Show the handsome man by margaret turnbull Turn bulB illustrations by irevin myers copyright by Turn buH W N U attle CHAPTER XIII continued 23 roberta were you going to marry this fellow roberta looked at him with a wide beare had she really been going to do that it seemed impossible it years ago that she had thought she hated this man and loed jack she looked across the bed at jack how stupid she had been how silly 1 why the man was common 1 somehow she could not meet sir georges eyes 1 I suppose I 1 did mean to at one time she admitted I 1 was so determined to do something desperate to get away from everything and every body but I 1 won t do it now good gurll and then sir george added you coulden couldn t anyhow that s why I 1 came to stop you lies mar ried already you liel oh no I 1 dont lie said it con fl dently for jacks face biad been in stant confirmation I 1 saw her at alie dock and I 1 heard it at headquarters unless you v e murdered her quite recently ashes still your wife roberta was staring at jack in horror she had let a thing like this trick herl robertas quite with you sir george told him shortly nd I 1 will be in a few minutes after ou have told me how you got hold of the fact that I 1 was taking the payroll money up the alier roberta whirled was he was he in that too he nodded he concealed his sur prise that she hould ask this bow he had misjudged roberta come he said to jack 1 I any time to waste who told you she did oh no I 1 no robertas voice rang out violently lou dont believe him do you bisot if you say you sir george told her promptly though I 1 own it did look like that to me at first I 1 never told him jack laughed you dare to say I 1 did jack nodded everything I 1 knew I 1 got it from you consciously or un consciously you told me several things that put me on the track and tt needed only a little about roads and cars and banks to get all I 1 wanted out of QU roberta flung her forearm across her eyes and leaned against the wall she could not face sir george she bad been this mans tool she had been a traitor in her own fathers house she had been tricked by jack into believing the things he said against sir george lie was saying quite distinctly though you could tell from his tone how tired he was call them in roberta roberta opened the door she came back and stood near the bed as the men with the exception of the doctor who had gone on his rounds filed in you will please tell this man before these witnesses that you are through with him utterly and for ever 1 I am through with you roberta eald bettt een her teeth and tt I 1 were a man I 1 would kill you its jack brawled led though his blood was dark behind his olive skin fortunate youre not and I 1 m not done with yon I 1 tell you before these witnesses that I 1 have letters of yours which you cannot deny I 1 have also a marriage license and your promise to marry me lour coming all this distance to do it will make good read lag in the new shapers sir george turned to arlett shoot it out double quick whatever it Is you want said arlett 1 ve got a lot of things to do nothing more important than this youve heard this young lady refuse to marry this man and also heard him threaten to make a scandal about it exclaimed the fat con beable got a right to change minds sure I 1 said the younger constable revolving his cud you can t legislate agin that roberta tell judge arlett that you are not going to marry our friend jack will make me marry him well plain arlett s tone was friendly guess youve got your walking papers son so why not take them quietly and go jack walked toward the bed 1 I can make trouble and I 1 will what I 1 you going to do about it prove you a liar sir george said quietly roberta get the paper in the right annd pocket of my coat if it gasn wasn t burned up its here roberta said meekly she had a sudden vision every time she looked at jack of what it would be like to go meekly back to the island and green bend and a day or so later see her letters and promises embellishing bel the front page of the papers her father would suffer and every i one would know what a tool eho bad been she opened the coat pocket and took the folded paper out of it she handed it to sir george he waved it toward arlett show it to him bobble he ahls atea and tell mm two can play at that game and you were just spooning spoofing fing this man you never meant to do it that Is why I 1 followed you she stared at him did father send you does he know io sir george whispered aso one sent me do you think I 1 d let ou down look at the paper but why should you roberta began and then suddenly conscious of the others hurriedly unfolded the paper slie looked at it gasped and turned to him she opened her mouth to speak but sir george put lils hand over 1 ghe it to the judge he ordered lv and 0 o unlike the roberti he had known that his heart con traded with pain and tenderness she took it across to arlett who back against the door surveyed it n mm I 1 lie looked at jack this heres a perfectly good isea jersey marriage license made out for roberta macbeth and sir george Sand lson sir george Sand lson tt jack came nearer and looked at the paper sir george 1 roberta cried lie held her hand its quite all right lou see jack there s no ques alon now of a defenseless return ing home after a theatrical attempt at elopement to be covered with shame and confusion while her fathers pocketbook Is emptied by a man who possibly marry her robertas been plang you so that her father might lay hands on you and your gang he held robertas hand so that she could not moe the puzzled and judge came forward as the two constables held the door all the time you thought you were running away with lier she knew hat she had another man simply mad to marry her following close behind can t keep up with the modem woman jack even a clever chap like your self has no clance she has us as the americans say going and coming you re bluffing this girl never intends to marry you sir george laughed it was a feeble laugh but it irritated jack its a bluff and sou cant bluff me I 1 ve got her letters and my story and he came up against arlett and the two constables at the door you keep yourself to yourself arlett said iso pushing and shoving until this things straight what do you want done with him mister I 1 argue with him no longer sir george clung to robertas hand but he refrained from looking at her try as roberta would she could not tree her hand roberta my dear judge arlett can marry us just as tightly and just as well as any person and jack and the constables will be our witnesses will you roberta he asked it recklessly roberta would of course refuse and demand to be taken home to her father but at least it would silence jack and make any attempt at blackmail impossible roberta hesitated and as she did jack laughed aloud you see he said to arlett its sheer bluff 1 the girl came with me to marry me and no one else he can t save her face that way sir george stared straight ahead of him smiling waiting judge arlett said roberta in a very low voice will you marry us now and do anything you like with that she indicated jack sure we can jail him easy afterward sir george could not take his eyes from the girl who did not look at him now roberta 1 he murmured but she did not answer she had thrown her head back and leaning against the wall she faced jack sir george found it hard to keep from pitying jack lie did not doubt for a moment that to lose roberta now was a life and death matter to him but roberta was too young to understand or be pitiful lie was so much interested in jacks plight he forgot his own jack who had once loomed important in robertas life was less than nothing now and knew it lie made a swift leap toward the door while the constables gaped at roberta but arlett was in his way ponderous un moved and immovable you keep away from that door young man he ald without emotion or excitement you re wanted as a witness he motioned to the younger constable stand between the door and this wildcat As justice of the peace young man I 1 can lock you up and will do so it theres any more disorderly resistance read both of you oh I 1 roberta whispered sir george put out his hand not unless you want to roberta it you d rather wait take you back to your father understand jack laughed nervously 1 I told you it was a bluff ne turned to tho judge and said vehemently the girl want to marry him this foreign grafter Is after her money roberta gae a little gasp she slid to her knees beside the bed put her arms about his neck and her lips close to his ear george do you really love me aunt aggy aid you did at the moment sir george dum founded at aggy a audacity could not speak then it came to the man sud denly that here was just a bewildered frightened little red headed girl lucli a surge of tenderness went through him at the touch of lier lips on his ear that his whole body trembled ills ee met hers steadily robertas drooped don t be a silly little fox he said and put a bandaged hand on hers if this Is agg s plan how can we go far wrong As he looked at her he knew in scantly that it was no of her own dilemma that was causing the girl to turn to aln lie doubted if even a fleeting thought that it would silence every slanderous tongue if she was to return to the island as lad Sand lson had chosed her mind lie was hurt and wounded in her defense and aunt aggy had said he was dying of loe for her so ane was doing n hole heartedly what she could to heal his wounds and his heart all set asked arlett he andl bated jack to the younger constable hurl the bad egg if he explodes you 11 make him sign the cate judge sir george asked A photograph of that signature will do away with any blackmailing scheme he has in his dirty mind and will make him a laughing stock in his own refined circle it that remove him from our path take a gun I 1 m growing quite american you see iso guns said judge arlett alsap I 1 don t hold with them but I 1 d offer this dark young fellow the chance to sign and get away while the goings good jack sir george said amicably will sign to oblige the lady or I 1 II 11 be compelled to tell the judge my sus as to his complicity with the gang who tried to get Mac Beths payroll significantly and held roberta s hand tightly to prevent her from speaking for he saw that to roberta the knowledge that this man had used her to harm her father was the most overwhelming blow jack looked at them then at the other three men sign he muttered ready asked arlett CHAPTER XIV robert macbeth was growing acx tous he had been wheeled out to watch the distant fire but that had long since died down and it grew dark with roberta and sir george still missing and no word from them there was much excitement on the part of the guests arom new york because the bridge was gone there was no direct communication with the other side now so they must go further down the river and cross at bridgetown tor their return it meant they must leave earlier I 1 ady sandl son bustled about arranging for an early supper and for a time there was so much hurry and excitement that the absence of daughter and secretary was apparently forgotten when they had all gone ray browne had time to wonder why the secretary did not return with his car sir george and roberta I 1 what did it mean lie glanced at robert macbeth sitting silent beside him and tried to guess what he was thinking they watched the long procession of cars returning from up the river and from watching the fire still no word from either roberta or sir george browne felt he must make light of the fact that the two had not returned for robert Mac Beths sake something wrong with my car the little beast Is always breaking down he said as he went away in one of the macbeth cars aggy aggy her brother said shaking his bead firemen have wives and families TO BE CONTINUED |