| Show y It y t 1 i ne Hc 7 J 2 Frances Shelley e le V Te Wees es Ln f w in fU y L X Iu sE tL CL SYNOPSIS Bryn Brn James III a 1 atall ta tall tail bronzed young youns man of wealth and his chum Tubby Forbes are discussing Bryna Bryns coming comins marriage Tubby believes It a scheme to get Bryns Bryn's wealth from him Should the girl Deb Deborah rah whom Bryn had met metat metat at nl the office omeo of his hII attorney Ted Hoi Hoi- worthy marry Stuart Graham before her twenty first birthday she will Inherit a n vast fortune fortuno from her hor grandfather Stuart had greatly displeased displeased dis dis- pleased Deborah who refuses to marry him Bryn posing as an unemployed unemployed un un- employed engineer offers to marry Deborah as ae Stuart for they not to Jive live as man and wife Twentythree Twentythree Twentythree Twenty- Twenty three years previous Anne learned Lamed had eloped with on nn adventurer on the day set for her wedding to Courtney Graham Two days after the birth of her daughter Anne died 7 Shortly after arter the father died The Larneds grandparents took the child with them to Oregon where without child companions Deborah grew up To safeguard her from some fortune fortune fortune for for- tune hunter her grandfather had arranged for her to marry Stuart so sori soo of Courtney Graham when of ot age ago When Deborah was fifteen her grandfather died Securities had been sot set aside to keep the family but a n market markot crash left scarcely enough for them to live lIvo on This was unknown to Deborah's grandmother an m Invalid Gary a n servant managing manag manag- In ing the tho finances At twenty the he thought of 01 marriage greatly frightens fright fright- ens Deborah Tubby and Bryn await Deborah In a II hotel In Frisco Over Overa a period of ot ono one year the groom Is Isto Isto isto to prove he Is no fortune hunter and can make Deborah happy to the satisfaction of her grandmother Otherwise the fortune Is to go to charity The will Is somewhat ambiguous ambiguous as to whom Deborah Is to marry The girl arrives with HolWorthy Hol Hol- Worthy Tubby Is surprised to find Ond her charming and sweet The weddInG wedding wed wed- ding over the couple arrives at the home of ot Deborah's grandmother The grandmother and Bryn who she be- be lioves to be Stuart take to one another another another an an- other which somewhat displeases Deborah who foresees difficulty when hen they are to separate after aller a year car Deborah remonstrates with Bryn for hta Ms familiarity and insincerity CHAPTER III III-Continued III Continued 4 4 41 I 1 didn't like It It- ItI t. t I wont won't ha have e it lt Its It's bad enough to to deceive her at all an but I r have to do that f for r her own good I have to do what Ive I've done l If Id I'd come back not married and told her about him then wed we'd have had to tell her everything How Bow poor we weare weare weare are and how desperate And she would worry so much about me it would kill her There wouldn't be anything ahead This way theres there's at least the money and by the end of the year but I 1 wont won't tal take e advantage of her I cant can't bear to have you making so much of her when you dont don't mean I it when youre you're not honest Dont you believe belle in love at first sight Deborah She sprang up and faced him what Gary said you'd start talking about next she accused I think you might have e better r taste if nothing else I suppose he compared me to a leech I suppose he couldn't understand understand understand un un- that a young man could enter into a business agreement with a young lady Indy on perfectly clear and straightforward grounds emotion having no part thereof She raised her ber eyes Just a minute minute min min- ute ago you started talking about love Jove at first sight My child I was speaking of your grandmother I 1 intended to explain that my feeling for Cor her was In spite of your assumption to the contrary contrary con con- honest I 1 was about to mention mention mention men men- tion her gentleness and her delicacy delica cy and a few other qualities which would win the heart of ot a stone Image Im Im- image age and to explain to you that hat nn any feeling of tenderness which I 1 dIsplayed displayed displayed dis dIs- played toward her was quite sin sin- cere I She was gazing into his face A ABlow slow Blow wave of color quite unlike the angry flush tush of ot a short time ago ngo began began began be be- gan to spread up from her ber throat thront over her face She Sale dropped her bel eyes As for you Bryn went on calmly calm- calm ly Jf it it would be most presumptuous I for or me to have an any y feeling h for you I whatever You are In a n sense my employer I recognize that I have no Idea of presuming on that rein rela Nothing could be lie farther arther from my mind However However t It might be easier for both bolh of us under the circumstances If we came to a definite det- det nile nite agreement as to m my duties and my attitude Obviously we cannot go co on as we began yesterday or all nU allour allour our plans and sacrifices so far nr arc nrc wasted wastel She faced him Did you make sacrifices to do this for me she demanded Nothing of any particular Importance tance Lance he replied calmly Noth NothIng ing lag that will not be far outweighed by the benefits I will receive from it However l r a Do year Is a n year She Sh Considered Im afraid I wn via wan ver very xii tc K A iJ a began to smile l 1 1 5 suppose e theres there's even another girl somewhere somewhere somewhere some some- where out In the world she said with a n breath of or relief relict I am nm a n stupid creature I might have guessed Its It's because were we're so self self- centered here bere To put It perfectly plainly you have been exerting yourself to the utmost to live up to your our bargain and Ive I've been ridiculous ridiculous lous OIlS about it Haven't I Im I'm sorry sor sort I ry Its It's going to be she bent hastily and lifted JIlted her bowl I think I 1 have bave enough she went on Bryn Brn took the bowl They walked walled along leisurely toward th the i house The sun had suddenly thrown off his veils yells of cloud and emerged in glory Entering the kitchen to together they found Gary there This Is certainly an nn rising early household remarked Bryn Up with the birds must be its motto Bryn put down his coffee cup Gary having served them In the sitting sitting sitting sit sit- ting room He reached into his pocket mechanically for his bis ciga ciga- rette case Mind if It I 1 smoke Across the low round table Deborah Deborah De De- borah shook her head Tell me is it a disgraceful thing to be divorced Does it mark one she asked We can manage It o quietly that no one will know youve you've been marrIed married mar mar- marred ried red Deborah I wasn't thinking exactly of myself myself my my- self she said faint color In her checks cheeks Nobody knows me It wouldn't matter I was thinking of you jou I was wondering if the girl you that is the girl you care about wont won't mind rather dreadfully dread dread- fully 1 I dont don't quite understand these things she hurried on but butI I think if I 1 were she I 1 should mind I Did I 1 say I cared about a girl Bryn Brn Inquired in surprIse Perhaps I saw for myself that there must be one You spoke of or sacrifices You couldn't have meant your career because you told me yourself it was at a standstill So there must be he a girl I 1 am glad of ot course It will make Gary feel much better But has the world become so 10 minded liberal that she wont won't mind this taking this way to earn money for tor her Her eyes lifted to his waiting Bryn considered If It he said there was no girl Deborah might take take fright again So he said I assure you that no complication will arise She had begun to speak perhaps to question him further when a aI I I k r 1 l I T 1 11 J 1 t ft 1 f f N b This is Certainly an Rising Early Household Remarked Bryn bell tinkled She rose hastily That Is Grandmother she explained explained ex ex- and hurried down the steps to the narrow side door Br Bryn n sat down again and lit another cigarette cigarette ciga rette thinking He lie recalled himself with a start and got up hastily He lIe lifted the table dishes and all and carried It down to the kitchen door He set it Inside went In and drew It across the big room to the lon long white porcelain sink beneath the windows Gary was there with it a a abig gig big clean apron tied over his trousers trousers trous trous- ers washing up his own breakfast dishes Its a n beautiful day Gary nary Yes sir It gets Yer very hot in the middle of ot the day In August but buttle the tle nights are uh u always s 's cool cooJ Bryn picked up a dish dishtowel What are arc you going to do today Gar Gary 1 Can you OU give I e me some kind of ot an Idea of your our routine Ive I've got to have something to do too toC I can pick cherries Deborah said you ou could use them And I heard hens bens cackling somewhere although I didn't see them I presume your fowl l J pace c the usual set of signals So I can collect eggs G Gary r sighed H He rubbed vigorously vigorous 3 ly Iy ut fit a plate All them things has haa hasI t I to be he done he said And theros thero's potatoes to hoe and corn to weed and cucumbers and melons to water water wa wn- t ter r and ond raspberries to tie tic up He lIe propped his hands on the edge of the sink and looked up If It you to work he said want theres plenty to be done Bryn put a foot on the chair beside beside beside be be- side the sink Had lind your hands full hadn't you he be said Gary did not reply He Be was still searching Bryns Bryn's face Bryn met his eyes steadily After a n moment Gary turned away without speaking and finished washing the sink He Be was Just untying his apron to hang bang it up when there was a n light footstep footstep footstep foot foot- step at the other end of the room and Deborah came In She was ver very pale and there was In her face tace such a look of misery that both men lI stiffened themselves Involuntarily Grandmother liked the strawberries strawberrIes strawberries straw straw- berries Deborah said dismally She thought they were wonderful She might have hn been announcing the end of the world ts t's happened Gary asked a again his face working the matter Miss Deborah Did you tell teU her Did she guess about his eyes went to Bryn Deborah shook her head hend From her pocket she produced a long sheet of paper There she said tremulously our marketing list for today Marketing list Gary repeated repented with utter horror He lie stared at atthe atthe atthe the paper as If It It were a message of destruction from Mars Five Fhe dozen wax tapers of ot the best quality Gary read out A cook and three housemaids Gary groaned Copies of all aU the modern maga zincs sines Deborah swallowed A plumber to inspect all aU the plumbing of the house A man to put the electric plant In order A catalogue of comfortable motor motor mo mo- mo tor cars Four or five gardeners Ten pounds of the best Jasmine tea ten Eight dollars donars a pound Gary breathed her special blend Well Wen Bryn said after a moment moment moment mo mo- ment its a fairly good beginning I dont don't suppose she's heard of ot electric elec elec- electric refrigerators or vacuum cleaners cleaners clean clean- ers or radios or any number of other modern Inventions The mag- mag will undoubtedly help unless we go over them first and cut out all aU the advertisements I Deborah sprang up Oh what's the use of ot nil all this she cried I J wont won't have you ou laughing at her Its It's no use se making fun She thinks y she thinks we can mana manage e anything now She doesn't know However am I going to tell teU her What am I going to do Its all we can do to pay the taxes Gary said at last There was a silence Deborah came back to the table Ill have to pretend Im I'm Ill she said Ill have to say Ive I've a pain In my my heart or something like that Something that cant can't stand excitement excite excIte- ment That's the only thing Lets tell teU her the truth Gary said sald sharply Lets tell her bel Miss Deborah Were We're getting In t too o deep Bryn rose and said The way out has Just occurred to me Mr Holworthy Hol Hoi worthy Deborah caught her breath What could he do He knows the circumstances He De could advance us the money money we need But will he We can cnn try I think he will In Inthe Inthe Inthe the meantime we can buy the smaller things I 1 have a little lit Ut- Uttie little tle tie money of my own a few v hunt hun dress I am nm happy to put them hem at nt our mutual disposal We Ve cant can't take your money Nonsense Of course you ou can take my money You can give me mea mea a note if you like and pay me interest in in- terest So its it's settled Gary drew a deep breath of re re- re- re lief lIet Id thought of ot borrowing before before be be- fore he said But until Miss Deborah Deborah Deborah Debo Debo- rah was married we didn't have any prospects of or paying It back Now Its It's all aU right I can see its it's all right If It you dont don't mind lendIng lending lending lend lend- ing what you have sir I dont don't like Uke borrowing Deborah continued to protest her cheeks flaming Were taking enough from you youre We re cant can't take any more Gary turned toward her ber If It we dont don't go through h with It If It you tell teU yo r grandmother now then this gentleman wont won't get his money at atthe atthe atthe the end of ot the year She wouldn't recognize this marriage Its It's too late to marry an anybody body else your birthday birthday birth birth- day is past If It we told your grandmother grand mother the whole truth that your the man youve you've married Is a n stranger paid to marry you she would die It would 1 kill her And then maybe you could get pet the mone money but it would kill your grandmother Deborah listened her eyes dark and She lifted them at last to Bryn So Its It's Just as a safeguard rd for tor yourself that youre you're offering your mone money she asked Icily Something of ot the sort Bryn said with truth CHAPTER IV BRYN B went upstairs to the south wing where his own room In lay lIe He entered sat down at the small writing table before the window lifted d the leather case from the floor beside him hUn unlocked It took out writing paper and be began an- an ann a n let Jet tor ter to Tubby After Arter the usual Joc Joe ular greetings nr Bryn n asked him to procure ten pounds of ot Jasmine tea from an old Chinese friend of theirs a cook from an employment agency three housemaids housemaids' and a 8 butler With the letter sealed In his pocket pock et Bryn went down the stairs In search of ot Deborah lie heard from the front of the house the sound of or orthe the piano He lie went slowly town toward Id I'd the drawing room listening The piano was being banged with tur fury Either Deborah or Grandmother was playing the Norwegian Bridal Procession In such a way that It sounded like the march on Paris He knocked lightly on the drawIng drawIng draw- draw drawing Ing room door but the piano did not stop He ne opened the door and went in Deborah was pouncing angrily on handfuls of keys Bryn stood for a moment watching her He was restraining an Impulse to walk forward slip sUp his arms underneath un un- her lift JUt her from the stool and hold her firmly against him I 1 c trY tr Y 1 IC l ll I 4 J r rY ry y Y I Am Going In to Town and I 1 Wondered If You'd Care to Go while she kicked and stormed and raged at him while he looked down Into her dark e eyes es smiling waiting for her ber anger to subside There would be a moment moment then when sI she e would lie He limp and beaten In his arms and then with her face at athis athis athis his shoulder and her hair hall shaken loose over oyer his arm he he- could The music stopped abruptly in the middle of a bar Her hands dropped to her lap and she stared at him mute and angry Sorry to |
