The Waterbury Democrat., 1936-03-14
The Story So Far

JANE WESTON feels her dreams have come true when she gcts out on . three weeks ocean cruise, She received her ticket In place Of Che salary due her when the travel magazine employing her as . typlst suspended publica- tIon.
 On board, Jane meets handsome DIRK STROM who has been skl- ing at Lake Placid. Dirk is aS penniIess as Jane. Injured In Sav- ing the life of child, he accept cd the cruise ticket from the chIld's father.
 Dirk introduces Jane tO hiS friend, SNOWsHOES, . detective, who tells them that NORA LANE, the famous actress, is on board. Miss Lane owns the famous KOkl- nor diamond and it is known that she usually has 1t with her. She is travelling under false name and no one has seen her or knows her staterOOm number.
 Others in the oddly assorted group on shlpboard are wealthy, eccentric MADAME DOREMUS; DUTCH LENZ and MANNIE X JACKSON, blackmailers; TINO ROSSf, opera slngerj KEN MAR TIN and LINDA HAYES, floor show entertainers.
 Jane, in her stateroOm, hears someone at the door. She opens it just in time t0 see . man dis- appearing around the corner.
 CHAPTER VII
 Jane awoke to find the sunshine streaming in through the portholes. She heard the waves flashing against the side of the ship. For few min- lites she lay there, knowing nothing but the deep swells of the ocean as the twinscrew propellers churned the ship steadily through warm, southern seas. At first 1t had lul- ling effect that kept her from com- ing to life.
 But suddenly she was on her feet, and went Joyfully to the porthole looking out at the great green swells which, rising up, seemed at times to blot out crystalline blue sky. They were coming close to the Gulf Stream, she realized. The glamour of the tropics was on her
 She dressed simply in white skirt and blue blouse and looking in the mirror decided that Dirk Htrom was right. She did look 8 little like Myrna Loyl
 There was a knock at her door, and she lost some of her exuberant spirits. A mysterious knock like that had sent her shivering to bed last evening. But she opened the door and there stood Dirk Strom, blond and smiling in his white lin- ems.
 Good morning." he said. How about an early morning plunge?"
 ''1lot before coffee," she warned. People are usually hateful before breakfast, but you can take Q chance on me. Have you had yours2"
 "Hours ago." he smiled. "Snow- shoes and have walked around the deck Q dozen times"
 Jane laughed. DO tell me why you call that delightful man - Snowshoes?"
 "Oh, thatl He's a detective at the big hotel in Lake Placid, and goes sleuthing around the grounds on snow shoes. He couldn't hide his tracks if he wanted to; they're big ger than an elephants. And he's never caught anybody yeti Once he gneaked up on some little boys burning down the ice house, but they outran him on skis, and taunt- ed him all the way, yelling, Hey, Old Snowshoes, you couldn't catch Q turtle with those things on. Duck feet"
 T like him." she said, simply. "And adore Donald Duck in the animated movies. He's ten times more interesting than Mickey Mouse. He represents all the pitt Aulp ulWhECeu HIlDlJlOIlb OI nuIIlHU beings. I want to laugh and cry at the same time when I see him. I'll tell you what I'll do, now, I'll run down and have my coffee alone. And I'll meet you in the Pompeian Room in my bathing suit at ten"
 The pool was filled with young couples an hour later when they took dives Into the blush water of the indoor pool. Their heads bobbed up, and they went through the motions of the American Crawl with churning fervor. Then he clung to her side, for all about them in the water were strangers.
 Once when her hand slipped from the rope at the side he caught her, holding her up above the blue until she had recovered from the SWal- lowed water. He looked hard at a fat man who came up to say, Hello, mermaid" at her, and that look was enough. The fat man swan away,