The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1941-01-20
Lock Up My Heart


he had. sEe kneW nelthef OF mem
could expect any mercy from I'm.
\ quiek glance a. Ruby treasured
her she vas As cain As though A
casual friend had s4st dropped N
10 call
What's going on here Lefty
demanded. shdtne his e.gsr ncr-
vousiy from one see o. ms mouth
70 the other.
oh. hello. Lefty. Ruby said
Her voice Vas entirely under con-
troll and her hand. as she lighted
a oigsret. vas completely steady.
I asked what going On here
the Esngster repeated. There was
a snarl IN his voice as he barked.
His piercing glance also included
Cam.
Going on Why nothing
nothing al AL Mss Denton drop
ped by TO see me. What's wrong
with that ."
How'd she find out you were
here Who told her ."
Why" Cam started. but Ruby
interrupted. smoothly. but quickly.
7 phoned her and asked her 10
drop IN. She took care Of me the
other night, you know, when I vas
so SICK and I never even had a
chance to thank her. Its all rIght,
Lefty. nothing for you TO worry
about She $ a nice kid.
I don't like IT, see . 7 told YOU
not TO phone anybody rot to tell
anyone where you are. Now you've
really put the fat on the fire. This
danes a pal Of Kirkwood, the re-
porter. She'll spill all she knows to
him"
oh. be yourself Ruby ooun-
seled Don't be so suspicious Of
everybody tell you the kid here
okay, and mean okay. She isn't
going TO tell anyone where I am.
She promised that before I told
her where was In no dope. even
if you think I am
4 don't like it. l tell you. Lefty
repeated. although his anger SEEM
ed 10 be gradually vanishing.
For the love Of Pete do you
want TO keep me penned UP here
forever without seeing anybody
but Mrs Jones and Robin I got
to have someone to talk to, or III
90 nuts
That's right, Mr.. Sidel." Cam
spoke up. I promised Ruby I
wouldn't tell a soul where she IS
and l mean It. She was lonely,
and wanted somebody 10 talk to-
Too bad about her" Lefty
sneered He flung his badly chew
ed cigar out an open window,
fished another from his pocket and
lighted IT,
Suppose you beat it, then" he
suggested. turning to Cam.
And don't forget what you
promised Ruby You're going TO
run into an awful lot Of trouble Il
you start spillng anything you
know about me or her. Don't for
get that.
Cam glanced at Ruby, who
shook her head The girl inter-
preted II to mean that she wasn't
to leave yet
4 asked Miss Denton 10 have
dinner with me. Lefty" Ruby SAID.
We were going to eat here, but
since you've come along why not
all Of us so out some place? I'm
sick and tired Of being holed up in
this joint.
There's a place near here. We
won't see anybody there who'll do
any talking. We can eat in a phi
vate room, If you Ike
To Cam, it was obvious that
Ruby was stalling for time. What
her purpose was. she didn't know
she couldn't guess. but she sus-
pected It had something to do with
Leftys forgotten gun.
What do you say. Lefty >" Ruby
urged
.Aw. all right. But shake leg"
Won't take me long to get
ready she promised. and hurried
into her bedroom adjoining the liv-
ing room Of the flat. Cam started
to follow her but stopped abruptly
at Lefty.s order
She can get dressed without
any help from you" he said. sit
down. Cam sank into a chair.
Apparently. even # his suspicious
had been temporarily lulled. Lefty
had decided not to leave the girls
alone again.
He staggered over TO the piano
which filled one corner Of the
room. sat down on the bench and
began idly TO strum on the keys
soon he was playing popular
tunes, but playing remarkably vel
and Cam found herself. in spite Of
her rather precauous position.
humming the songs under her
breath
That's very nice. she said. as
the sangster ended a song with a
flourishing run.
Not bad am !" ne grinned.
Play by ear-neyer had a chance
10 take lessons when 7 was q KID.
vas raised on the wrong side Of
town for things Ike that
he plunged INTO another popular
tune, and Cam suspected that ne
listened to the radio. His plaving
was very reminiscent Of Eddie
Duchin, the pisnlst-bsnd leader
When he tad nushed. she I'D
him his playing reminded her Of
Duchin. and Lefty Vas As pleased
as small boy a. tns i,-,f,,5