pair of fog horns, and he tleaned very close to her.
 Az they merged into the purple shadows of the early evening Dirk began to talk of his ideals and as- pirations, as most young men in love do, and Jane wouldn't put him of any longer.