Arkansas State press., 1944-04-14


Ore" farther back into the dark
ness, Miguel's hand dropped hers,
moved back to his hip pocket and
rested there. Her heart beat faster.
There must be four or five of them,
she thought, trying to count the shut
fling feet above her, Then she held
her breath, They we're at the bot
tom, Her spine was like a cold wet
feather down the middle Of her back,
Two men moved across the court
yard and stood waiting for the 9TH
ers. She had never seen either OF
them before. They were not Puerto
Ricans, and they did not look like
Continental Americans exactly. An
other man joined them, Anne had
seen him sitting on the porch
at the Granada reading the news
paper. The three Of them were
speaking in low tones.
Then suddenly Anne's heart gave
a sickening lurch into the pit Of her
stomach. She felt Miguel's body
stifen and the muscles OF his fore
arm contract sharply. The cat had
come down the stairs and was cir
cling around the little group. meow
ing family. They paid no attention
to her. and she moved away, COM
ing toward the recess under the
stairs.
Mr.. Taussig. crossing the yard
toward the others, stopped, looking
at the cat. Anne felt her whole
body trembling like an aspen as she
clenched her fists, trying to control
herself.
Here. puss-kitty. kitty" Mr..
Taussig said. He bent down. The
cat turned and went back to him,
tail high, purring loudly. He picked
her up and moved on to the others.
Anne closed her eyes and took a
long breath. She felt Miguel's taut
body relax and then 60 rigid
again SO instantly that she opened
her eyes in sudden fright. A fifth
man had joined the group. 1t was
Diego Gongaro.
Miguel's body was like a steel
wire quivering under the impact OF
q sudden blow. His breath was COM
ing so sharply that Anne thought the
men outside must hear it. What had
happened she didn't know. Then
suddenly it came to her. He hadn't
known his uncle was there. He
hadn't even known he might be
there.
Lets get out of here, quick"
Miguel said quietly.
They slipped through the tunnel
and out into the street. He took her
arm. As they started down the
street, away from the direction she'd
come in, Anne glanced back. There
was no one in sight. They turned
the corner.
MY cars down here" Miguel
said. His face was drawn and paler
than Anne had seen it, his lips tight,
his eyes suffered and unrevealing.
She realized, as she had at lunch,
that she knew him only in his most
superficial aspects--she knew moth
ing at all Of the complex inner work
ings of his mind or soul.
She got into the car, tired, des-
perately tired, all of a sudden. Mig
uel," she said.
"Wait a while, Anne"
She sank back against the seat. 1t
was probably Just hunger, she
thought, but it was funny how this
see-sawing of emotions took it out
Of you. She felt like an old sponge.
He Unanswered the car through
the dark streets. They came out
suddenly In front OF the great Indian
laurel tree in the Post Office Plaza.
Anne sat up abruptly. She hadn't
an idea how they'd got there so
quickly.
Where were we, Miguel" she
asked.
He looked at her sharply.
If you don't know where you
we're it's better for you not to
know" he said evenly, after a mo-
ment. II wish you could forget the
whole thing"
They we're both silent for an in
slant. Then he said, you've got tc
promise me very seriously you'll
never say a word about 1t to any
one"
What were you doing there? And
in Mr.. Taussig's room the other
night"
Then you did know" Miguel sale
without turning his head His eyes
were fixed on the ocean In front OF
them. I'm sorry, ! hope ! didn''
hurt you or brighten you toe
much. / think you'd better tell M
all about it. i couldn't ask you be
fore"
1T wasn't you that told TaussiG
! was there?"
Miguel turned abruptly. Does nc
know"
He knows about me-" Anne said
II don't know about you"
Listen, Anne" he said earnestly
you've got to tell me everything
you know. It's more important thar
you think. Have you told WilcoxY'
Anne shook her head. He thinks
you're a spy, or something. ! die
too. But you're not, are you?