The Ypsilanti daily press. (Ypsilanti, Mich.) 1928-1962, 1941-09-20
CHAPTER ONE

YLENA VARANOtF stepped
off the Golden State Limited into
unbelievable blasts of heat blown.
directly from the desert furnace.
She breathed deeply of that molten
air, then glanced back at her gray
haired companion who descended
also and stood looking about her,
an expression Of thorough distaste
marring her plump face.
ITS an oven!" she proclaimed
sourly. AT o'clock in the morn
ing it's an oven! Heaven help US
this afternoon"
Leaning against a station wagon
was tall, broad-sheuldered young
man, about so years old. He wore
Lewis, tall-heeled boots, an i'm
mense white sombrero and a shirt
of purple. About his sunburned
neck was white silk handkerchief,
wildly stenciled with a "buckin'
bronc" and held in place with a
sleeps vertebra tinted to resemble
the head Of a steer.
The plump, gray-haired woman
shouted, Young man. And then,
as he paid no attention, she yelled
In a still more blunt voice. Hey,
you" The cowboy noticed them
then and moved toward them.
Without giving him a chance to
speak, the older woman said: eve
want to 60 to a hotel"
(Which hotel?" he asked mildly.
How should I know" she de-
clared. I've never been here be-
fore" Angrily she paused to wipe
Precipitation from her face. And
what's more"
The girl broke IN placativeiy.
Nov, now, Rose. Don't let the heat
spoil your manners" She turned to
the brilliantly CARRIED cowboy.
please suggest a hotel"
They couldn't be dudes. Not in
JIne, he knew with certainty. Still,
they looked like money. The lug
gage was good and the beautiful,
sad-eyed girl was wearing one of
those plain dresses, invariably
more expensive than a fancy one
yes, they would want the best.
THE Alvarez is nice" Smiles bit
into his Redeemed cheeks as he
turned from the blond girl to the
irate Rose. 'It's air-cooled."
AS they rolled along paved
streets toward the hotel, pausing
occasionally for a red light to turn
TO a favorable green, they were
passing many thriving establish
ments. A florists window, filed
with delicate and costly blossoms.
Lavish, almost theatrical gaso-
line stations. Indian trading post
stores, agleam with silver and tur-
quoise jewelry. In a gown shop
Ylena noticed an exclusive model
which she had seen only a week
earlier on Madison avenue.
Il wish had known La MADEIRA
was so large Her voice held a
worried note.
You could have" Rose said
dryly, 'ff you asked few simple
questions, but obviously you've
formed your opinions from West
ern movies" She turned to face the
girl. In cautious, soft voice not
to be overheard by the driver, she
continued: You were looKing for a
hamlet hideout where you could
lick your wounds. This isn't II.
This is no town of calico sunbon-
nets, Miss Ylena.s You'll not find
Cowboy Pete, dressed in hairy
chaps, Looping down the street on
his Pinto pony. The cowboys drive
sleek station wagons and dress
crazy like this taxi driver" She
ceased talking. They were enter
ing the semi-circular drive Of the
Alvarez hotel.
Quickly their driver jumped out
and held the door open for theme
Bell-boys took their luggage.
Rose opened her purse. How
much?" she asked crisply.
The man was again back Of the
steering wheel. There is no
charge He leaned out of the win
dow and grinned. You see, lady,
I'm not a taxi driver"
The flabbergasted establishment
on Roses face brought an express
sion to Ylena's that she hadn't ex-
perienced in many unhappy
months. She realized she was smil-
ing.
In their connecting rooms, ca
ressingly comfortable with a faint
artificial breeze, the hc.-l p
ant pocketed change a. LII