Swamp Island

RED

Salt gave no hint that he had heard. "You're from a n

d Salt. "I'm not turni

suit pocket. "Here's a five spo

kick? Your car didn't cause the

o collect damages," the man sa

ing d

o the argument,

se birds were?"

to look back through

n who argued with us is writing

t h

ho you are, Salt! He must

tar tomorrow! Maybe he's a police character and do

aken down his

ied Salt. "It'll sho

the traffic behind them. Neither she nor Salt noticed that

, Salt parked

car door for her. "I want to collect so

nny was stopped by O

said. "There's a newspaper convention on. My o

shed her

," the door

her or Jerry. The program had started, but after listening

out front, came an occasional ripple of laughter

ucky Dad cooked up the shooting stunt. If everythi

ng rooms. Stacked against the outside wall were hundred

nd read the headline: "REPORTER S

had to think twice to realize not a word was true. Other columns of the paper contained regular wire news sto

enny thought. "Wonder where Jerry is? The s

vily with his camera, a tripod, a refle

e yet?" he

n him. It's ge

onfidently. "Wonder where I'

the floor, he took the revolver from

it to me," s

ed. "I can't keep it, because I've got

ded?" Penny asked, t

nks. It's ready

ed it on one of the tables. When she returned to the corrid

an outside door slammed. Jim,

that your car pa

rtled. "Don't tell me the c

there, riflin' th

equipment, racing for the

time to see a man in a dark suit duc

shouted Sa

slightly and va

low who was in the auto a

Wonder if he got a

u lock the

artment. Should have done

all the po

gone now. Let's see if

photographic equipment had been scattered over the back seat. The doo

missing?"

es, there is! Some of t

ose two men who were in the auto accident! You wouldn't sell them

ried," the photo

you stil

ones, extras I exposed at a society

the one of the

ere in m

rilliant of you!

wonder why that bird set such great store by the picture? Mayb

wait to see

k to the theater entrance, a taxi skidde

inquired, staring c

him what h

Jerry commented when he had heard the story. "Be

re for half an

cab driver. He can

ea," agr

the plate and gave it to the cab

arned. "Don't turn it over to

red the theater. Mr. Parker had come backstage and was talkin

in time too! The stunt

Jerry asked. "And Johnn

y's waiting in the stage wings

volunteered, starting

ached for the weapon, she suddenly sniffed the ai

. No one was there and she had seen

she thought. "Perhaps it was

d impatiently from outsid

evolver, she hur

tunt off?" she began. "S

volver from her hand he gave it to Jerry. "Do your stuff, my boy, and do

ust as soon as the Mayo

t up now. So ge

up the stairway,

eft the revolver there," she revealed nervously. "Be s

were tuned to the Mayor's closing lines. A ripple of appla

He gave him the revolver and at once plunged into his lines. So convincingly did he argue a

the actors moved out on the sta

who had joined Penny. "Didn't k

if in a sudden fit of rage, the electrician

that!" he shouted, thr

e region of his heart. Slowly, his fa

ys armed with their papers, began to r

shouted. "Reporter Shot

ed at the joke as they

fallen. The electrician, his part ended,

o him. "What are you waiting fo

floor beside him, a small red stain

t the same instant and

photographer cried hoarsely