Show a V BEGIN HERE TODAY Harry Morton wealthy attractive to women middle aged and unmarried ned ried lives lIea with his adopted daughter daugh- daugh ter Audrey Audre in a fine tIne home In n Salt Sal Lake but spends much of ot his time tim in an apartment that he maintains maintain In San Francisco Gossips of ot Salt Sal Lake have hav never learned exactly what his business is is He lie sends to South America with the promise of or a Job a 0 man whom he ha calls Smith and who claims t tobe to tobe be the stepfather of ot Audrey after Smith reappears at the end o ot of eighteen years year absence i Nona a beautiful San Francisco girl In love with Morton and madly I j jealous alous of him tries to humiliate him by enticing him into a trap I by means of ot another girl and a aman aman man roan but Morton laughs at the plotters and leaves Nona comes to his apartment to plead for forgiveness forgive forgive- ness and as he e Is telling her what wha he thinks thinks' of ot her pro proceedings he discovers Audrey watchIng matching them NOW GO ON WITH THE STORY The name and situations In this hla story are are fictitious CHA CHAPTER TER VII Audrey AudreI said Morton sharply I told you 1 0 to wait walt In your room until I 1 sent for you I know know know-I I know know know-I I know rhe The girl ran down the stairs repeating the tile two words over and over At Mortons Morton's of or Audrey Audrey Audrey Au drey Nona lifted ner head and sat staring as as' as the girl came Into the room Nonas Nona's arms were thrown back loosely over oer the arms of ot the chair and there was agonized amazement In her eyes eves W VIo o is she she who who Is she she gasped Miss Morton answered Morton tersely Turning to Audrey he continued continued con con- Why did you ou do what I 1 told you not to do Apparently she did not hear him Le Leaning slightly forward her hands pressing back as If It she were thrusting thrustIng thrust thrust- ing tag herself herselt away ay from an invisible wall she faced Nona For a breathless breathless breathless breath breath- less Instant the two girls stared at nt atone t tone one another I didn't know you had a daughter daugh daugh- ter cried Nona Morton started to speak h hesitated hesitated hesi hesi- si- si as he glanced from one girl to the other and then retreated toa to a long heavy table that stood be behind behind be- be hind him and Sand seated himself on its edge It was Audrey who an an- He las has no daughter she said He lie adopted me Who Vho are YOU and what are you doing talking to him about love Nona moved her h hands feebly and her head sank back a. a a little Something Something Some Some- thing like abject terror was in her eyes Do you live here here with him 7 her voice fluttered and she spoke the words with difficulty Are you you you- Is s he you he you arent aren't his daughter and I yo you lv live her here 7 Audrey still poised and tense scarcely moved moved and her blue eyes did not waver in m their gaze into the other black ones Olles Her own voice was waa full tull and clear I dont don't know who you are to ask me me anything ehe he said All I know enow is that you have be been n making him um trouble trouble making making trouble for the he dearest man that ever lived in the he world You are the wo woman an who writes him notes and calls him on the telephone She said this accusingly Nona moved her her head head In assent Yes I 1 am one am-one one of ot them anyway Are you really reallY really-really really his adopted daughter Audrey stamped her foot toot Of course I 1 lam am But tell me who you are coming to tomy my ny house I 1 am only the woman who loves him said Nona faltering Audrey swung quickly to look at Morton who still sat on the tho edge dge or ot the the- table swinging his foot toot He was watching them as one might watch the progress of ot a play He doesn't love iove you said Audr Au Au- Audr dr drey y turning back t toward ward Nona I I can see It in his face Nona lifted her hand defensively and then et let Jt it falL Fatigue and pain trouble had made her face tace years years- older than It was when Morton Morton Mor Mor- ton on saw her er the night before Her mouth was drawn drawn- and the ro rouge rodge ge look upon her m. m un mouth ut looked v as U it U might look v as U might upon the lips of death ground The younger her r gIrl eirl on the the vantage o ot own home held Nona spiritually defeated You love hl yourself ted said ald Nona pitifully Audrey stepped backward till she stood tood Morton Then she leaned sidewise and put her arm around his neck Of Ot Of course I 1 love lov hIm nim she cried ton As a daughter Interjected Morton Morton Mor- Mor Audrey threw her free arm into the air as It if In triumph Her voIce thrilled as she continued Not as as a daughter As a woman worn worn- an I love Morton leaped rom from the table and whirled to face the girl Audrey Audre Audrey You dont don't know now what you are saying child I I do know She almost It sang You ar are the only man there In n the I th word worM MaYbe this is woman loves oves you but shell she'll never love you a s thousandth part as aa n m much uch t I I T thousandth part as aa n m much uch t I I T rV as do o Daddy Sweetheart I want to stop top being your daughter our daughter Im I'm not be re really eally py your our daUgh daughter er and never never ca can She whirled d toward Nona None loves jf If he me enough Ill I'll tOday marry him Nona turned TOed her eyes ees helplessly toward Morton lorton r n- n nII It II was the look that hat ha lies in the eyes of ot the dying Morton placed his hands before him palms outward together Aether and then hen swept them apart as a opens a a. a a par Pair man of t heavy curtains Audre Audrey The V vo voIce Ice ce was tilled filled with harsh hh command Nona stand up I x want this stopped nonsense Nona moved f feebly ebly Rn and herself herselt to her feet et Morton 1 n cau caught her er hv by y the he arm as she It If it T tottered It Is any Nona Tona comfort to you ona he added his voice not Quite so rasping Ill iii tell teU you that Audrey tOday oday 3 y Is NOT T going to n marry y me Audrey Audrey- his face was fast tast re regaining Its accustomed composure It If you ou were ten Ild Id I'd know years younger exactly what to do with I I you suppose I I but cant can't spank yOU Ive I've It a notion to I The tension had snapped and Audre Audrey gave a a. short gle As s answer to nervous gig gig- Morton threw her her- e- e she arms arm quickly around his t fl f X l J. J neck and printed a kIss on his cheek marry me some day though she said Morton called his car ar and told Audrey to come with him him while he took Nona home horne Nona None sank listless listlessly listlessly list list- list list- less lessly back into her chair and ansi watched Audrey Audre with dull eyes as a's as fhe the girl moved briskly around the roomY room Y Youve uv missed brenk breakfast fast Audrey Audre said Morton but It serves you right A faint taint trace of ot ota a smile showed had on Nonas Nona's face tace I haven't mine either she told him Morton reflected Id ask you to breakfast here he said but I 1 dont don't think your our hostess would bea be bea a 0 very genial one I think Paillards Paillards Pail Pail- lards lard's Is open for tor breakfast Ill breakfast Ill I'll take you there He looked at Audrey io to see If It the ther er wa A any stan o of of protest But Bu m for some reason the girls girl's spirits were high nail and she no nodded gay assent assen t. t Whither thou I 1 shall shaH go she quoted Thy people shall bem bemy be bo bomy m my people people- Then dont don't pull puH their hair when the they come to see me he advised His tone was light but there was a hint of ot warning In It Jt Nona hesitated over the invitation Invitation tion but obeyed a lUick shake ot of his head and was silent She fell behind as Audrey took his arm goIng going go- go Ing Irig out the door lIe He stopped and with a 0 deliberate gesture Invited her to take his arm on the other side She he did so 50 with a little wondering won won- dering look up into his face tace I want it understood he ho said as they seated themselves In his big car caz that Ive I've lived in the midst of ot high hysterics for tor the last two or three days and I want a little peace Will you ladles ladies kindly be polite to each other and make this a pleasant t breakfast 7 I Audrey nestled closer to him by byway byway way way of or reassurance Nona ob observed observed observed ob- ob served the motion and a quick twinge of ot pain showed in her face tace I Morton leaned forward ansi and turned his head so he could better observe her face Openly so ao Audrey could see him ho he took Nonas Nona's hand in his and transferred It to his lap He possessed himself of ot Audrey's hand on the tho other side and sitting thus rode all the way to the res rca The rho girls caught his In Intent Intent In- In Intent tent and neither of ot them made any further movement until he helped them from the car i It was not a Jolly breakfast st that they ate together tORether Nona replied wanly to Mortons Morton's conversation keeping hei he upon her plate for the most of ot the time Audrey addressed her once I or twice e directly di directly directly di- di with calm comm comments nta upon the weather and amI upon such distant topics as sea voyages and Paris Nona told her briefly that she had been abroad and nd c could uld speak a little Fren French h Beyond that she left lett the tho conversation to Morton and the theother theother theother other girl Morton himself ate nothing as he had breakfasted before Nonas Nona's admittance ad admittance ad to his apartment When the girls were done clone he told Audrey I to accompany him to Nona Nonan rooms X NOna na herself herselt made a 1 movement of ot protest but aga again ngan n was quiet at a shake of ot Mortons Morton's head She opened the door doot of ot her suite to let him In and Invited Morton and Audrey to sit down Audrey promptly seated herself In the arm armchair armchair armchair chair but Morton remained sta stand stand- d Ing I merely wanted to see that yo you yu got here all right he said You had no sleep last night am and you'd better lie down Well We'll go now As they left Nona offered her hez hand to AUdr Audrey y The girl waited a moment in indecision and then gave her own hand casually Goodbye Nona Morton said lIe He touched her lightly on tho the shoulder Quit threshing yourself to pieces he advised She looked at him with troubled heavy eyes and slowly closed the thedoor i door 1 Under ordinary circumstances s I 1 1 would not have permitted you to go goto goto goto to that apartment for any reason whatever Morton said to Audrey as they drove away Is she a bad woman Audrey asked Continued on page 7 |