Show f I Secret S pmt Telegram Orders Serial By Eleanor Atterbury 11 T CHAPTER 11 Uneventfully the following week brought nothing more than routine work at headquarters for Stephanie and for Guy Merrill Merrill Merrill Mer Mer- rill sufficient recovery from his injuries to return to Titan Stephanie worried continuous- continuous about her father even as she realized that his position was no more hazardous than that of hundreds of other San Franciscans Franciscans Francis Francis- cans upon whose shoulders rested rested rested rest rest- ed large responsibilities for defense defense defense de de- de- de work So deep was as she in her own thought she started when she heard her name Stephanie Wait a moment please Turning she saw that it was Henri calling waving to her from the steps of the old stone mansion next door Another moment and he w was a s leaping down the steps crossing the garden garden garden gar gar- den adjoining her own Hello Stephanie Stephani smiled slowly Then glancing back at atthe atthe atthe the house from which he had just come Looks as if you'd inaugurated a ago g good o o 0 d neighbor policy for us already Henri bowed slightly over the hand she extended to him Amazingly enough Stephanie your new neighbors are very old and very good friends of mine from Yokohama Yokohama I was to the Belgian consul there from 1928 until 1935 Mr Miller was vice president president president dent of the National bank there he explained He is very charming charm charm- ing ing He has retired now and plans to live here the rest of his life That is why he is making making making mak mak- ing such extensive Improvements improvements improvements improve improve- ments as you see Henris Henri's gesture explained the squad of gardeners busy weedIng weeding weeding weed weed- ing trimming spading up the theold theold theold old over-grown over garden now Yes I see see she murmured What a coincidence that they should have taken this house Did you know that they were going to to Henri shook his head Not at all It was a very pleasant surprise to me I hope you will give me the privilege of introducing introducing intro intro- them to you Yes of course I should like to meet them Good Then perhaps you will come with me tomorrow to the reception which they are holding for all their American friends friends' 1 he replied promptly Why Why thank thank you I guess guess I I Ican can can reluctantly Somehow she wasn't really overjoyed at atthe atthe atthe the prospect of meeting her new neighbors but she couldn't think of any good reason why she shouldn't go And the reception was really quite elaborate she realized as Henri steered her through the crowded drawing room toward the receiving line Queer People These New Neighbors Henri introduced her to their host and hostess and Stephanie realized she couldn't have been more jittery if she were being presented at court And the Millers were most gracious too Mrs Miller tall and white- white haired wore black velvet and andreal andreal andreal real pearls and an air of regality regality regality regal regal- ity that made Stephanie's sim simple sim- sim How do you do Mrs Miller sounded like lese majeste And Mr Miller himself who spoke English with a heavy gut- gut teral accent looked exactly like the Hollywood version of an archduke Van Dyke beard heavy signet ring monocle and andall all allBut But despite the fact that their beautifully furnished drawing room was crowded with distinguished distin distin- looking looking guests the Millers Millers Mil Mil- lers went out of ot their way to tobe tobe tobe be gracious to their new neighbor neigh neigh- bor Stephanie flushed a little under their apparent delight in meeting herBut her But she is beautiful Henri Mr Miller said later as he Joined them for a cocktail You failed to prepare me for such loveliness Thank you she murmured scarlet now Look what is your opinion of the manner in which we have decorated this charming old home he asked her earnestly Stephanie smiled I think youve you've done beautifully she said quite sincerely Do you really Im I'm very glad he said gravely And now the garden Come He took her arm Let me show you what we are doing there Then turning to one ono of the fleet of Japanese servants men-servants who passed great silver trays of thin thin- stemmed cocktail glasses he called Tatu and then spoke rapIdly rapidly rap rap- Idly in what Stephanie supposed must be Japanese The boy bowed disappeared A moment later he returned bearing Stephanie's fur jacket Smiling but just a bit uncomfortable uncomfortable uncomfortable under such de courtesy courtesy courtesy cour cour- tesy Stephanie tried hard to be interested in the garden Mr Miller was showing her so ISO proudly I think it will never be as lovely as your garden he said as they wandered down a long graveled path to the bottom of the garden where a stone wall marked a boundary It will be far more lovely she insisted It should be After all four expert gardeners should make a difference Then suddenly suddenly suddenly sud sud- denly her glance caught a row of little white shrubs planted along the wall What is that 1 she asked aloud A A hedge row To break the wind here from the bay Mr Miller explained Oh I see But she didn't see though she looked again to tobe tobe tobe be sure why any real gardener would plant tiny fir trees six inches apart I Father Doesn't Like New Neighbors As She Thought Even before they turned back toward the house Stephanie had set a guard on her tongue Have you lived here long I Miss Merrill Mr Miller wanted wanted want want- ed to know All my life she smiled dis- dis Why Ah then you know our neighbors neighbors neighbors neigh neigh- bors and perhaps I may ho hope e that you will give us the great pleasure of meeting them he said smoothly fingering his monocle mon mon- ocle We want very much to tomake tomake tomake make friends here in our new home Why Stephanie demanded of her other self should he be beso beso beso so concerned about the people who happ happened ned to live near him Besides she smiled wryly she couldn't picture Sonoma street exactly taking the Millers to heart Guy Merrill would probably probably probably ably be among the first to pronounce pronounce pro pro- pounce them stuffed shirts And strangely enough those were exactly Guys Guy's words when at the breakfast table the next morning Stephanie told him about the elaborate party Id like to know what his name name was before it was Miller Guy growled over his toast and marmalade I 1 dont don't like the smell of the whole business People People Peo Pea pIe who call themselves Americans Americans Americans Ameri Ameri- cans and cant can't speak the language language language lan lan- guage without a foreign accent are either smart spies or stuffed shirts In either case I dont don't like them Be reasonable Daddy Just because a man has an accent doesn't mean he hasn't loyalty Stephanie reminded him logically logically logic logic- ally Sure I know that All the same I don dont don't t intend to hob nob with the Millers And Id I'd prefer prefer prefer pre pre- fer that you didn't either Daddy What ails you Youre You're beginning to sound like a maiden aunt But watching Guys Guy's tired face she decided to withhold her suspicions until she had something definite to tell But in the next instant all thought of the Millers was banished banished ban ban- fished completely Tsang his round face ashen thrust open the door blurted 1 My radio say Japanese shooting shooting shooting shoot shoot- ing American boats Very bad Guy jumped to his feet What are you saying Japs Jags in Pearl Harbor Make war war Pearl Harbor Stephanie echoed following her father as he raced toward the living room and the radio Pearl Harbor To be continued |