The Waterbury Democrat., 1940-07-20
The Shooting At The Tavern

HS \ AAS ~
 She drew her white evening 1 wrap around her and rose, feeling a sudden relief at going beyond the reach of staring, questioning eyes.
 Rain was beginning to fall as Tony's sleek, fast car drove away from the club.
 Maybe we'd better go straight back to the college" Anne sug- gested. "It's going to storm"
 "Okay. I guess you're right"
 They drove few miles in the direction of the Midland campus, then suddenly the car slowed.
 Anne, let's go by the Post road. There's a fellow out there want to see about a boat I'm buying it won't take but a minute"
 "All right. It's early, anyway"
 They drove out the Post road, talking idly of the boat Tony meant to buy. At last he stopped the car before a low, brilliantly lighted building. Staring out the car window, Anne recognized It as the Villa Aloha, one of the roadhouses forbidden to college students.
 Come on with me, Anne. It's too wet for you to wait in the car"
 She shook her head. T don't want to break school rules, Tony"
 "Oh, come on - it isn't as if you were going to spend the even- ing. Anyway, no one will recog- nize you. The manager won't let any college people in"
 She hesitated moment. It was true it was a little different to go in for a moment with Tony, who was there on business. It was, she hoped, just as true that no one would recognize her. And she had always been curious to see inside the place. Still
 "No, Tony - don't think Ia better"
 Anne - don't be scared. No one will bite you!" :,
 That decided her. She wrapped her cape tightly about her, and ran the few steps through the rain to the door.
 The Villa Aloha was a tawdry place, too bright, too filled with loud voices, heavy smoke and the unmistakable odor of liquor. A threepiece orchestra played swing at one end of the room. The men and women sitting at the tables were as strange to Anne as the guests at her uncle's club had been strange to Tony. She was uncom- fortable and little frightened and hoped Tony would hurry.
 They would have to wait few minutes, he explained and, little reluctantly, she sat down at one of the tables.
 "Hi, Tony!"
 Anne turned and saw slender pretty, blond girl, in cheap tafte- ta evening dress standing by the table.
 Hello, Clarice." Tony's cheeks
 had reddened little. Miss Nor
 ris - Miss Lane. Clarice runs tht
 dice game here," he added. in ex' planation. The blond girl barrel! . acknowledged the introduction
 devoting her attention to Tony. , where have you been, any , way? I thought you were goinl
 to call me up last week" l, T was busy" Tony said curtly. "Never knew you to be tha busy before," Clarice said, laugh ing shrilly. She laid her hand ol
 Tony's arm, familiarly.
 II A sudden wave of revulsioi . came over Anne. More than any
 thing in the world, she wanted t.
 get out of the Villa Aloha, ava, from Tony, back to the security o the college.
 , "Please, Tony - I'd like to go. , "In a minute"
 , The blond girl stared at he coldly. r Anne had had enough. Suddenl l she rose to her feet. Irony, IT 1 going, right now. I'll wait for yo 3 in the car"
 . Her voice died in her throa
 Two men, wide shouldered, flash y ily dressed, edged past their tabl' !. hands in coat pockets. As the reached the next table, shol
 stout man seated there leaped u f in sudden fear, overturning h 9 chair.
 v Angry voices, guns spittin : flame - confusion somewhere g woman screamed. The musician i stopped in the middle of a phras t For an instant Anne was to 2 paralyzed with fear to move. The
 she realized that she must gt - away, and at once
 "Tony-"
 Tony was gone.
 Her one thought was to get ava Others had had the same idea, an l' there was crowd at the door. TT c police would be here soon, sf o might be held for questioning. Ths T would mean the end of her colleg
 career, she knew. Frantic and frightened, she look S ed around the room for way out