Evening star., 1951-06-06
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wv @S VIZ H----s----a.a.-.----
would leave Sherry alone. Other
wise, she reasoned, he never woul,
have gone, at least without takin
her. That wouldn't be like he
father. to run away and leave he
facing danger.
/ OF course. he probably had n
i idea Elaine Curtis key would ge
into Sherry's hands.
That was it! They were afte
the key. The record made in Ire
vor's Office told them that she hat
lit.
Sherry could see it all now. VIII.
hadn't she let Trevor call the po
lice? She could have brough
them to the apartment to shov
them the hidden microphon'
there. the microphone she hat
never disconnected, and which wa
now recording everything said il
the room.
If she had done that, the police
might have trapped the masked
men. But what then? Perhaps
she might have been in even mor'
danger, and her father. too.
These men were probably jus
tools in the hands of some ont
else. House breakers. perhaps
hired for the job.
These ideas piled one On tor
of the other in Sherry's mind il
the few moments it took the Short
man to search her bag.
The short man came back witt
the open bag in his hand.
"You have a key we want
Where is it?"
$50 you planted the microphone
in my Officer" Sherry said
That's how you know" a
The tall man reached for tn,
gun. The short man shook hi.
head and the gun didn't appear.
1--WE asked you to be sensible
Don't make any trouble. Wher,
is the key?" he said to Sherry.
She had her key ring. It hat
been in her hand since she un
locked the apartment door.
She took off the strange ke,
and handed it to the intruder.
81 took nothing from you
purse" the man said, 1--WE wan
only the key. which is not yours
We know nothing about micro
phones or anything else"
He started for the rear of th'
house.
"Tie her up," the tall man de.
manded.
Its not necessary" his com
Ipanion said.
"She won't call the police. She
too smart. This little girl want!
to protect her dad"
Sherry shuddered as he said it
Now she knew she must find ou
what the mystery was, and tina
she could not call the police un
til she did. The masked mel
had convinced her of that.
The short man had figured ex'
actly right. He knew just wha
to say. After his mention of he,
father and possible danger, h,
was sure Sherry would make NJ
trouble about the key.
Sherry heard them go ou
through the kitchen and close tn,
door. She sat where she was TO
about five minutes.
She did not hear a car, ant
figured that the men had parke,
some distance from the apart
ment.
When she got up. she went t,
her bedroom and got a pair O
scissors. She cut the wire at
tached to the microphone, but lef
it in place until the time whel
she might want to show it to tn,
police.
Her knees were still wobbly.
I've got to pull myself to
gether." she said. Trevor viii
be here soon. He mustn't see tina
I'm nervous"
Sherry felt that her Dime
date with the architect was nov
important, more important thar
ever.
She must find out everythin,
she could about her father
mystery. The key was gone. Tha
would be no clue for her now.
Sherry checked all the door,
and windows and found then
fastened. She wondered how tn,
men had come in.
Then she went to Dru's apart.
ment and rang. There was n,
answer.
Returning TO her bedroom, sh,
took Of her clothes slowly, ane
got into O hot bath. as hot o.
she could stand 1t.
She tried to relax In the no
water. while q thousand question:
flashed through her mind.
What was SO important that ,
small key would unlock?
What was her fathers connec.
ton with the dead woman?
She finally gave it UP, got ou
Of the tub and put on her clothes
She would be very nice t,
Trevor tonight. Men sometime
forgot and said things they didn'
intend to when girls were mic,
to them. Anyway. Sherry hat
heard that and she intended t,
try 1t.
ITO Be Continued.)