Swamp Island

LANC

o lay limp on the floor. In horror, she saw that the

cried frantical

groaned loudl

hispered. "Let my last hours

denly to her sides. She s

you'd be ashamed to frighten us so! That

ckling. "Ruined a

done it," Penny sa

into the act. Also, I was curi

, Jerry Livingston! And don't flatter yourself I was concerned about y

her backstage and down a corridor.

very fu

. I didn't realize anyone wou

k, that's all. First, that threat from Danny Deevers. Then when I saw you flattened out, for a mi

realize that now. Forgi

t don't try anythi

t my part is finished here, suppose

h of red ink on

an extra shirt along. Wait he

wandered back to the stage wings to talk to Salt. However, the photographer had

went downstairs again. Je

jar. Penny tapped lightly on it, calling: "Get

came fro

and returned to listen at the door. S

?" she called again.

ere was

e go?" Penny tho

en the door. Jerry's stained shirt lay

n the dressing room. Or so P

to see a pair of shoes protruding from a hinged dec

the shoes. Stretched out on the floor a

an impulse to r

"You've carried your stupid joke

way. But in the doorway, someth

had no

p!" she comma

ld herself that Jerry was only trying to plague her, y

eakness, she walked across the room

ed. A slight gash was visible on the sid

was not shamming this time. Obviously, he had

eizing his hand which

darted to the door and

cry, she rushed back to Jerry. On the dressing

's forehead. It seemed to produce no effect. In desperat

erry sputtered and his

he muttered. "What you

gerly felt of a big bump which had risen the

ter giving him a few minutes to recove

Without answering, he got to his feet, and walke

me aware of a heavy scent of tobacco smoke in the room-the same cigar

the window. "He's

Tell me wha

ind," the reporter admitted, sin

eone att

nged my shirt. Had a queer feeling all th

oking a ciga

y,

ke in the room? The

igarettes on the market and not easy to get. Now that you mention it, the od

k you must have bee

behind that screen. As I started to leave, he reared up

u didn't

appened t

y have been D

ays figured if he caught up with me, he wou

ng me in the hall," Penny said. "Jerry,

er has. But I don't know of anyone who

ung open to admit Mr. Parker

or help?" her father d

Penny answered, and t

ublisher inquired. "That's a na

dinner date," Jerry announced brigh

she replied. "Are you

rry got to his feet. He started ac

man seized him by the arms, he

xcept a hospital checkup," the publisher

ef, have

ed a deaf ear u

skull," he said, helping to ease the repo

X-rayed," Jerry pr

s a nice safe place," Mr. Parker continued, thinking alou

hief, I'm

re the same as in Riverview Hospital n