d over this hollow in the ground； its arched back swept that sprig aside； broke it。〃
Manning flung the undersides of his hands toward him。 〃You can have your jaguar！ You're wele to it。〃 He took a few steps away； stopped long enough to deliver a parting shot。 〃Just trace its movements for a second。 From the Callejуn de las Sombras； where it originally disappeared； around to the Pasaje del Diablo； in the working。 class quarter。 From there； all the way around again to All Saints Cemetery on the southern outskirts of town。 From there all the way across the city to the corner of Justicia and San Marco。 And from there； back once more to the Bosque； here on the north side。 All without being seen once！ Here's another thing。 All its victims have been women。 Not old； not even middle…aged； but all young girls。 That's a very precocious jaguar； caballeros。 It seems to specialize。〃 He turned his back on them with finality。 〃But there's no use talking to you。 It's just a waste of good breath。 I'm going home。〃
〃I'm sure we'll be practically helpless without you；〃 Robles called after him sarcastically。
VI。 Black Alibi
Manning at sight suspected some of the luggage of being hers when he stepped into the Inglaterra from the street。 It was in the center of the tiled patio； and a glimpse of a red 〃M K〃 on the corner of one of the pieces confirmed his suspicion。 There seemed to be； however； an unusual amount of it； and more was being added to it every time the creaking lift came down。
He went over to the desk。 〃Is that the americana； the one whose friend…？〃
〃She and everyone else； seсor；〃 the clerk said dolefully。 〃We are being emptied like the…how you say？…epidemic is here。 Twenty…three rooms in last two hours…〃
Manning was only interested in one of the twenty…three check…outs。 〃Hpw soon is she leaving； do you know？〃
〃She take the Santa Emilia from Val； on Tuesday。〃 He shrugged pessimistically。 〃She cannot be blamed； seсor； no？〃
〃No；〃 Manning agreed； lowering his head； 〃she cannot be blamed。 I guess I'd go； too。〃 He took out a cigarette； looked down at it thoughtfully without using it。 Then he looked up again。 〃I wonder if she'll see me。〃
〃I try； seсor。 Whose name shall I say？〃
She probably wouldn't remember his name； from amidst all that horror the other night。 She wouldn't have salvaged it。 He gave it anyway。
〃Mees Keeng； is Mister Manning here to see ju。〃 The clerk nodded。 〃The twenty…four； seсor； on secon' floor。〃
Manning took the stairs。 The lift was still busy disgorging luggage at every down trip。 As the clerk had said； there seemed to be a mass exodus on。
In fact； as he passed the open transom of a door on the second…floor corridor； he overheard an unmistakably American voice； feminine； saying to someone： 〃I don't care； Harvey Williams； business deal or no business deal； I will not spend another night in this city with that thing prowling around loose！ You can sign those papers just as well down on the coast while we're waiting for the ship to sail…〃
Yes； the panic was on。
Manning knocked on 24。 Her voice said； 〃e in。〃
She was in the middle of finishing packing her smaller pieces； the hand luggage。 Three or four of them were ranged around her。 She was in a white corduroy wrapper； tiny at the waist； spreading at the floor。 She looked as though she hadn't slept since that night； and he glimpsed several small bottles of nerve tablets or sedative ranged on the stand beside her bed。
Pallor and the darkness about her eyes only made her more beautiful。 You had to be as young as she； he told himself； to suffer and still turn out looking beautiful。 When you got to be a few years older； and suffered； it just made you haggard。
The first thought that crossed his mind； before he'd even opened his mouth to her； was： 〃What made me e here？ I had no right to。 I should have stayed away and let her alone。〃
〃You don't remember me；〃 he said tactfully。 〃I'm the fellow…well； I was with them the other night。〃
〃Oh；〃 she said。 Even the recollection still made her wince。 〃I thought it was somebody from the Express； about my reservation and tickets。 No；〃 she admitted； 〃I don't remember you。〃
〃I really had no right to intrude like this；〃 he murmured tactfully。
〃No； it's all right。 I'm all alone here and…it's nice to have someone to talk to in your own language。〃 She was not only sincere； she was almost pathetically grateful。 〃I was in bed all day yesterday。 I only got up today because I had to…to plete the necessary arrangements for poor Sally。〃 Her voice shook a little when she pronounced the name。 〃Sit down； Mr。 Manning。〃 She removed a small fitted toilet case from the seat of a chair。
〃Won't I be in your way？〃
〃Most of my heavy packing is finished。 I'm taking the night train down； that doesn't leave until ten； I understand。 There's plenty of time…as long as I make sure I get out of this place。〃 A look of unspeakable revulsion flitted across her face。 〃As long as I make sure I get out of this place！〃 Her intensity made her almost wild…eyed。
〃I can understand how you feel；〃 he said sympathetically。
〃It's been pretty bad；〃 she went on in a more posed voice； sitting down and crossing her knees； but then robbing the attitude of all repose by plucking incessantly at the fabric of her white robe just over her kneecap。 〃I had all her things to put away。 I could see imaginary rips and tatters on every…〃 She bit her lip； forbore going ahead。
He was acutely unfortable； as men always are in the presence of feminine emotion。
〃And the trip up isn't going to be easy either。 It's the same ship we came down on together and…well you know how it is。〃
He supposed not； he said almost inaudibly。 He felt as though he had six hands and feet。
〃She'd looked forward so to this vacation；〃 she went on after a moment's quiet。 〃The last few weeks； before we left； she kept ing over to my house nearly every other night； to show me some latest addition she'd made to her wardrobe； to plan some new detail。 She was even taking Spanish lessons； at the end。 And to have it end like this！〃
He thought maybe it was better for her to get it all out of her system instead of keeping it pent up； didn't try to change the subject。
〃We've lived next door to each other ever since we were a pair of knock…kneed little brats with braces on our teeth。 Went to school together； went to dances together。 Her poor mother's waiting up there now。 And I've got to go back and face her。 Bring her back in a box。〃 She did something to her shapely eyebrows with the fingers of one hand。
〃Have you cabled？〃 he asked gently。
〃Yes。 I had to； of course。 I didn't say what it was。 I couldn't bring myself to。 Not on teletype strips。〃 She halted； went on thoughtfully： 〃There's something so unspeakable about what it really was。〃
If you only knew； he concurred unheard。
〃I let them think pneumonia。 Now when I do get back； that's another thing I'll have to tell them。〃 Her voice trailed off； and in the silence he got up to go。
He really intended going without a word； without broaching what had been on his mind when he came here。 Then unexpectedly； as he was already at the door； she gave him the opening he had no longer been seeking。 〃They haven't caught it yet； have they？〃 she asked。
〃No； they haven't；〃 he answered； turning and looking square at her。 〃And they won't。〃
〃Why do you say that？〃
〃Because； Miss King； it's not a jaguar；〃 he told her quietly。
She stared at him； intently for a long moment。 He could see her already wan face paling still more； before his very eyes； as his meaning sank in with terrible slowness。
〃Oh no；〃 she grimaced sickly at last； drawing the back of her hand across her lips； 〃I couldn't bear that thought。 If anything can make it worse than it was already…that does。〃
〃Shall I go ahead； or would you rather I didn't？〃
But the question was superfluous； he could see the damage was done already。 She just kept staring at him in a frozen； furrowed horror。 If he shut up now； he'd leave her with that anyway。
He lowered his voice。 〃It's a man。 No one else in Ciudad Real believes that but me；