Show rD T I j I I i V f Tr COPY 1926 5 rR BY Continued From Yesterday I merely surmised It It he said indifferently He left my office yesterday esterday shortly after you disappeared dis- dis disappeared appeared and lie he hasn't been back I know you and It wasn't hard to guess the rest She rested her hec chin upon her folded hands Did you think I had anythIng to do with his coming here 7 I knew it lie he s said ld briefly It Ithe Ithe he was here you brought him I didn't she denied her smile brightening He came by himself in his flivver You sent for him It was more morea a statement than a question Wh Vh he ho-he knew I was corn com ing Youre a little litte rip lie he said However I was going to tell you how I knew you Were hee You started out in your car along about noon yesterday When you drIve yoU drive fast I judged So I figured fig ig- I how far you would go before dark dalk I had one of the boys at my office call all the garages in the radius to ask asle about your yellow call and I 1 knew where you were beCore before be- be fore Core you went to bed last night You brainy thing sh ic al a admired And so when you drove Into this city at noon today I was riding a block behind you ou You were And you were following fol- fol lowing me all morning Exactly He Ut lit a and beamed up n her confidentially It was sas so nIce to see see that you traveling alone Th The girl fingered her napkin Did yOU think I was carrying oft off I son law your I didn't know lenow The waiter came with Mortons Morton's grapefruit and the first course of Marcies Marcie's dinner When he had gone Marcies Marcie's host c continued What held you up after ater at- at t ter er I finally got you on the phone t this his evening Was Vas it Parrish The girl nodded I wouldn't have got your call but I left my money i In n my room and had to run back backor f fOl or it John was waiting for me downstairs I Sociable of oC him Morton 1 said What dill did you do then I told you I would call you later yOU know So I went downstairs t to o watch him I hill in a corner And he stayed the I 1 couldn't go out the door he was standing there and then he came Inside and sat down Clown You should choose a hotel with more doors he advised Im going to move Hell He'll catch me again tomorrow if I dont HI His eyebrows raised Are you running away from him hini now Her Hel dimples showed as she smiled upon him hilTi Of course now that youre you're here Id I'd rather be with yOU she said Was Vas that why you ran away from rom our city Of course It was I told you In I that note Id I'd Interest you ou SOME SO way vay She laid down her salad fork And now just look Youve You've come after me Reaching across the table she laid her hand upon lila his And now youve you've got ot me what are you ou going to do with me Hanged If I know He lifted one one of her fingers finger absently and bent it hack back and forth Harry she said He lifted his eyes inq inquiringly Was Nona as rank and honest as I am I Morton laughed Why youre you're not frank and honest it at all my dear I j I but know I do tell tell you the truth about you and about me-about how I want you to like me Did Nona ona do that lie continued d to toy her fInger fIn fIn- ge ger thoughtfully I believe he said sald with deliberation that all women tell the tru truth th about abou t such things to the tho m man n they like Most of theIr lying is to each other It Isn't so They lIe to the men too She spoke with heat as if in defense deens ot of her sex He laughed Honestly they dont don't tell the truth to the men usually she went on her tone deeply earnest They were interrupted by the waiter and paused he had gone Marcie he said you dont don't see women as men see them I suppose I dont don't see men as you see them either Each sex has lIttle pretenses pretenses pre pre- tenses for or Its own kind women kind women pretend to women and men I take it pretend a little to other men But when a woman talKs to a man she's Interested in she takes off of her veil They dont don't either Marcie closed her fingers around his Women just love to fool a man But a woman will tell things to toa toa a man that shed she'd never In the world confide e to another woman Morton said Yes shell she'll do that Marcie acknowledged ac- ac Its to get his sym pathy But you ought to hear em talking when they get together about how they've jollied this fellow and have that one on their string and how they've tilled another one full of bunk They do It Do you Marcie l hesitated or Of course we all do He rubbed his nose as he looked at her quizzically What have you reported about me Nothing She regarded him with round questioning eyes And I 1 never will report anything it If you you-if you you- I I Get to be your sweet daddy he supplied Is that the Idea She nodded I think he said that you'd better better bet bet- ter drive back home with nie me No sIr Her voice was tri tri- n If Im I'm here you'll have to stay too to see that I dont don't capture capture cap cap- ture John Hum There was a degree of chagrin In the way he lifted his eyebrows at herIve herIve her Ive interested you ou now haven't I she exulted You have hae Oh well He leaned i back ack in his chair dropping her handI hand r I have lots of time Will ViII you OU see me every day she pursued Yes all right And take me places I If you like Well have gorgeous times wont won't we He gave a mock groan Sandbagged Sandbagged Sand bagged kidnapped kidnapped-I'm a white slave now I suppose What orders have you ou for nip me lady She laughed gaily Am I better than Nona Nonar she demanded Nona ona never thought of that thai I trick lie he said She her attention to the food on her plate letting hel hei eyes lift to his mischievously now and andI again He watched her hel with amuse amuse- I ment She was was deep In the mysteries of an entree when he gave a low ex- ex clama Dont look said But in ina a minute casually gl glance nce toward the thedoor thedoor door I. CHAPTER I Marcie waited and then cast a swift glance past th the palm to the entrance of the dining room I IJohn John Parrish Barrish was standing there his back toward then them his arms folded as it If prepared to wait In- In definitely We Ve shall have a little reunion Morton commented unperturbed At this moment Parrish turned and caught their gaze turned toward him He strode through the room and stood besIde themI them I see why you ou skipped out he said to Marcie Maicie without a word of recognition to his wife's father Hello John the girl said con cor- Sit down with is S A waiter r came hurrying and thrust a chair at Parrish's knees Ho He sank down upon it It was such a surprise to find Mr j here she went on Youre a liar he said his voice half strangled with wrath He was hOlding his hat before him on the table Why John She gazed at him reproachfully How can you say such a terrIble thing Youre an infernal liar Har he repeated re- re John The older mans man's voice came like the crack of a whIp Parrish turned bloodshot angry e eyes es toward him Apologize to this girl Morton leaned across the table Do it at once wait Did you ever know me to lie Parrish stared at him MIss Allen did not know I was in until an hour or so ago It was I who sent for her and I Iwas IWas was responsIble for or her failure to meet you Parrish's head slowly lowered and he drew his arms toward him crushing his hat upon his breast She goes after ev every ry man she sees lie he muttered that to you ou Youre You're a married man arent aren't you 7 The The- older mans man's voice and hard Ills His son law lifted eyes that were filled with sIth pain gone wrong with me he said she Audrey taunted me because I was poor And this girl Morton youve you've had women running after you all your life She doesn't mean anythIng to you Cant Can't you let me have a just chance a little chance for happiness t You mean you ou want her You want Marcie Parrish nOdded slowly I I want something in me life he said They could barely hear him Do you want to get a divorce from Audrey and marry Marcie The young man tWisted his hat between straining fingers Audrey doesn't she care cant can't care the way she treated me me And if you'll go away I 1 thInk Marcie Marcle wilt will have me Morton gazed at him in wonderment wonder wonder- wonderment ment You lumbering soft ny fly he said measuring his words Parrish leaped to his feet as' as if as-if If to togo togo go away away Then he sank back into his chair ag again in Cant you understand he gasped Youre a man Cant Can't you realize a man suffers as muchas Las anYbody does His hat a ruin noW was wadded Into a ball In the hollow hol- hol low Jow of hIs two hands I married AudreY I thought every ery kind thing that a man can think think-I tried to serve her But you know 11 Mr Mor- Mor ton ton-I'm poor You know that And she talked so much about her charity charIty char char- Ity to what me-what she bought me and everything And I couldn't stand It You couldn't have stood It your your- self Involuntarily he arose and threw his arms back tragically I am so miserable I was ambitious ambitious ambi- ambi when I 1 married and here I Iwas Iwas was a servant Cant Can't you see it lIe He dropped into the chair The Theman Theman man and girl were watching him attentivelY Marcie l wide eyed and Morton between narrowed observant observant vant lids Do you know that T I thought of shooting myself I did I 1 was a failure Then I met larcie l and she she-she put her arms around me and kissed me You liked it she interrupted Morton hushed her with a lift Urt or of his hand Apparently Parrish had not heard There seemed to be SOmebody who cared for me even If she was only a flirt l Marcie arcle was about to speak aga again n but Morton shook his head at her Now you come and she throws me ove There isn't anybody anybody- anybody anybody-anybody- He threw up his arms arnis and jumping jumping jump jump- ing to his feet rushed out of the room the clatter or 01 the falling chair sounding behind him His hat R a wadded mass of felt lay upon the floor A walter waiter came and sedately lifted lifted lift lift- ed the chair Marcie stared at Morton he the boob she inq inquired Morton his elbow on t tl rested his chin upon his pl p with the other hand moved ten tel glass to and fro i 01 Yes poor lad He is VI in thought lie he frowned at th that shifted in the tumble moved it 1 Marcie twitched him by Lets not bother about hI hh more she proposed Let LeI about us l lIe lifted his eyes and Iii her untroubled face Cace Didy have a suicide on your con Marcie Continued TomorroW |