The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1944-02-18
CHAPTER XVIII

Please don't try to be either funny
or resourceful. It's quite useless,
assure you"
Anne sat without moving for an
instant. What was the use? Then
she thought quickly. 1t would be
quite easy to leave some kind OF
story. She picked up the pen.
"'Dear Pete,'" Mr.. Taussig said.
CT believe that is what you call
HINT have decided to go away
with Richard Taussig. F."
Anne looked at him steadily.
Couldn't you spare me that humili-
alton, Mr.. Taussig? He won't be-
lieve it, I assure you. I must have
told him already that I think you're
unbelievably repulsive."
Mr.. Taussig's face hardened into
the mottled oyster-gray.
continue. 4 know it will be a
shock after everything I have said,
but that's the way it is. I want you
to tell Mother and Dad or
Father, whichever you say ="
She wrote "Father." Pete would
know she'd never say that.
"'Tell them they are not to try
to find me, because they couldn't.
I'm sick of the kind of sheltered
life I've always had and this is
chance I'll never get again. We're
flying to Costa RIGA. I'll write to
you some time. Lots or do you
say loads of love-
81 might as well say loads, I
guess" she said. She tried to keep
her hand on the pen from shaking.
All she ever said really was
yours" or "All the best, angel"
It seemed funny, writing to him.
Everything inside her had gone
little numb, all of a sudden.
She pulled herself sharply togeth-
er. "Where am going?" she asked.
"You are going halfway to Sac
Paolo, with me, in the plane out
there" ,
'sNot all the way?"
Mr., Taussig shook his head. EUR
the more, it is nonstop fight, if
you're interested"
She looked at him calmly. "You
mean, I'm getting out halfway
there"
Mr.. Taussig's mouth frightened to
q thin line.
''Take this envelope up, put the
letter in it and seal it. I don't want
my own fingerprints on it. Thank
you. Now take another piece of
paper and write to Mrs. Porter.
"tDearest Sue,-Don't be shocked,
darling, but Pm going away with
Mr.. Taussig. I decided it this morn
ing. I'm sorry about Russell's
plans. I shouldn't have taken them.
] put them"
He stopped. "Write wherever you
did put them"
Anne wrote quickly: &c. inside
the skirt of my blue jersey dinner
dress in the closet"
She looked up, clear-eyed. "Yes?"
"Sign it, Miss Haywood"
She wrote, 'Love-Anne."
Taussig motioned to her to push
the letter over to him. He bent over,
reading it slowly. His hands shook
a little suddenly, his face was dis
torted and horrible. She shrank
back instinctively. His hand moved
toward the gun on the table, and
stopped. He got up slowly.
''Miss Haywood" he said, his
voice cold and deadly soft. "You
are lying. Those plans are not in
your room. Nor do you have blue
jersey dinner dress in your closet"
Her voice was so steady and cool
that she hardly recognized it.
''Nor, Mr.. Taussig, do I have the
plans. I haven't got them now, nor
have ever had them. The whole
thing, as you will probably remem-
Der, was your own idea"
He stared at her, ivid with fury.
In the darkened inner room Mig
uel Valera moved the bolt on the
door slowly and silently. Pete
touched his arm. "Wait!" he whis-
pered.
The door to the inner room opened
as Mr.. Taussig was starting slowly
toward Anne Haywood. Pete VIII
cox took two quick steps to her side,
thrust her back across the room.
Taussig lurched for the revolver,
and as Miguel Valera caught the
corner Of the desk pad and ficked
the revolver onto the floor, he turned
and dashed out onto the gallery.
Diego Gongaro was already gone.
A door slammed; there was the
sound Of running feet In the court
yard.
Pete dashed across the room
and Anne leaned back against the
wall, sick with fear, for Miguel Va
lera caught Pes by the arm, holding
him.
LET them go, Wilcoxl Let them
GO, tell you'll"
For an instant Pete stood there
stanned. The motors of the plane