The Waterbury Democrat., 1939-08-28

ble. I'm spending the evening with a girl I've known for years" She was afraid he might follow her; but whe she looked back, he was going dejectedly into a to- bacco shop.
 Christine had no dificulty in identifying the girl, who stood be- fore the shop window as if rapt by pair of silver sandals. When Christine paused and removed her sunglasses, the girl glanced up with flicker of recognition, returned for a moment to her inspection of the sandals, and then strolled oil along the Boardwalk. Presently Christine followed, sauntering as the other girl did.
 At the top of a flight of stairs leading to the street below, the girl glanced back before she de- scanded. She walked on block, turned into a side street, unlocked door, and went in, leaving the door ajar.
 For the first time Christine hesi- tated. Alter all, what did she know of this girl except that 1t was her voice which had first sounded that ominous note of danger which had run like 8 motif through the last "A hours? Then her curiosity got the better of her, and she passed through the door.
 She found herself in poorly lighted, inhospitable hall, from which stairway ascended into darkness behind. Christine won- dered if she were mistaken in thinking that something moved in the shadows of that stairway.
 The girl who called herself Lucille" was waiting.
 Come in here, please, Miss Thor enson," she said abroupt, and open- ed the door upon a lighted room.
 Christine stood amazed at the contrast between the bleak ugliness of the hall and the quiet good taste and comfort of that room. The room was pleasantly lighted; a soft Oriental rug covered the floor; two of the walls were lined with books; and there were comfortable chairs. It was room, somehow, to inspire confidence. Yet Christine felt no confidence now, even in herself.
 Before she could speak, a man she had not seen at first got up from desk that stood in a shell tered alcove. Chandra!
 T am sorry about all this mys- tery, Miss Thorenson," he said in a well-remembered voice. But 1t seemed necessary"
 Christine thought angrily, "Of course. I was right in the begin- ming"
 He had shed every trace of the Oriental mystic. From his unob- trusive appearance and the quiet precision with which he spoke and moved, one might easily-as she had that first night-have taken him for 8 well-trained major domo. For Christine realized that she had seen those tawny-brown eyes not 1 just once, but twice before.
 "Yes," he anticipated her as she tried to reconstruct that brief en- counter on the station platform, you have seen me before. The first time you may not recall. You ! thought your cousin might have sent me That disguise was good one. I did not expect you to remem- ber."
 Tt was your eyes, not your clothes, that noticed. .. You said you were taking train," Christine said thoughtfully. "Yes-I sec"
 And of course" he said dryly it will confirm your worst suspi- cions when I admit that I dropped off the other side of that train be- fore it pulled out, and that I was in the taxicab behind yours when you got out at your hotl. And I was not the only one following you, Miss Thorsenson."
 Christine broke out angrily, q was crazy to come here. I guessed from the beginning that this girl was one of your spies." T suppose that it's no llse to