CHAPTER NINE
ALERT
During those first busy days at the hotel Nancy saw little of Tini.Though she managed to get in always before eleven, and was at hand forbreakfast, she took most of her other meals out.
One noon when Nancy, Mabel and Shorty were on a shopping expeditionthey came across Tini in a swanky Chinese restaurant, sitting at atable with a smart-looking woman, obviously about ten years her senior.
Nancy's trio, in a high mood, was having a final fling. They hadcarefully checked over their funds to be sure they would have enoughfor a meal in this expensive restaurant. They were surprised and notaltogether pleased to find Tini ahead of them with someone who wouldprobably foot her bill.
"She hasn't paid a particle of attention to what Miss Hauser said aboutour going in groups," Mabel grumbled on seeing Tini.
"Has she ever paid attention to any regulations she could break and getby with?" asked Shorty, whose round, babyish eyes took in more than herguileless face betrayed.
Nancy gave her attention to the menu card, but when the other two wereoccupied with thoughts of food she sent the woman sitting opposite Tinia critical look. The stranger was a blonde like Tini, but her chic hatand smart clothes could not hide the hard sophistication in her face. Agroup of WACs came into the dining room, and Nancy saw the woman's eyesfollow them to their seats. Two army nurses, not of their unit, entereda moment later and again she trailed them. Nancy made up her mind toask Tini later about the woman, then tried to dismiss the unpleasantsubject, and enjoy this meal they had been anticipating.
The chop suey and Chinese tea proved to be all that had beenanticipated. Though they dawdled long over the food Tini and hercompanion were still at their table when Nancy and her friends rose togo.
When they had left their tips and paid for their food Mabel said in animpish tone, "I've gotter pass by Tini's table on the way out."
"Now, Mabel, what are you up to?" asked Nancy.
Mabel made a face at her and retorted, "None of your business!"
Tini's back had been to them, but now she glanced up and saw them, andNancy noticed the flustered look on her face.
"Hiya, Blondie!" burst forth Mabel. "Chow was swell, wasn't it?"
Tini nodded at them coolly.
At the door Mabel said, "Oh, boy, did she and her high-brow friendsnoot us!"
"High-brow, did you say?" asked Nancy in a sarcastic tone.
"You shouldn't tease her so, Mabel," Shorty chided. "Tini's such astickler for form."
"Social form only," added Nancy. "Not military form."
"Dumb bloke! That's all the sense she has," said Mabel in disgust.
The girls spent another hour shopping, then were too weary for any morethat day, so returned to the hotel. They stopped in the lobby for Mabelto get a magazine, and Shorty some mints. Too tired to stand, Nancydropped into one of the large chairs in sight of the elevator. She wassitting there in a fog of weariness when she saw Tini and her luncheoncompanion come in and ring for the elevator.
"So," thought Nancy, "you're either taking her up to our room--which isagainst regulations, or she lives in the hotel herself. In either caseI mean to find out where she goes."
Nancy had no time to let Mabel and Shorty know she was going up, butmade a dive for the elevator as the passengers crammed in. Their roomwas on the eighth floor, but to her relief Tini's friend got off at theseventh.
Several other nurses got off at the next floor with Nancy and Tini, butthe two girls found themselves side by side as they approached theirown door.
"Mabel certainly embarrassed me in the restaurant this noon," said Tiniin an ugly mood.
"Oh, you know Mabel!" exclaimed Nancy. She slipped her key in the lockand opened the door.
"She's very common and loud at times!" snapped Tini.
"But with a heart of gold," stated Nancy. "I'd trust Mabel with my ownsoul."
"Hump!" grunted Tini as she tossed her cap to the bed.
Nancy sat down on her cot and slipped her aching feet into her bedroomslippers.
"That was a beautifully dressed woman you were with. Where'd you meether?" asked Nancy.
"She's Carl's aunt, Mrs. Webber. He made me promise to look her up ifwe got to the west coast."
"He did. Does she live at this hotel? I noticed she got off at thefloor below."
"Oh, no. She's only visiting here--came to meet me."
"I see. But how could she know you were here?"
"Carl wired her."
"How did Carl know?"
Suddenly Tini flared. "And what business is it of yours?"
"Oh, what a nettle you are!" said Nancy.
Mabel came in a few minutes later. "You really got ahead of us," shetold Nancy. "Didn't know you were coming on up." Then her gaze fell onTini, and she left the rest of her remark unfinished.
"Sure," said Tini, sitting up suddenly, "she had to come up and spy onme and my friend."
"Why Tini Hoffman!" exclaimed Ida Hall, lifting her head from the bedwhere she had been recovering from the after-effects of some shots."How can you be so rude?"
Mabel went to the foot of Tini's bed and fairly shook it in her rage."Let me tell you something, Tini Hoffman. If you didn't have a badconscience about the way you've broken the regulations ever since yougot into this unit, you wouldn't make such a remark."
"Mabel's right," Ida Hall agreed. "Anyone who can't stand up underwatching by all the rest, has no right to stay with us. This is seriousbusiness, Tini. You can bet your bottom dollar none of us is going tolet anything crooked get by."
Tini began turning the pages of a magazine to show them how littleimportance she put on what they said. A strained silence filled theroom, and Nancy was thankful when it was time to dress for dinner.Mabel was a fast dresser and sat checking over the list of necessitieswhile she waited for the others.
"Well, I think I have everything mentioned on this list that I want totake," she concluded. "Do you gals want me to read it over to see ifyou've forgotten anything?"
"Good idea," said Nancy, giving her auburn curls a final touch. She hadhad her hair set early that morning, and wondered when she would everget inside a hairdresser's again.
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_"She's Carl's Aunt, Mrs. Webber," Tini Told Nancy_]
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"Bathrobe, bedroom slippers, brassieres, garters, garter belt, girdle,handkerchiefs, money belt--" Mabel began.
"For goodness' sake!" burst forth Tini. "Can't you see I'm reading?I've checked that list a dozen times and have everything on it."
"If them's orders, Shavetail Hoffman, I'll desist!" exclaimed Mabel,snapping to attention and giving Tini a mocking salute. "Come on,girls, let's beat it," she added, turning to Ida and Nancy. "I'm readyfor more chow."
Though Mabel tried to dissipate the stormy atmosphere by her lightmood, Nancy could not shake off her depression and a sense offoreboding. The nurses and medical officers had a long, private diningroom at the rear of the first floor. Nancy noticed that for a changeeveryone seemed to be on hand.
Major Reed was in a high mood as he sat with a group of his medicalofficers. Nancy's heart swelled with pride when she glanced from one tothe other of their personnel. Here were medical men trained in allbranches of healing, and nurses with various specializations forassisting them.
At the end of the meal, when Nancy was finishing a piece of lemonchiffon pie, she glanced up to note that the room had been cleared ofwaiters, and Sergeant Bohler was standing at the rear door by whichthey entered. Then all eyes were drawn, as if by some strongattraction, toward Major Reed, now standing by his table.
"I have the privilege of informing you," he began, "that we have beenalerted. No member of this unit will leave the hotel again, nor may youuse any telephone, send out any mail, or by any means communicate withany person out
side this room that we will embark in a few hours.Everyone must be packed and ready to leave at any moment. When you comedown to meals again come prepared to march to your ship, if necessary.Everything in your rooms must be ready for instant departure."
No cheers greeted this long-anticipated order, for any demonstrationmight bring information to alert spies they knew were not far off.Sergeant Bohler left the door, the waiters returned to clear off thetables and the nurses and doctors went straight to their quarters.
When their door was closed Mabel burst forth exuberantly, "Boy, oh boy!To think we have sailing orders at last!"
"I've got that hollow, going-away feeling for the first time since Ileft home," said Ida Hall a little wistfully.
"It surely does make you feel serious when you stop to think what wemay have to go through before we get back to these shores," said Nancy.
"But we're going to see the world, gals, before we get back!" Mabel wasthe only one who had no close relatives to leave behind, so heradventure-loving wings had no silken cords to bind them to home shores.
"Wish they'd waited another day, dern it!" exclaimed Tini. "Just myluck though. Wonder how long we'll have to wait." It was the first timeshe had spoken since they returned to the room.
"I imagine Major Reed doesn't even know that," said Nancy. "We'll justhave to be ready to go at any minute." She was already gathering up hertoilet articles from the dresser as she spoke.
"I've heard they often go aboard ship about midnight," said Ida. "We'dbetter keep on most of our clothes."
It was about ten o'clock before they finished packing and turned outthe lights. Taking off only their coats, the four nurses lay down ontop of their beds. Nancy dropped into a light sleep, but was roused byan almost imperceptible movement near the door well after midnight.Though the room was in total darkness she knew someone was movingacross the carpet. A beam of light fell across Tini's empty bed as thedoor was opened with noiseless caution, and Tini herself stepped intothe hall.
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