Coulee City dispatch. [volume] (Coulee City, Wash.) 19??-19??, 1942-03-26

Tearing it open she found note
soon. Something terrible has happ'
kitchen there were no signs that
Sybil had eaten her dinner. And
then on the kitchen table Joan saw
an envelope. Tearing it open, she
found a note in SYPHILIS handwriting.
s'I'll be back soon. Something ter
rible has happened :"
A cold chill of premonition swept
Joan. Instantly her mind leaped
to Karl Miller. Had he suspected
her plan of enlisting SYPHILIS aid?
But how could he? And why would
Sybil say, cpl be back SOON? Sure
ly it could not be so terrible.
"I'm just nervous" Joan told her
SELF
She tried to light the fire but it
refused to burn and smouldered out,
leaving the room in dismal silence.
Clasping her hands, Joan walked
around the room. "Ive got to talk
to someone, she thought hysterl-
cally. 81 can't stand this any long
err"
But as she drew back the window
curtain she saw Karl Mlller's car
still in front of the apartment. Ii
she left, he would surely follow her.
The telephone! She ran across the
room and seized it from its place
on the table. With trembling fin
ger she dialed the operator. The 81
lence of completely dead wire was
too obvious to be mistaken.
She was seized then by absolute
panic. She must get out of here
but how?
There was a fire escape on the
side of the building that opened off
the kitchen.
''Karl couldn't see me there"
Joan said aloud, and the sound OF
her own voice frightened her.
1t was then that she heard some
thing, like the creaking of board.
1t seemed to come from the kitchen.
Joan stood still. She was afraid to
move.
Her hand felt for the switch and
the living room was flooded with
light.
"That's BETTER" she thought, and
went into the bedroom to put on her
hat and coat. Against the window
pane slow rain had begun to fall.
Joan looked out a front window
again. Karl was still there! The fire
escape was her only chance. The
apartment was on the second floor
and there was a good drop to the
ground, but small garden made
it safe to jump.
81 can make it, Joan said. 81
must!'',
She reached the kitchen where
SYPHILIS note still lay upon the ta-
BILE. The shade was drawn over the
kitchen window Joan advanced to-
wards it and stretched out her hand
when another sound came from
without-the unmistakable sound of
footsteps upon the iron staircase.
There was soft tapping upon the
window. With frightened gesture,
Joan touched the shade and it flew
to the top. She looked out but could
see no one. Then she heard voice:
"Joan! Open the window"
1t was Paul Sherman! Joan drew
back and as she did so Paul's head
appeared. Had Karl sent him tt
get her? She shrank against the wal
of the kitchen, watching his plead
ing gestures for admittance. Their
she saw that the window was I'm
locked. Paul could easily open il
himself He saw the change of ex
preston on her face, and caugh
its meaning.
; A moment later he was in the
kitchen with the window locked be
hind him.
Paul looked sharply at her. Isl
down." he ordered. 'You look like
; a ghost. Have you any whiskey?'
, "Theres some brandy in thu
{ Kitchen" Joan said. Her teeth were
, chattering. She was shaking SO sht
could scarcely talk.
Paul found the bottle and returned
with it to the living room. He helt
/ a small glass to her lips. 'Drinl
this!" he commanded.
The sweet liquor burned her throa
but it warmed her.
Paul was bending over the fire
] place stirring the logs, adding pa
per and kindling until the fir
/ glowed with bright blaze.
: She watched him in silence unit
/ he had finished.
"Now listen to me, Joan and lister
! carefully"
E Her green eyes regarded him wit
/. loathing. 'Spies! But you can
i get away with it. You can't kee
: me from going to the police Your
2 very clever, aren't you? Talkini