Show id aar by MARGARET MARGARE T TURNBULL illustrations by IRWIN MYERS MYE RS copyright by Mar margaret tarot turnbull CHAPTER X continued 19 III lie e was off and soon sir george could see the lights on the little bridge to the island glod to soo see them too in spite of the fact that lie would have to face roberta mae mac beths betha hostile eyes across the dinning table what did the girl want anyhow lie ile had done his best for her father and for her and if slie she thought hed told about her friend of the other night she was mistaken though she might hive have to hear some ugly tales about that lad soon if tits his recognition this afternoon should prove that jack navarro was nas raised mixed up tip in the att attempt emit on the payroll if it was true it was plain why navarro never came to the house ile he had bad probably given ghen the girl some highly roni romantic antle renson reason what drove a girl like roberta oberta It to fo a sly ely fellow like that sleek bleek balfred lad ind when there were men like ray and dunham about it did not oc curto him roberta being a girl that it was was the same thing that had brought him here to island that had made him risk tits his skin today adventure and the desire for things new mud and strange strang e after dinner lie he would go down to green geen bend and see alice or nell and rest his tired tiled brain nice girls hot nearly so disturbing as roberta ile he rel reached ached the bridge clattered across it and up to the terrace roberta lind and ray were already there they had passed him when the policeman halted him they told him without his observing them lady sandison Band lson came running down the terrace steps and grasped him it was the first time aggy had hugged him since he was seven hut but she had lost nothing by want of practice oh my toddle laddie I 1 did they touch you not a touch sir george said in what lie he thought was a truly ameil can call manner now hands off I 1 must report to the chief Ala macbeth cBeth sat in his library telephone near at achand hand ue he was drawing on a piece of paper and trying to took look businesslike but the hand that lidd held the pencil shook a little as lie he saw sir george ceorge in the doorway just by so little had this shining young head missed death on this wonderful day in this peaceful countryside and it t was lie rob rolert art macbeth who had set him on tits his dangerous way to save a few miserable thousands but that was wag not the way sir george looked tit at it well we pulled it off sir chicago in it as 0 8 you lou say over here ive ve had a great day lie he concluded and then hesitated as lie he saw the expression on robert Mac Beths face III 1 I I 1 did hope be pleased im just terribly pleased but im d d glad its over aggy was in such a stew 1011 oil youve got to make allowance for aggy her stepson said she thinks that without her supervision and superintendence the Sandl sons would have perished dabe ashes right at that he be added remember ng the e debt of gratitude the family really owed aggy but she h has as an awfully aggravating way of acal acting n ga as though hough she were still my nurse robert macbeth laughed but leaving aggy out of it I 1 en irely sir as wa wo mb must st VIV fh ask ak you t to think of this and discuss it after dinner why did the beggars attack the bank VIUM today luday and why did they come up the he towpath was it because tiie the bank robbers in new york got word through that hat I 1 was there after the money or and this I 1 think the more likely was li t because there was a leak somewhere here 11 roberta called cheerfully sir george aunt aggy says not to dress but ut come as you are none of us fire are dressing tonight ah blast 1 ejaculated sir georgo george us as he sprang to tits his feet that means I 1 must get some of the soil from my ace a and nd hands he disappeared a a 0 0 0 0 0 in the cheap philadelphia restaurant only two men met at their customary table the waitress val tress asked the older roan man who had come in first wheres your sour friends ali ah the sound was like a smothered oath that is what I 1 should like to know myself jack entered and approached the table the older man nodded and lot let him slip into tits his chair and give an order before he spoke i well jack ph shrugged rugged his shoulders well Is it my fault if paul bungled it check up on me mel I 1 everything I 1 got was straight they had the money in the country bank and he did take it to tho tha works the new york car was a decoy as I 1 told you the man who slipped up Is paul they have paul what will he squeal the older man was silent then he looked up anat ask asked ed the girl does she afie suspect you jack shook his head 1 I told her enough about him to keep her from believing anything he says about me the older man looked at him grimly eat at and come to the by the feack back way ceru not done since the payrolls lost to us you must get the cash through the girl roberta was feeling a little lonely here where she used to be first with tier her father and those within the house sir george teemed seemed to have taken first place away from froin tier lier even the servants watched for him tried to anticipate tits ills wishes and as for liar her runt aunt tind and father why quite evidently as aunt aggy had said they both looked to him for amusement and excitement cit ement taftt this was partly tier her own fult roberta knew vaguely but resolutely she In Alsted to herself that she ehe had been Ju justified stifled even now when the demands of lier her newest friend made her feel reluctant and a little fearful jack was growing impatient and jn si sistena stent would she agree or would she not and how had it come about that jack beld such importance in her life slie ship was war utterly weary of ills ibis isla island nd and tills this life she told told herself and yet set at that moment how bright and sparkling the lie island I 1 looked ilow how lovely the countryside round about 1 and where she thought t would she ret get two people like tier her aunt and tier lier father under one roof ready and willing to do anything an tiling for each other and for tier lier yes tes now that it came to screwing up tier her courage to take the step that would sever her maybe forever from them with all their faults and errors in their treatment of her roberta hesitated what would it be e like to be quite alone in the lie world w with ith jack roberta called tier her aunt voice from the hall ball where are you here It roberta oberta answered with a start come to my room auntie slie she heard tier her aunts quick decided footsteps then the door opened and sh bhe e came in your fathers bent on hiving having tits young out for the week end ena ile he wants to talk over his plans with them and have them know sir george better ile he said you would know just jus t w what lint to do and where to send the invitations ile he wants yon browne and a man called allent another called mcavoy two cousins of the some same name tom and terry teny Ilaug haugton ton and fin an older man mcburney Mc Purney he said you vou were to ask ak roger dunham too and aist for the afternoon and to stay to supper fi hei nile you to ask a few lassies classies to male make it pleasant plea sint for the men then she hesitated roberta it would please your father cometh something 1119 awful it if you sou would put yourself out a bit for those these young joung men ile he tah takes ps pride bilde in tits liis daughter you know slie she looked at the girl a little wistfully he sets a great store by you vou my mv lass roberta turned abruptly away somehow she could not face her aunt but she said pleasantly enough why of course aunt aggy ill do what I 1 can but after ten tea on sunday slie she hesitated and then went on 1 I have an engagement and you 11 have to manage the rest by yourself you lou break it I 1 sup suppose pone it may be fanciful of me but I 1 have a kind lindof of feeling that her he be R ifon ob I 1 mean will III be disappointed if you are not there you see the young joung men will W be going g sunday night olt oha exclaimed roberta 1 I they ii ey generally stay until monday morning this time they are all going sunday and on monday theres there s a jau jaunt nt to tile construction sir george driving your bour father bo be your fathers list first try at going out in a car roberta faced about and looked at her runt aunt do you does sir george think there is any danger for Fa rather well admitted her aunt they say not mot I 1 can see however that having diddled the robbers so cleverly maybe make those black hearted rogues that are left so angry that W tl 21 V U Sor Ser Tle vica like to get into any mischief they cun can at least what I 1 think sir george Is anxious about for the lads anxious no matter what they say before me and he was awful particular that I 1 should tell you robertas heart contracted with fear car and finger anger combined though aunt aggy gave her the message in all innocence roberta was wag sure sir georges intention that she should be told ft was as not so innocent ile he was somehow without any justification as far as she could see eee except tits lila fear of what jack might say against him determined to throw some sort of slur or suspicion on jack it if he possibly could probably wanted to influence dad against him and so prevent his believing anything jack said then quite suddenly she thought of tier her fathers danger it was a new sensation bation n for roberta to be afraid for anyone yet she could not dismiss her fears lightly this time there had been danger to sir george the ot other tier day though she laughed at the idea she could not bear to think of her father being in any danger when she oh aunt aggy cant we persuade dad not to go aunt aggas sharp blue eyes softened tills this girl did have some feeling after all she did care about her father well I 1 dont know my mv dear I 1 dont really think rob will do anything for me Just know but and she eyed eed tile the girl eagerly fagerli and shrewdly theres no telling what lie he might riot not do for you sou or if not lie he theres sir Ce Geo idle ordle sir george will do nothing for me nie well id not be quite as positive of that as you ou are you forget in my y dear that you ou always approach hi him in with ft a lifted poker as you might sar now it if you were to drop the pok t r and remembering that hes bes a po poor oi young man and that youre a rich young woman to whom lie he cannot exactly be as up and coming as some others why theres no telling aunt aggy agg said roberta Ro beita amused in spite of herself and a little exasperated pe rated are you trying to tell me that I 1 dont know how to interpret sir georges manner to me it if you are you may save yourself the pains iles he s not only looked things but lies hes sold said things did he so her aunt questioned quest ionea her eyes screwing up with mirth well hopeful theres never a lad would go to the trouble of insulting abood looking lass unless he w wanted tinted to attract her attention slie she rose briskly 1 I must be oft off to my ordering thank you my dear it was not until her aunts footsteps were far distant down the stairs that roberta moved then she put her III modern 0 dern head down on her desk and cried in a good old fashioned fashion ed way lady ialy sandison passed her stepson coming in with the evening papers 1 I 1 say bay aggy A gy when youve time theres no end of a treat in store for you you should read the different accounts of our little excitement in these odd american Ampil can papers especially the country ones I 1 mean to clip some of them ti iem and send them to Hav haviland ilant and uncle diaries charles but in the library lie he forgot to read or clip for on turning over the pages of one of the papers ills his eye caught a name lie he knew ile he stared unable to believe its ills eyes ces there it was however under marriage licenses 1111 roberta oberta jean macbeth island pa and jolin john V nav navarro arro philadelphia pa was it just one of nicaragua jacks tricks or did roberta know 1 now and consent lie ile had been unable to trace tiny any connection between nicaragua jack and the bandits captured or at large and that fact had bad kept him bim silent but now what was lie he to do dal hastily he tore the list from the paper and thrust it in his pocket TO BE CONTINUED |