Arkansas State press., 1944-04-21
CHAPTER Mi

ltte IItuH came out OF Inc EaCh
elor Officers Quarters on the roat
70 Moro. above San Juan's mos
astonishing Stun ironically known a
La Perla. and walked along towart
Headquarters. Tie fact that by.thiI
time everybody on the Post knew
he'd had the Provost Marshal ane
the Insular Police out looking ful
Anne Haywood when she was ovei
at the Eseambron dancing with Mig
uel Valera didn't particularly bother
him. 1t vas damned lucky Valora
had run into her, There were too
many stories going around, anc
while most OF them weren't true
tropical streets q night were nc
place for girls. In fact, much as he
wished personally that MiguelVale9a
was in the bottom pit of hell, he was
probably an albright guy. The files
Of G 2 were full of items that hac
come in about him, but they were
probably sent in by political enc.
mics OF the family, II had happened
before.
And personally, he had been q
frst-class fool to goad Anne the
way he had. He knew how she fell
about him, and If that was all he
could ever hope for, he'd better
make the best Of it. She'd get over
Valera as soon as she got back
home. 81 hope. l hope" he thought
sardonically.
He stopped at the bend in the
wall to let a train Of Army trucks
60 through the old military road
along the rim of the hill above the
ocean,. A woman on the other side
was watching him, and without
warning Of any kind made a dash
across between a couple ~of olive.
drab motors. Pete held his breath.
The driver swore. jammed on his
brakes. and went ahead again.
"Senor Wilcox"
Pete looked at her in surprise. She
wasn't, a. far as he knew, either
a friend or an agent. In any case
1t was bad business. He could hear
it on the evening broadcast from
abroad: American Army mows
down Puerto Rican civilians. Plu-
tocratic demoeracy's ruthless treat
ment of women and children horri-
fies South America" And they'd
have it in twelve hours.
you Senior Wilcox"
That's me-" Pete said. He looked
ather -curiously. She was younger
he'd thought at first, and not
bad looking. A little too much pow
der and too many clothes on, but her
eyes were nice. if a little stormy.
you know Miss Heywood-Amer.
lean girl? Blonde?"
Pete nodded.
IT did yesterday" he said.
She looked at him blankly.
Yes. l know her. What about
it,"
The girls eyes ~'darkened. He
couldn't tell whether she was plead
ing or angry or both.
Take her away" she said pas
sionately. Il don't know very good
English. She must go back to Amer
lea. Understand"
Pete scratched the back of his
head, yeah. l understand all
right. Why?"
The girl dropped her hands in
despair,
Il don't know how to say" she
cried. "She have to go. viii get
hurt"
She broke into a "torrential flow Of
Spanish. Pete stood listening blank
ly.
you understand"
All he had got was that Anne was
going around with Miguel Valera,
that il was dangerous, that she was
warning him SO he could make her
60 back to America, She had friends
they would kill the Americanita
Il think l do" he said slowly
You mean she's going with Va
lera, you're jealous and your friends
are going to kill her"
The girl looked blank until he fin
ished. Then she nodded quickly
Isl, ST." she whispered. THAT i!
right"
She turned and hurried acros!
the street, and disappeared rounc
the corner without looking back
Pete stood watching her.
That" he said aloud, lis a BIZ
help"
Pete hung up his sun helmet ant
went to his desk. There was some
thing about the melodramatic bust
ness OF shooting a rival that wa
ludicrous, on the whole. Neverthe
less the girl had been in dead ear
nest. 1t worried him. AT the sam,
time 1t put him on a spot II HI
asked for any kind Of protection fol
her after last night they wouldn'
even wait till he got out to laugh
And he couldn't very well warn her
Or could he?
He glanced up as a soldier came
out Of Colonel Fletcher's office witt
a sheaf Of papers. 1.-THE Colonel saic
you'd check these. sir"
Thank you"
He glanced through them. On tn,
fourth from the top he saw Migue
Valera's name in the second line o
translation.
Tonight nj 9.10 o'clock I was II