Coulee City dispatch. [volume] (Coulee City, Wash.) 19??-19??, 1942-05-14


there?" she demanded.
you to leave alone. Believe me, it
wouldn't work"
Thomas sighed. 'Okay, if you say
so Bartender" he yelled,
"bring me another bottle of beer"
The bartender shook his head,
muttered Isl, senor," and hurried
over with the beer. But at the
sight of Joan he paused.
"You are Miss Joan Leland?
Yes?"
"Why?" Paul asked fatty.
The bartender broke into Span
ish. There was a torrent of words
and gestures.
''What does he say?" Joan asked.
cit seems there was man look
ing for you here An American. He
gave him ten pesos to get some In
formation about you. He doesn't
know what his name was though
''Karl?"
''Not chance. Karl wouldn't be
apt to row all the way to shore.
And the ship isn't in sight. I've
been watching to see."
''But who in the world could it
have been?"
The bartender, feet on the bar,
had returned to his siesta.
''What country!" Thomas NUT
tered IF someone wanted Joan,
why didn't they telephone the no.
tel? We're all registered under our
own names"
Paul laughed. This is what is
knownsas the subtle approach"
"Paul! Be serious!" Joan insisted.
"Okay," Paul said, leaning for
ward and surveying her with his
kind brown eyes. cts probably one
of Karl's men. They want to get
the idea across that they're around,
and this is their way of doing it.
They may want to make further
contact with you. l don't know.
They're probably picking on you in
stead of me as gentle warning
that if anything goes wrong, you'll
be the one to pay for it. However,
that's looking at it in the worst pos
sible light" He took her hand.
Don't worry, honey, I'll do all l
can" ''e~
maybe Karl has some Mexi-
cans working for him." Thomas sug-
gested
81 don't think so. Besides, this
man spoke English, and if he had
been able to speak Spanish he GER
tainly would have done SO, because
the. bartender was barely able to
understand him"
$50 now we start waiting all over
again." Thomas asked.
That's about it,
She shivered. "Let's co." she
urged. WY s#
They visited the cathedral, the
park, and finally took in a movie.
They walked leisurely back to the
hotel. Dinner was never served un-
til nine o'clock.
AS they turned on to the long
avendia which bordered the sea, one
of the few automobiles they had seen
turned the corner sharply.
'That mani" Joan cried. Il have
the strangest feeling l know him
l couldn't see him very well, but
I'm sure of it,
maybe it's the man who was try
ing to get in touch with you" Thorn
as said. maybe it's one of Karl's
men that you used to see around the
club in San Francisco"
''That could easily be possible -
Paul said
''But / don't connect him with
anyone at the club" Joan said puz-
zled. 1T gives me the queerest
feeling"
She was still worrying about it
after dinner when Thomas an:
nounced that he was going to "do
the town."
''Watch your STEP" Paul advised.
Don't get absent-minded and try
to escape"
Don't worry about it, Mr.. O'Mal-
ley! You've got me buffaloed I'll
stick around and watch the fire.
works"
Joan retired early but she lay
awake in the huge four-poster bed
wondering about the man she had
seen. Who was he? Why couldn't
she place him? The roar of the
sea and sweet night air filled the
room. Moonbeams fitted across the
stone floor like shimmering mist.
She looked uneasily towards the old
fashioned door She had locked and
bolted it but it ratified in the wind
She was almost asleep when a
sound disturbed her Someone was
tapping gently at her door. She sat