Arkansas State press., 1944-04-14

10 SAoe5s III W AiN tiilS ilS
did recognize it it was too late.
On the other hand, and Mr.. Taus
sig vas thinking of II as he crossed
the Granada lobby toward the news
stand. they we're unknown and fire.
quently unpredietable aspects, i'm
ponderables. he called them, tina.
had to be recognized and dealt with
Sometimes it took the form Of the
honesty and unselfshness OF a par
ticular individual. More often, Ii
his experience, it was what he'C
tried to warn Diego Gongaro abouI
that morning. He had in fact won,
dered many times whether the emo,
tional equation. coming in with Its
attendant jealousy, wasn't actually
more trouble than 1t was help, Ora
ciela's rage against the American
girl had been a help. certainly, bu,
Miguel Valera's apparent entangle'
ment with her was anything but
Young Wilcox's too. Wilcox fortu,
nately wasn't particularly impor,
tant. II he had a rowing commits
sion and was in his W country, /,
would be a horse OF another color.
AS it was. his hands were tied, first
by Army regulations and second by
his unfamiliarity with either the PEG.
pie or the terrain.
Miguel Valera was different. He
was, as far as Mr.. Taussig could
see. potentially much more useful
than his uncle, slightly tarred by
his connection with the war in Spain,
Perhaps he should have taken a
chance and let Gongaro bring him to
their meeting that night. Gongaro
was positive his nephew was in COM
plete agreement with them. His de-
votion to his father would make him
ready to put Don Alvaro's passive
ideas into action if he could be
shown the way.
But Mr.. Taussig wasn't so sure.
1t was the emotional equation com.
ing in again, He'd seen him with
Anne Haywood on the ship and seen
them together in San Juan. He'd
seen the look in Miguel's face. He'd
seen it in other mems faces and
knew what it meant.
Mr.. Taussig bought a newspaper
and made his way across the lobby
to the desk to get his key.
1t was extraordinary, he was
thinking, how Anne Haywood got in
the way. Not only tangibly with
Miguel and little Mrs. Porter, but
intangibly too. The fact that she
was at all serious about him was in
effect a potential surveillance that
he couldn't afford to risk.
He stopped in front Of the counter.
The clerk put his hand up in the
pigeon-hole numbered ITO, and
turned back. mo, she hasn't come
in"
The girl standing there hesitated,
apparently reluctant to 60. Mr..
Taussig glanced her over with an
appraising eye, wondering what she
wanted with Miss Haywood. She
was Puerto Rican, dark and full.
blown at that brief attractive stage
before avoirdupois and middle age
set in at thirty. She was expensive
ly dressed. almost too much so, and
obviously nervous and Ill at ease.
She was also obviously determined.
The clerk handed Mr. Taussig his
key and two call slips, said Good
evening, sir" in English and turned
back to the girl. His attitude was
interesting, Mr.. Taussig thought. 1t
was as if he had to be polite to her
but nevertheless wanted to get her
out as quickly as possible.
"You a leave a message for
her," he said. She's usually very
late"
The girl moved away without an
swering, wandered over to the ar.
cade and sat down, looking around
with a kind of moody defiance in her
set face. She apparently had made
up her mind to see the American
girl and was not going to be stopped,
who is that young LADY," Mr..
Taussig inquired, with a slight frown
as if he knew her very well but
couldn't quite place her at the mo.
ment.
The clerk looked at him politely
but blankly. IT don't know her
name" he said, with exactly the eff.
feet Of saying tits none Of your
business, sir"
Mr.. Taussig looked at the slips In
his hand. Mrs. Russell Porter hac
called him at six-thirty. Mrs. r
Porter had called at eight-thirty
and left her telephone number,
There we're two more slips FOL
calls in his room that had been lef'
earlier. 1t was working out very
nicely, on the whole. Mr.. Taussil
glanced back at the girl by the door
She was sitting tight. He looked a
his watch. 1t was not quite ten, anc
this might be interesting. The cir
obviously had something on her mine
she intended getting of before sht
went away. On the other hand, time
seemed to be important. She KEEP
looking nervously at the clock ant
comparing 1t with the gold watch
pinned on her dress.