The guardian., 1941-05-10
Slippery
By JANIS PARKER
CAIcClure syndicate-wNU serviceJ

"Why so pensive?" 1 asked the
question in the furtive hope that she
might deny the mood and snap out
of it. But there was no answer.
Maybe, thought, there was cause
enough for Lees detection, for de-
spite her beauty and background
she had had fierce luck with men.
Jim Bradshaw, who had about con-
vinced her that vine-covered cot
tage was preferable to a penthouse,
had awakened one sleety morning to
find his brawny wrists braceleted
with ornaments of the law. Lee had
doubtless forgotten him, Jim of the
crinkly hair and laughing eyes, but
mark remained.
Whats up for tonight, Lee?"
''I'm stepping out with Slippery"
She turned from the treacherous
river, smiling.
If Jim had left a mark, Slippery,
Lees new beau, I unused cynically,
would leave a blot. So this was the
cause of her pallor! Any woman
would worry about winning Slippery,
l agreed, and should he be won
she'd have more worries. For it
seemed obvious that Slippery was
not a one-woman man, unless it was
one woman at a time.
To me he had always seemed a
creepy sort of person. Why did
dainty, elf-like Lee get involved with
such undesirable men? First Jim,
held for the murder of Dorine Dar-
bey, fiery-haired dancer; now Slip
perry, suave to suspicious degree.
The doorbell rang with his spe-
cial buzz. Lee leaet to answer it,
radiance flooding her face. He pat
ted her cheek condescendingly and
sauntered over to me.
He glanced at his wrist-watch and
addressed me. You're giving us
the pleasure of your company,
hope?"
Indeed she isl" Lee tucked her
arm through mine. "Only once in
a lifetime does she leave that for
saken swamp she calls the coun-
try!"
Isn't she the most beautiful thing
you've ever SEEM" asked Slippery,
yet his glinting eyes were pinned
long and searchingly on me.
We went in Lees car. Slippery
tipped an airy hand. "You ought
to see my car" he gloated. Special
job. But there was a little some
thing or other out of killer with it,
tonight"
Pulling up at a night club, Slip
perry, amazed, discovered his wallet
was in the suit of clothes he had
discarded before joining US.
What do you know about that?"
he clapped his hand to where the
wallet should have been. Bought
five new suits today and left my wal
let in an old one at home! Wouldn't
that jar you'll"
''It would me-" l agreed.
Lee, automatically opening her
own bag, smiled forgivingly into his
shifty eyes.
''What would you do without me?"
she asked.
Sweetheart" he rejoined, which
was ample reward for Lee.
The foor-show strutted from be-
hind dazzling curtain, hips sway
ing, glances darting appraisingly
over the tables. Slippery referred
to various ones as "some baby"
Lee looked uncertain, then she
frightened and told me what a per-
feet kid he was.
When they danced Lee fioated
dreamily in his arms. l watched
and wondered. Perhaps it was ex-
plainable enough. Lee had loved
Jim Bradshaw fully and Jim had
been disclosed as the murderer of a
popular dancer. Slippery, having
been in the offing when stricken Lee
rebounded, had received the inn
pact of her misery and, as frequent
ly happens, the gift of her bruised
heart.
When they returned, l excused
myself and went to the lounge. The
riptides of life were too strong for
me.
saw on the front page of that
evenings paper a three-column pic
ture of Jim Bradshaw of the crinkly
hair and laughing eyes. The same
picture had smiled happily at Lee
for two years from her dressing
table. I stared CLASSIFY at the
lines: "Bradshaw's wife, it is ru-
mored, is working to prove his in
nocence."
A sense of dismay engulfed me.
To find jim had been married in
the bargain, might inpel Lees final
misstep-elopement with Slippery.
Showing the paper from me, 1 hur-
riedly rejoined them. Lee was sit.
ting alone.
Where's Slippery"
Lee gestured vaguely, musing
over tangle of thoughts. "Is he
coming back?" l finally asked.
Lee murmured blandly, no"
Her tonelessness, her disinterest-
edness, smote me. Had he thrown
her over?
"Where did he go?"
"Slippery's on his way up the riv-
v,ohnI,a1I1ry