4 LADY LARK LARKSPUR 5 PU R by MEREDITH NICHOLSON I 1 I 1 0 copyright by chine charles scribners sons boo YOU scoundrels UNDRELl synopsis richard bichard seal Sea les ilea sue american confides to lilt hin friend bob singleton the fact that inspired by the goncus of a young actress whom lie he had seen in london lie liis has written britten a play lady Laik larkspur spur solely the thought that she should interpret tile the leading character this gli violet 11 suing has disappeared singleton an aviator has just return etl on in vali ded from dianco libi illi uncle raymond Ri ymond bu Basht s li oid fold had coil t rated it a marr marriage Jage a short if time me bt belore fore its ills death w while 1 i le 0 on ll 11 a vl visit s 1 t to tc j japan a p lie he loft ef t S singleton i n gle t a c 0 i p ara t i vely amount or of money and the hie privilege privilege of re siding residing lit in the garage ng e of his iome manon on the sound connecticut mrs mr bashford ashford Il Is believed to be travel ani cling in the orient the household tit at barton Is made mad a up af 0 broken down don n of 1 a new yolk hotel where here Bas liford made his home singleton noea goes to balton taking ith him the manuscript of lady larkspur I there he binds lie household str angeii upset some 0 t t its ts members being suspected liy by t their i air comrades of 0 pro ger antoine Ant olne head of tile hie establishment informs fornia ln him that lie has been perplexed by the somewhat mysterious visits alts of 0 a stranger apparently it foreigner seeking mrs bashford antoine has formed forma d the male members of the house household holi singleton into a guard for protection tec tion singleton reads readi searls Se arlus play with approval aunt alice a arrives r un unexpectedly meets wit a vely lively reception and turns out to be young loung and charming hart nIng mrs I 1 fitins inns worth orth Is her trave traveling lilg torrence Torr enre Bash lawyer suspects the two women and warns singleton aunt ali may be an impostor tile the mysterious stranger c count Monta nl iii makes a call and Is se spen seen en to be very much interested in aunt alices ostrich plume fan w which litch has been repaired by a jewel jeweler e r in japan singleton Is fascinated by aunt alice antoine reports a spy lias has been tempting a servant sen ant to steal the fm fail CHAPTER ill 11 I 1 continued 9 I 1 had noticed that she hild substituted a tiny Ja japanese fan fail for the hie one that had ila in pecked so eagerly when I 1 spoke poke of tile climice cli inge slie she had said the other wit waif too precious for everyday use and she mount to keep it locked up lip 1 I hate to bottler bother you sir knowing mu foil the mention of flit alic fun fail had brought ne lie to nn abrupt halt I 1 reea rebated ted having the thing tit sit ine 1110 in ili the ecstatic in ill lelh NIl lell I 1 ifft l ft the dailie ilie 1 lint alio allt of 1 alio llio I 1 11 n MIS s L 1 ill and wi antohne knew that hut tits ills story had startled tile nie up ile told me 1110 further that tile hie inan lind had carefully outlined to il m bie just how low site she could take of df her freedom of the I 1 he house to appropriate the he fun fail when ih ohp il lies were pre out dut piNn tits off on the hie second floor slie she was as to he be paid for lir hor its as 51 stance two dollars dull irs had been promised even dm wort inon li it id brei uk sugg ted awe law nial tin stran or had baa left tit alie g arage find and out of earshot before ekle hl itu fully coll anted but cleire had li id aven antohne tile imbres slon glon that eliat she he would imaku the attempt it to lip be for the alie kaisor iiii rr for gerala ay anny 11 dee lel leonid ili nid it antolin antoine hit bitterly terly 1 and rim it to 0 o lit in cil reful phout flynn I 1 thought flynn was amsi straight 1 I did lii indeed sirl sir 1 I think bild ilk lil wife me 1110 both honest but well mell take lake no chance cli inco warn nin the guards to be on tin file adert we dont want ant eisle to get tin the iden that sties being watched nt bed so tell tilt wen inon to keep awny away from the garage u keep nn an eye on oil tin the 11 nn s you go 0 o honio und tind go to boil bed the deep calin of the country night had settled iett led upon the shore loio and the flonus quarters ivere eav perfectly tl trin ill quit aull it seem oom possible that tin international af epi episode solle ns as lit in process of incubation in fit that quiet neighborhood tv t hank tile m adli trust of the german annn by lier her its as Bo so clates might be responsible sible for pierres Ile res story lint but viewed in tiny liny light I 1 had a duty to perform perfo ini if elsie had bad visited the house and purloined the fan an she would be very likely to get rid of it us quickly as possible and I 1 determined ter mined to keep watch I 1 drew the lie blinds blind 9 got into my ni dressing gown and re ie enforcing the with i li newspaper Ws paper to deaden the light pro L ceded ded to reid read it was vas on toward one and I 1 was ras dozing mien lien a sound roused ma ni 2 A V door ou on the flynn side of tile aull creaked there was silence then I 1 heard furtive stops steps on oil the lie stair I 1 out my iny light and ami peered out of f the 1 andow I just a us lysles robust figure red into the slin dows I 1 was about to follow the creaking of the flann door ns repeated ili n tt I 1 moment another peep through the bade gshade showed tile ine flyntz 11 ill if and alid tie he too quickly vanished iloie MIS as a situation indeed I 1 if ekle ivos iia heep ing tryst with her co conspirator of if tile I 1 and her was ans spying upon her n row of laro large proportion was waa likely to il insult at illy iii oiin jent nt I 1 benned from the lie window mallow aa fur for us as I 1 dared and ami sn tile the wollin doo do clo o to 11 tile ilc wall tit at the further farther end or of the building the scent scene wits ns wall ell set for trouble ili dij I 1 las ivas dorIES nauf bo i could do to III ncik ert the lie disturbance a und rid I 1 lie exposure epo suri of 0 tile hie foolish woman oman when the whole hole in iller ter wits was taken out nut of iny in hands YOU ou fool you 1 ou scoundrel undrell she bellowed in german that YOU ou think me a plaything athing pl to commit a rol rob hery for you ion bluit I 1 should steil fa filin my tt to satisfy fy YOU sou you ot of in flesh tic alil I 1 I 1 hild hid heard lipina ille vocally coolly its lui her irah ail li and knew kne ill HIP flower of lier luiis luna and the vigor of hor ter but she spoiled bent apoll the lie common of if connecticut ot of tile filet that she ans N s va matl tl y displeased I 1 I 1 niall M tile the pi lin csoll on site lit is who lio wits ais celta certainly not 1 iliin agnild sounds of 1 1 I scuffle nikl and tho continuous outpouring of flit light over the tha garnge door flashed on oil suddenly and discalo ed rinn flynn in ili tile hie net act of preely I 1 filling hilli gelf into the fray elsie lilt hill I 1 grasped and nas ns stoutly clinging to n fall imin vw iho was MIS trying to free himself ot of lief her mu macular cular ir embrace ley her ilis cries included some soine of the i ni lust terms iti ili the lie german diction dictionary nry and others tits of frightfulness that flint I 1 recognize when I 1 readied reached tle the open flynn avas dancing round tile belligerents like nn an excited boxer occasionally springing lit in to laud a blow blo and rif all the while E hasle isle to address her captive and the world tit at large in fit lier her nativa tongue rinn flynn ains as rather inore thau sixty alst and ehle uis nas not iauch ills his junior while the invader wits MIS young oung anil and migile iio llo the hie dinall had li id loosened one tinn arm and drawn a reN iol ioler olver rr with alth which lio ila wits is pounding lisle ekle lu ILI tile the file face e I 1 knocked the gun gan from ills hand iny illy walk walking liag lick and shouted to elsie to IL let A go eo of him lier shouts had roused loused the guards and hearing healing answering cries und and tile the beat of hurrying feet on oil the walks lie redoubled ills efforts t to 0 C osage S ell pe I 1 had hardly haell got illy hands 0 on n him lion with a twist of 0 ills body lie he wrenched himself free buirl sped away aay in the lie dar earliness liness 1 I gone far in ili pursuit of him before 1 I tripped over the skirts of my dressing diess ln gown slid and fell fi II into a bed of C flung him backward over the stone curbing c chinn is this would luo have bethi Is I s if iliin flynn hill d ml hildat oler inc 1110 lind 1141 le ing I 1 bai liitt if alir vil i iiii villy ili pi d nn illy leys legs until I 1 urill cullil lil llado linn it to lit let 1 go tile HIB lights allt lits now nott flared 11 ll ill lilt silks lind di loas Allt mil n i lelloine lello Ving ini orre cirii I 1 io to tile 11 i it ID ur in round the sunken gioldi I 1 11 I 1 that lint tile the fugit hP in 0 alir n tuck bad lost loat ills brarens auml is now low far from the boundary boun dai wall ill lot I 1 i of tile garage froin which holcli arc u 0 lie had entered tile the grounds vie iii sound cutting off ills his exit 1 alln resli residence jence there was it a fair hainge lii inu t f catching liliu hini if An antolics eie nt nil flit vig ll lant 1 I found antoine Ant olne caridid milt a i clell aind id swinging it a lantern ill posed gosei at the nearer entrance to flit or 11 den with a swallow tall tail CORI coit UMI LAVI ills and ills his ip tapped un 11 r one p e lie he was vaa till an enthralling ailing figure fl iiii As lie he strode ine ille ills ilk sit apin flapped well olioli olid adly li ution upon the hie brick ilk theres hides somebody in tilt tile garden sir lr lie whispered hilik ln ily the crofts it surround d no general gi in ili at it tory reporting porting le lit in some crit critical ival limn ill the disposition of his lIt colda llin li nc been wore more composed you lieve ha done well ansolm shall fiill you dig in ili until unell or go fan mer tile ilif top now i As you imi say in i n sir mr its itis hould take charge ili aiKe I 1 walked ilkow round lound tile gill boll nicil ills men well ill lull but ilio iho obi fel felloes loNIS were tip it it bit sir that lie lauke for air the garden gaiden ked antohne An Ant toliu olne it lr fur flit tilt tho gari lej I 1 alil iii 1 gat tild il liprino Iv enuse his lino line of detrent ro trint N it cut oft off ind lie lid had to go sollum lit re its itier lIuni Iliou Kli Ah sir ir whon dutch blis ainu in tin irl irl don ilare liy hy the fountain you know bow 0 r o feel nhoun bilm ailin sir lir it lican twing f anie jj tild UK ille lie uns is in ill I 1 1 I lir ite imas e lalni 1111 oit ait sir he be toul took to lo ili ilic un rilen rf f faw lin I 1 y vs I 1 ay iy if that leml hoppl hisil hi uil Ij urdel linn A MII il ritso ill lip nicil t of tilt I 1 liy a hlll 1111 ll ll alli all I sill an ill fil lator li by v a epla s h that interrupt ed ell I 1 fl t it 1 I s ditl ran loii don tit tin tin board iril tile ile of coll allot 1 alini 1 roo divil tin linni the hie jet ww still anly lint flut tile lie oa fid hiir ht avre in ili two tuii arr ro rolling null abo 11 t ns as bent in lit ninni 11 h ollier I 1 swung wini the he over lafin 11 int jait i dutch pot got iiii apoll ills his bem fem grip ali bilig ills by the collar lie ho lun him I 1 over the stone cur lilii of tile pool annil fell ummi illin I 1 in ow wall ili alli a of wet et ar luent liui it alir guards from taw ahr 0 ter Q 19 afif f the garden rilon hid licul ilmi 1111 hlll they gathered about 11 a 1 1 I bain ing intili t ch ills 1114 VIC C encounter was tp irini if tin ite collar oil tr it to g ie ve him alp and will its his allees tin th s I 1 ody nals i dispo ail to dolay ili lav tin stun story of ills nil soul in to lilii i its ill almitte it happens this CM inn in it lupin began Sl illik M later itar lint I 1 sarn en bun in ain ill me ils to alio old lil stable 1 ilila nn fill llo IK sis byg to tn tile dalh Di lh shy she sis says ih s till nil aln 11 us hert i lillin u hillis 11 iii tin an me lie go t tit sli in ill Ws PS acerit ann air ins ans alio sn an all sh she tole illo 1110 it feller fi lid atwil 1 ifie to set ri er 11 lit 1111 r ir 11 to rob IDI lie in hou IK use e fir fer it ani lie er 1 licely ll 11 h to tit do nt lit fer jo j ot 0 tilt hador 1 il fr hiie he sald us ot ww n in il fill lie conns collies tonight to jt it a fun fon shw sin s lei ed to lift fer im site sabi lid lintl prove alic want tt sn t no ill ellid if 1 pot got tilt innia to do tile sallie I 1 lit bothin auz m to cappon ii on nn niia I 1 slee sleepily pill on oil tile me bindi line bere in ill taji garden mien in the hollor ho llorin ln it law garage woke vole tile 1111 up tip I 1 sits sita quiet ali if nn an tills till j guy n drops into tit iio gex w aten ell nn an auz v i alln pit me waw himli 1 in I 1 pinches 4 im ho ile 11 ii fer fd loile a fight nn an we e kimi ka oer oil gnp of ll 11 law i big urns mi all lit in ill tin the t ile he ans 1 I its a thousand bolies all in e i UK 1111 loose lie says tin nn I 1 soll 0 nil fill w binin in cpr that ali t the nian inan anis is i still hlll tin kin aimo rn in ill hi sousing cousing anti anil turl icI I 1 him mel lind find pounded jin vignol ly nn it aln 1 etick iak as sited 1 by tin in tie the I 1 I 1 i obliging bilging villet lio ho 1111 tl taw in i nsf islon to law li lifs lit li hand binl 1111 it ili ali ld nl 1 I tile lillie allie 11 mi ill 1 I kli pi om fi fi i aln 11 barton 1111 ton polla bolln li ir nl rl mil ant n me i with an ex ei einai nii illin if f lit iiii profess lonai this was as ilal ohN imily itile ill the thing it I 1 i 1 lint but I 1 feigned n it to lo 1111 in 11 tilt aim n I 1 delit dia ili it law ill Il latter i it II i pi tin thill tl ill emili bilings 4 lel 1 to K 11 alir V iture 1 I ir belled in ill nn lart hi it ir if mrs mis and her nil mele ha in an I 1 lull lit cerilat ill ll 11 1111 I 1 in ie ellid had li nl in ill thell i i n si ine tiling thing that li it bally concen wd it il iti lloud lit klik alry ill III td ell that I 1 handle lii tilt mii arr l nl if M ml i lits agent in ill such it lol i it is it in ilfeld I 1 hiis iia zilli zill I 1 in ill in illy tui liml minding el ding a 1111 1114 ssi iiri to 11 acl bilt lie NV it iii 3 it I 1 it sni 1111 1 oni be very ei likely likel tu to 1 1 ani ellid lit a 11 ni r I 1 lb s I 1 nils not nol pre prepared paled to lo face in to in ili alir attention ul if tile manili in si 11 ilk ili part apartment ment tu to tin till 1110 ini ii L ilal fundoll 1 ciui bi be gilleg ahli hl i all in it lu I 1 1111 le I 1 Ill elint hi it ill III I 1 ll 11 IM tu I 1 I 1 sill I 1 the th 1 1 I 1 tut iiii ul 11 ins ili fici r bild blood ilni illi lit ii if tit fai i iv ID 11 ill aim tl 11 hen I 1 allt it if 11 lit ge t satisfactory lalor a ut of t 11 lie ito would be released it ali aidy hil di ill look ills his head liu I 1 I 1 it 11 lie had been hurt hull in ill ills bout N 1111 dull dili it 11 lit lio and extended lili ilk lil i arm in ill dental lie he was vms a very MI il 10 11 it in aln ill lc jV llott JIOW blue bille ppl and li IM 11 lio ilo seemed to tn accept ills glit knitli illi i 1 degree dit tite ot of good bull jor I 1 deel del that us its clothing would be I 1 ruined by b sel iding to the alie lintini ala bouse that night I 1 mild ns UK tile responsibility t f de laining un 1111 tit til I 1 had groped gro lel ra ray v way i hit 11 line of suspicion and CIL tf that enveloped lilii hill aunt alice co count mon lani and the mysterious fan I 1 no 10 ni bi