Browning chief. [volume] (Browning, Mont.) 1941-1953, 1944-12-15

quite OBVIOUS to you. You are such
a clever young lady I sometimes
forget you've had no experience with
=. this sort of thing"
Are you saying" Zorie gasped,
that her death will be blamed on
me?"
But it is already blamed on
you'll he said, as if he were greatly
surprised. "Where do you suppose
your compact is? Where do you sup
pose your handkerchief isl"
by her body!" Zorie cried.
But of course, Miss Coreyl".
Zorie took a deep breath. Mr..
Lanning was gazing at her sadly.
Men in your profession do things
SO thoroughly" she said. "I'd for
gotten. AS you say, I'm not used to
this sort of thing. When Amber is
found, with those simple proofs that
killed her, the authorities will as
sumo that, in grief or panic, I went
OIL and perhaps threw myself off a
cliff. l suppose that's very obvi-
ous."
He was nodding. His attitude re-
manned one of mild amazement.
1t was all so obvious, so logical, to
him.
You're sorry" she said quietly.
You're awfully sorry that l must
be-Equidated. But you've arranged
1t so that haven't chance"
Mr.. Lanning shook his head. "No,
MISS ('nrnu 7 DOVE
There may be an alternative"
Is there any alternative to my
being killed in cold blood?"
II do not say that there is" he
answered. 81 only say there may
be-"
where did Steve and Pierre Sa-
voyard go?"
Il don't know, Miss Corey"
"But don't you assume that Pierre
will kill him?"
Il think that Pierre will try. But
Steve is very clever. If he was
aware that your fiance said the
things he did, he would be better
prepared to cope with Pierre. But
he wasn't aware. Therefore, Pierre
has slight advantage. But only a
slight advantage. It may not be
enough. l am speaking very frank
ly. Pierre is not clever. He is re-
lentless, but his intelligence is not
always alert. And in this profession,
cieVerness counts more than relent-
lessness. Therefore,, Steve has an
even chance of coming out of it
alive"
Zorie believed he was being hon.
est. If Steve had a chance of COM
ing out of it alive, he might come to
this cabin. 1t would improve Steve's
chances-and her own-if she could
persuade Mr.. Lanning that Paul had
been lying maliciously and that
Steve had been honest in his deal
lngs with these people.
If Steve reached this cabin alive,
she was certain he would not let
them kill her, provided he was given
voice in the matter. 1t came down
to that very ironical basis: Her only
chance to get out of this cabin alive
was to convince Mr.. Lanning, and
anyone else who came in, that Steve
was what he actually Was-a true
blue Nazi! And if she could some
how save her own life, she would
have a chance of trapping them all.
She suspected that Mr.. Lanning,
in his present frame of mind, would
be an awfully hard man to convince.
First, she must secure all the infor-
nation he would part with.
who owns this cabin"
lone of your dinner guests-Basil
Stromberg. You are surprised"
And Mr.. Stromberg will have the
final say, whether I'm to live or
not?'
Yes, Miss Corey"
''When will he be here?"
Mr.. Lanning looked at his watch.
Il told him tWo-thirty. 1t is now
twelveforty. He is usually very
punctual, but he had certain ar
engagements to make and he may be
a little late"
Zorie supposed that these arrange
ments had to do with getting the
precious cabinet containing JY-4l9
off this island. Mr.. Stromberg was
doubtless contracting a Japanese
agent who would arrange to have
JY-4l9 delivered to a Japanese SUBJ
marine.
Are we in Kokee?"
Eyes. On the edge of Waimea Can
yon-the most beautiful canyon in
the world. More beautiful, in nv
opinion, than the Grand Canyon of
the Colorado. l sincerely hope you
will live to see a Waimea sunrise,
if this rain will only stop. You will
see it from this window. The edge
of the canyon is only a hundred
feet away. From this window, the
view is superb
He went around the table and
opened the window.
1--WE don't have to blackout here"
Mr. Lanning said. There is moth
ing across the canyon but swarpy
wilderness. Of all the dreary re-
strictions of modern warfare, the
one l detest the most is the black
out ~