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〃Pretty to look at； isn't it？〃 he said； turning to her。 〃But out there on one of those lovely streets you see from here； some young girl is going walking tonight。 Or is going to stand waiting for her sweetheart in some secluded； romantic spot。 Or maybe is only going to stray away from a lively party for a few minutes； out onto a terrace or down into a garden for a breath of air。 And you and I know the rest！ A horrid thing on the ground will be all that's left of her。 And something that thinks like we do will gloat； safe in his hiding place… while the damn…fool police go around looking for a jaguar behind hedges and under rose bushes！ If it isn't tonight； it'll be tomorrow night； or the night after。 But it'll happen again。 Again and again and again！〃
〃And…？〃 she breathed fearfully。 He could see she was steeling herself to ask it。 〃Why do you e here telling me this？ I've already lost my own friend that way。 I'm leaving here。 Why do you tell me what'll happen to the next girl？ What is it you want me to do？〃
He gave it to her curtly。 〃I want you to be that next girl。 Be the bait for him； it； whatever you want to call him。〃
Her eyes dilated。 She drew back a step。 〃I think you're out of your mind。 Do you know what you're saying？ I can't get out of this hateful place quick enough； as it is！ I can't wait to see the last of it！ I can't sleep nights。 My baggage has gone down to the ship already。 There won't be another for the next thirty days。 And you're asking me to stay on here alone； by myself； after losing my lifelong friend！ You； a stranger； have the nerve to walk into my hotel room and suggest； not only that； but that I go out deliberately looking for this…this abomination； seeking him； trying to attract him。 All to give you the satisfaction of proving some theory of yours to be right！〃 Her voice rose。 〃Will you please leave？ Will you kindly get out of here？〃
〃I'm going； Miss King；〃 he said acquiescently； without taking offense。
〃Please do；〃 she urged coldly。 〃I should think you would have had the consideration to leave me alone。 To go to someone else； at least。 But to e to me； of all people…〃 Her closing of the door behind him cut the rest of it off。
It was still going on behind that other transom； too； as he repassed it on his way Out。 〃Well； then you'll just stay on here alone； Harvey Williams； I'm warning you now！ I'm going to be on that train at ten o'clock tonight and nothing's going to stop me…！〃
He didn't blame her； whoever she was。 He blamed Marjorie King even less。 The one he blamed was himself； for approaching her with such a suggestion in the first place； he should have had sense enough to realize the state of mind she was bound to be in； after such an ordeal。
He strode out through the tiled lobby。 The luggage pile in the center of it hadn't diminished any； had augmented if anything。 The clerk was nodding his head busily； with one of the spindly； nickel…trimmed Ericsson handsets held to the side of his face。 Manning obliviously heard him snap his fingers in mid…conversation； but he had already gone past； thought it was meant for one of the bellhops。
He pushed out through the revolving door； stood for a minute under the glass entrance canopy； adjusting his hat。 A dark…skinned bellboy hopped out after him； touched his arm。 〃Seсor； the direccion …〃
Manning went inside to the desk again。 The clerk said； 〃Mees Keeng； she call down just as you go by。 She ask for to have you go up again a minute if you don't mind。〃
No； Manning's sudden hopeful grin answered for him； he didn't mind。 He didn't mind at all。 He took the stairs again； but this time by fives； at full leg…spread。 The argument behind the ubiquitous open transom seemed finally to have been settled too。 〃Give me your pajamas； Harvey；〃 the same feminine voice as before was cooing； 〃there's room enough left in my valise for them。〃
Marjorie King had opened the door for him before he quite reached it； then turned back into the room again。 She began on an oddly aimless note when he stepped over the threshold。 〃A funny thing happened just now； after you'd left。 I thought I'd packed everything of hers away； but I happened to go to the closet and I came across this。〃 She was holding a small woolen vestee or half sweater； with exaggerated puff sleeves； aloft in her hand。 〃She was never without it。 She knitted it herself； I used to watch her doing it。 Every morning going down in the bus。 The other night； that night； before we left； the last thing she said was； 'Think I'll need this？'
She wasn't being weepy about it any more。 There was a flinty decisiveness lurking underneath the quiet poignancy with which she spoke。 〃You see； Mr。 Manning； she was the dearest friend I had in the world。 I don't think I'll ever find anyone to quite take her place。 What I'm trying to say to you is； if a man did that； and you think。 by staying I can be of some help in…in settling accounts for her； well； I…I'm ready to be that next girl。〃
〃I don't want you going into this blindly；〃 he warned her。 〃I know it's asking a lot； and I know Robles would put a stop to it fast if he ever caught my trying such a thing。 All you've got to do is say no； and I won't blame you。〃 He waited； watching her。
〃I've already given you my answer；〃 she said with quiet determination。 〃If it's a man； I'm staying； I want to。 If it's a jaguar； a force of nature； something that doesn't know what it's doing； that can't be called to account； then that's a different matter entirely。〃
〃If it were a jaguar； you wouldn't need to stay； it would have been caught by now； probably within twenty…four hours after it bolted into the Callejуn。〃
〃All right； we begin。〃 She moved briskly to the transom； shut it tight。 She went over to the phone； said 〃Send my baggage back upstairs； I'm staying。〃 And then in answer to something that was asked； she snapped the one word； 〃Indefinitely；〃 and hung up。 On her way back to him again； she caught up her unbound hair and fastened it up the rear curve of her head； somewhat like a ship clearing its decks for action。 It made her look a little more sophisticated； none the less beautiful。 〃Now！〃 she said。 She sat down opposite him； head tilted attentively。 The period of futile mourning was past； it was easy to see that。 〃Help yourself to those；〃 she said parenthetically； 〃if they help you to think better；〃 and motioned toward a pack of American cigarettes。
There was a moment or two of silence。 She was the first one to speak。 〃To be the bait； he must be drawn to me next。 Out of every girl and woman in this city。 How are we going to manage that？ How can I hope to succeed in attracting his attention？〃
〃You can't if we just leave it to chance。 The law of averages would be too strongly against it。 You could walk the streets alone at night； every night for the next ten years； and he might strike all around you； but never e near you again。 It must be a setup。 Now here's what my idea is。 If he reads the papers at all； he's sure to read the rehashes of his own monstrosities； if nothing else。 He must have seen there were two of you that night； he must have followed you from the time you both left the restaurant。 I'm wondering if there isn't some way I can plant…but very subtly； so that he doesn't scent a trap…in the newspapers； along with the accounts of your previous experience； the idea that you would be foolhardy enough； scatterbrained enough； to go back again to some such place； unacpanied； even after what happened the last time。 And along with an even defter hint that you got a look at him； would be able to identify him。 In that way； there'll be two powerful impulses pulling him toward you： his maniacal urge itself； whatever that is； and also his sense of self…preservation。〃
〃But isn't it farfetched？ Would even a deranged mind swallow such a probability？〃
〃It won't be easy to swing it。 Let's see if we can hammer something out between us。 To begin with； you must realize that they believe an American capable of anything down here； to them We're all half wacky in the first place。 That'll help some。〃 He tapped on the ends of his spread fingers one by one。 〃You have a passion for taking walks in the moonlight； you don't intend to let anything interfere with your habits… No； that's no good。〃
They both shook their heads in unison。 〃That wouldn't tell him just where to find you； even if he did fall for it；〃 he added。
He glanced aside at the discarded sweater of Sally O'Keefe； suddenly brightened。 〃Wait a minute； I've got it…that gave me an idea。 Something belonging to one or the other of you。 Something of sentimental value； that you cannot bear to part with。 You dropped it there that night； by the lake。 A locket； say； that was given to you by your mother when you were a child。 Or a goodluck charm。 Something that you are determined not to leave the city until you have recovered。〃
〃It's better than the first one； but there are still things against it。 Wouldn't I be expected to go back well escorted； even if I did go back to look for it？ And why would it have to be at night？ Why wouldn't I go during the daylight hours？〃
〃But he'll be watching for you； and he'll see with his own eyes that you have e back alone； a