The Waterbury Democrat., 1936-11-21
.ESTRANGE CAsE& JULIA CRAIG

iust telling them, Julia. We put
Nesbitt on at Condor last night
There's an airport there and mis-
plan was 10 take q plane into town
and get immediate attention for
aoh !" Julia fumbled uncer.
tainly for her grapefruit spoon,
wondered why she was so nervous
at Woodford's ordinary explana-
ton. WAS his shoulder bother.
ing him?"
"Not more than one could ex-
pect. But I think he did the safe
thing"
Lets hurry through breakfast"
Mrs. Joseph broke In. There's q
beautiful stretch Of shoreline along
here and we don't want to miss
It,"
When they had gone out onto
the deck and Julia had an oppoi-
tunity, she sought Cintra Lee. II
hope Mr.. Nesbitt's shoulder wasn't
growing worse"
The dancer looked Ut her. $50
do I, Julia. I can't understand
why he didn't let me know he was
getting Off at Condor. But per-
haps he thought Of It on the spur
Of the moment and didn't want to
wake me-"
She offered Julia cigarets and
they lighted them quickly In the
breeze. "You know" said Cintra,
tossing the match over the rail, II
think I've Job for you when we
get back to town."
you mean Slnging2"
Cintra nodded. would you
want to work for Tony Latta?"
I'm afraid j don't know him.
But I'm sure I'd like to work for
him"
The Lee girl laughed. Better
not Jump too fast. Tony Latta
runs a gambling ship"
"A gambling ship" repeated
Julia. II I've heard of them
vaguely, but" she hesitated.
There's O law against gambling
In this state. The gambling ships
stay offshore so as to be legally
outside the state, and the custom
ers get back and forth In water
taxis. Latta has one of the biggest
and he gets o wealthy class OF
trade"
"But what would I do on a gam
bling ship"
you'd sing" Cintra told her
That's what you want to do, isn't
II? Latta has small cabaret
aboard, and ! happen TO know he's
looking for talent. You'd have q
stateroom aboard"
Ell don't know whether I'd like
that" Julia confessed.
"Oh, you could come ashore In
one OF Latta's boats whenever you
weren't working. And you don't
have TO be afraid Of Tony. He's
hard boiled-but he knows a decent
girl when he sees one and leaves
her alone. You can take my word
for that" Cintra looked at her
sharply. Think you'd be interest
edo It's not much Of an offer, but
It's a start"
Julia thought q moment. Yes, It
was q start--and she no longer had
q safe Job. Tomorrow she would
be O girl out Of work, and unless
she got busy she'd be living In an
apartment whose rent Amy San
ders would be paying In full. She
didn't care much about the idea of
working on q gambling ship, but
"It's o CO." she told Cintra
quickly.
The dancer smiled. "doodi
and I'll see that some influential
people get out to Tonys ship to
hear you. I know how this enter
tainment game works, Julia. ri
whisper 1t around that there's a
girl out on Latta's boat who's an
unknown winner. You'll get an
offer In no time"
II - hope you're right" said
Julia weakly.
It was after 0 when Julia's taxi |
rolled TO the curb before the |
building In which she and Amy
Sanders shared an apartment,
Scarcely able TO wait until she
could talk with her roommate, she |
paid the driver and hurried up
stairs. She had hardly touched
her key to the lock when Amy
opened the door and confronted
her with something like o Shrek
of relief.
"Julial Julia, I've been
frantic! Where on earth have you
been2"
Laughing, Julia came into the
rom and tossed her bag on the
davenport. i've been TO Evergreen
Island, II you know where that
Is"
II don't. You've had me In O
turmoil. telephoned the newspa-
pers to see II they had any reports
Of private yachts going down.
even phoned the yacht club--and
they told me there was no record