Evening star., 1941-08-21
5gMADE UP TO KILLgE
by Kelley Roos.

have to go in for that?"
Steve grimaced. Eyes. You know,
Haila, what the papers do to me.
If Carol and I had lunch together
more than twice, If we walked
down the street, if took her home
from the theater, the gossip col
umns would have it. We didn't
even want to take that chance. We
hated 1t, but :"
And that was what you meant
about the lousy publicity. I
thought ="
IT know what you thought"
Steve said. smiling. Shame on you,
Haila."
I was ashamed; I should have
known Steve better than to think
what I did, and he saved me from
turning brick-colored by going on
quickly: 'It meant an awful lot to
us to have our plan about my
family work. Those gossip columns
would have ruined it. That's why
we've tried to be so careful all
during rehearsals. Then, after the
opening night :"
after that night" Carol inter-
rupted, II wouldn't let him tell
He wanted to. He wanted to tell
every one and marry be right then
and there and :. and take care of
me-"
"And why not?" JEFF wanted to
know.
Carols teeth bit into her lips.
Don't you see? I can't do it now,
not while this thing is hanging
over me, not while I don't know
from one day to the next if I'm
still going to be alive! That's no
way to start new life. 1t isn't fair
to Steve. His life might be in dan
ger, tool"
She stopped and I knew that
she was perilously close to tears.
"Haila, I should have told you. 1t
was nasty of me. You've been SO
swell and I owe you so much;
at least owe you my confidence.
But I've got to keep Steve out Of
this if I can. I've got to-" She
buried her face in his shoulder
and he held her tight and touched
her hair with his lips. I went and
put my arms around them both.
"It's all right, darling. OF course,
I understand. I think it's brave
and swell of you. And this mess
will be cleared up in no time at
all and you'll be strolling down
the center aisle perfectly disgust
ingly happy"
Steve Tells More.
But in the meantime" Clint
Bowers said from the other side OF
the room, "I wish I could make head
or tail of this key business"
Steve smiled over Carols shoul-
der. tits pretty complicated, Clint.
You see, we knew that Haila would
be out late Sunday night and we
were coming here. We've done 1t
before. It's about the only place
we ever get to see each other alone.
And Carol gave me the key. I was
coming up first and concoct some |
Texas hash We all laughed.
Whats funny about Texas hash? |
It's my speciality. And I did Just
what I told you, sneaked in with !
my groceries, and then, when I saw
Haila, sneaked out again.
Il took the key with me when I |
left and on Monday night Carol
had to borrow yours. She didn't |
want to ask me for the one I mad
because my sister and some friends
of hers were in my dressing room
after the show and she well,
it's the old secrecy story again.
Then we forgot all about it, both
of us, in the excitement that fol-
lowed. That is, we forgot until this
afternoon when Jinx turned up
with his story and JEFF promptly
made murder clue out of it. And
poor little Carol was :"
''Petrif1ed," Carol said. "Oh, I
should have told you, Haila. But it
all happened so suddenly, I L
didn't know what I was doing. When
jeff said that the man with the
key was the murderer and I knew
that man was only Steve, I was so |
upset and worried I just ran away. |
After thought it over I realized
how stupid I'd been, letting you
think that, and I came out to tell |
you the truth. But you and jeff |
had gone and I didn't know where |
and, well, there didn't seem to be |
anything to do but wait until you
came back and and confess"
"We had Tommy Nelson prac-
tically in the electric chair. And
then Steve. And when we realized
Crowley had left you :"
Carol laughed. Yes, he told me
he had to go, just for few min
utes, though. He made me promise
not to move one step out of the
apartment and not to let any one in.
He waited outside until he made
sure I'd locked myself in. wouldn't
have let any one in, either, Haila.
But when 1t was Steve, of course,
I - She stopped and, coming
over to me. touched me timidly on
the arm. "Haila, please forgive me
for not telling you long ago. You
do understand"
"Of course I do. And I'm de-
lighted about you two. This calls
for a drink. jeff, you do the pour
ing"
mo, wait a minute" Steve said.
This calls for more than drink,
it calls for a celebration. I feel
so swell about telling you, I'd like to
give a party"