The Waterbury Democrat., 1937-10-16

Dolan nodded. You're right for % . more thorough search. I wanted to be sure you were all right first"
 "I'm fine now, thanks I guess I don't choke so easily"
 Dolan stood up and began to slip himself into his enormous raincoat. within 10 minutes" he assured her, "there'll be man from headquarters to spend the night in Mrs. Elliot's apartment, just in case our friend does come back. Tn the meantime, you're not to open your door to anyone, un- derstand that2 Not to soull You don't know who this fellow may me. No matter who rings your bell, or in the hall, you're not to open the door. Remember thatw
 T won't" Cilly promised.
 Good. AS soon as can round up our fingerprint expert, I'll be back to go through that apart ment thoroughly. And I'll bring along Q good stout policewoman to spend the night here with you. Now, If you can just stick 1t out for 10 or IS minutes ."
 "oh, I won't be afraid" cilly assured him.
 "All right. If you hear anything that frightens you, yell your lungs out. Johnson will hear you. I've asked him to keep a watch down. stairs. We don't want anyone tampering with the lights, or hid- ing in the engine room . I'll be getting along; every minute live gives our gentleman friend that much longer to plan his get- away. I want the fingerprints in that place upstairs , 7. they'll tell the story"
 Left alone, Cilly shruddered. She was not nearly as brave as she had pretended to the sergeant. She sat there on the divan, where he had left her, straining her eyes to watch every nook and corner of the apart. ment at once. From where she sat, she could see Into the bedroom next door; she could watch the fire escape window. If but Q shadow crossed that window, she told her. self, she would scream loud enough to wake the dead
 She watched the banjo clock on the wall, listened to 1t tick away the seconds. She wondered which echoed loudest through the room the sharp, staccato ticking of the clock, or the dull, laundering beat of her own heart. N q
 Ten minutes, Sergeant Dolan had said. Fifteen minutes ,at the latest, until there would be .1 0 policeman on guard upstairs and q policewoman down for company, She would breathe easier when they arrived.
 But nothing could happen to her now. Over and over, she as- sured herself of that. The mur- derer would never risk Q visit to her apartment, where all the lights were on, where he could not enter without her seeing him immedl- ately. That would be walking into his own death sentence. He wouldn't dare
 NervouSly, she rubbed moist palm down her throat; 1t still pained from tho pressure of the mans iron fingers she remem. bered his hand as 1t, slowly, cau- tiotSly reached In and switched out the lights.
 Suddenly she wanted to scream She imagined she could see that hand now, reaching to the switch on her wall; once more she felt those Strangling fingers on her throat Why, that man would dare nnythingI He was fiehd, diabolical and cunning, and he did not fear dozen Sergeant Dolans, 1T he suspected that she knew something, he would not hesitate
 Then her eyes, glued on the fire escape window in the bedroom, no. ticed something she had quite for. gotten. The WindoW---that window alone of oil those in the apartment was not latched. She remembered leaving it open that way--about on inch--So that she could open 1t If she came down the fire escape.
 She must close that window and lock it. But her feet would not carry her Into that other room, She was shaking like c leaf; she could imagine H thousand demons nt her back If she but stepped beyond the living room.
 Then, in the next instant, the room spun around to the insiBtent, intense ringing Of the front door
 --s-------a---.---.-----