Show r e y rc MT F THE THEwl wl L RIGHT fN DIN AMIS WIlliAMS Y Y W fall Ju SERVICE CHAPTER t VI Is 1 ch ha j t haf to learn that Mary Marv Ann le t having tt f dinner with Jerrell and frets frets fret over the fact act ct that his hta wife wite wl stands in the tho th way Returning to his summer home h nic he gives elves Mrs Mn Mr g a box b x ol of candy and prepares to go to swimming When the she is eating it they have hav words about his hl seeing Mary Ann He lie begins grUy to ex express J press the wish that she line would choke ch keAn An t I later laler a piece of candy lorf tn in her throat She chokes Without offer offering ing any aid Dr deeding g IMS gea off ff Wh swimming R Returning t with Nancy n whom he has met returning home with Dan he ir finds the body of ot his wile lie He seems terror stricken and remorseful at lint first but finally realizes realize he Is li tree free Nan NancY Nancy Nancy cY has ha a B foreboding of f I After VU-After VII Aner Aller the funeral DrI Dr I yi decides 1 to 8 spend E rd his hl vacation there at e the et eta to t lake a do d and tome some asks S work r Mary with Ann him to t fi He H coma i angry Dan la is when coming he ne teams earns oo s sW W from He lie ml reveals Nancy that that he has ha Invited Jerrell errell and demands demand that she show some tome Interest In him Nancy tells him of her love for or Dan He lie says Jerrell Is le In love l ve with her She replies that MaryAnn Jerrell has fallen alien In love lave with Mary Ann Her father s I reaction to this Is so terrible that Nancy flies fit In terror Continued Co Continued From Prom m St Last Last Week Week- Week CHAPTER S VIII III Nancy that night did not come comedown comedown comedown down to dinner She could not bearl bear to face her father That mask of anger which she had seen upon his I countenance left her sick and and shak shaken shaken en n with a fear car she could not name She stayed in her room sent word that her head ached At dusk from very weariness she slept and dreamed and woke cold and terrified and thereafter she lay wide eyed in the darkness After a 8 long time she heard her father I getting up and then he opened thedoor the thedoor thedoor door into her room Entering he said gently Awake Nancy Feel better now His tones were soft and reassurIng reassuring reassuring ing Yes Father she murmured He sat down on the edge of her bed and touched her hand I came cameto cameto cameto to tell ten you I m sorry my dear de r he said smiling his tone For Forgive Forgive Forgive give me ForI I She whispered piteously You mustn't ever scare me Father He repeated I m sorry You re I all I ve ye got now Nancy I And he urged pleading in m his own defense But since your mother died my II nerves nerves- I know she confessed I un understand understand understand There were sudden tears In her eyes e es she 10 loved lobed ed him and pItied him I do understand And AndI I didn t mean to defy you F Father Only Dan and I- I I He asked quizzically Are you YOli t o 0 youngsters really married I She he shook her head No I just said aid that because I was desperate I was was- vas as- as fighting for e everything I Iw Iv w nt ot Father We re not no She II Shel I quickly But we will wm beI beI be beI I know knew he And I IJ Ii II- II J i w you would would-do would do as I wish it itu II f fu I u could But I kno know that love loven n be too strong for a girl for tor a av av v oman He added watching her herF herF Fora F or a man too Yes she said gravely He laughed in an abashed fash n I m in a confidential mood to toI ton ton ton I n Nancy Don blame t-blame t blame me too tOll tOllI I much but you know men even men of my age have sometimes thoughts dreams topes lopes they can t control And he asked slowly Do Do YOU understand what I m m-contes m I 1 sing Nancy What dreams I m telling you She whispered Yes I think I ve ye guessed before Do you blame me terribly She pressed his hand Poor Father she whispered He bent to kiss her brow But Butof of course he said ruefully since she he and Jerrell Jerrell- Jerrell He left the th e sentence unfinished So So I 1 ve ye only you Nancy And Sleep sweet he bade her Good night Good night The door closed behind him and darkness wrapped her close But not terror now His magic ha d worked its miracle She was at peace She slept till full dawn and woke refreshed her father joined her herfor herfor herfor for a swim and breakfast afterward The interminable morning somehow Ep sped d Dan and Mary Ann would arrive on the noon tram and Nancy insisted that Doctor come With her to meet them It was a fifteen minute run in the fast boat to the landing b the station Nancy kissed Mary Ann hISSed Kissed Dan only with her eyes and then they went down to where the boat was moored Dan and her father carry carry- ng the bag stowing them in the after cockpit Her father took the Mary Ann beside him and andt t Nancy lancy and Dan sat just I tr it a moment they were in m the open lake Jake and Nancy leaned secretly to Dan to kiss him Her father himI said with a chuckle I over his shoulder You two showed an admirable restraint to wait vait so long His tone was amused and kindly i iDan I Dan was startled and c then th then p he hela laughed Nancy Nan cy has bas na s told lold y you about I us then sir u W 1 N 1 c ties r 00 Of course Nancy held tight to Dan s arm and ind the young man said I I want to talk to you about Nancy while I m here Doctor chuckled This brother of yours has a fine old old old- old fashioned fashioned courtesy in him he told Mary Ann Not many young men trouble to consult the girl slather s father nowadays Mary Ann smiled happily Dan has been very well brought up I she she agreed I They were at lunch when the telephone rang and Thomas took the calL Mr Jerrell sir he rc- rc reported ported port He He will be at the land lend lending landing ing in half an hour I Thank you Thomas Doctor assented He was as watching Mary Ann saw that her eyes were brighter her cheeks faintly tinted She felt his scrutiny and asked disarmingly Mr Mr Jerrell Is he coming I m afraid you and I won t get much work done over the week week- weekend week end end Doctor confessed Dan and Nancy will absorbed be-absorbed be I in each other so we must keep Jerrell entertained I I We 11 n go meet him Nancy vol- vol volunteered vol volunteered Dan Dan and I 1 But I But her father shook his head Val Val-I I Nonsense Mary Ann and I will do that And when pre presently they rose from the table he said Nan I Nancy Nan Nan- Nancy cy you and Dan perforate a few tar tar- targets tar targets gets We 11 join you after we fetch tar tar-I Jerrell He asked Dan Ever Dan try pistol shooting Some yes Dan confessed I 1 I used to belong to a club I rather like it I i I 11 take you on for a round Doctor Doctor 0 offered f fer e d He chuckled He-chuckled chuckled Jerrell tried it when I he was last here but he s hopeless We 11 n give him hum a lesson He spoke to Mary Ann By the time we get getto getto getto to the landing he 11 be there He led Mary Ann away toward the boathouse Nancy looked at Dant Dans Dan l s t I wF e t I 1 I I i I I IL W Wr WI r I What Is 15 It Dan Asked Hear near Something S with a grimace amused perplexed 1 I suppose have we-have to humor him she confessed I Dan caught her close Say Say when he s B been so decent Id I'd spend the afternoon standing on my head it i ithe he asked me to She stood silent frowning intent as though listening What is It Dan asked Hear something Nancy shivered in his arms No Nono Nono Nono no I felt it felt its s funny but I felt cold She freed herself caught his hand Come we 11 n get the tar targets targets targets gets and things sh she said Jerrell was on the wh wharf rf when the boat pulled alongside and he reached d down 0 w n to shake Doctor s hand and across the Doctor to Mary Ann Doctor Greed ing saw their glances meet Then Jerrell s bags were in they were away aay Returning along the shore of the island they saw Dan and Nancy on the court screened by the inters Inter intervening ening trees and the girl waved to them We re having a shooting match this afternoon Ira Doctor Greed wg mg explained I Dan says he s a aI good shot and Nancy stair s fair I know I you re rotten but we 11 U teach you the rudiments give you a hand handi handicap handicap cap And he asked Mary Ann Have you ever tried It She shook her head Oh Oh no Mary Ann and I 1 will be the gallery Jerrell proposed You 11 never make an Annie Oakley out Seems of me outI I You 11 II be surprised Doctor assured him After Ive I've given you a tip or two j if yr w I I m more to shoot some somo perfectly innocent inder Jerrell demurred I No fear Doctor prom promIsed iced We 11 II all keep out of the way keep behind you He lie brought the boat to the landing with an expert Thorna- Thorna will fetch your our ba bag c he s slid tid 0 J Leave Leate ea e them We 11 ll go on up to the court Jerrell urged See Sec here Ned you and Dan do the fireworks Mary MaryAnn MaryAnn MaryAnn Ann and I- I I But the Doctor was so insistent that Jerrell had in n the end to sub submit submit mit or by an outright refusal seem ungracious I You act net as if it this were life or death Ned he pro pro- protested protested protested tested and yet annoyed too I Doctor nodded Its It's my hobby he assented laughingly I suppose I do ride it hard I I There was in fact a strange ur- ur urgency ur urgency gency seney in the man He shepherded I them up the path to the court like a dog nipping at their heels and andI Dan and Nancy met them there I I IDan Doctor chuckled All I 1 that I J need is some competition he declared You 11 be surprised I IDan I Dan had the pistol in his hand and Doctor took it from himi himl him sand and turned to Jerrell I II But But first Ira you give us a aI I I horrible example 00 he suggested laughingly Show us how not todo todo to do He looked up the court and J saw that there was a fresh target on n the frame he examined the thet pistol Here he said It s ready I r o All you have to do is point it at atthe atthe the target and pull pun the trigger There was an unreality about what so swiftly followed Jerrell was driven like a sheep Reluctant Reluctantly ly he took the weapon in his hands thoroughly ill at ease case handling it gingerly I I dont don't know anything about these things he prot protested sted You don t need to Just point and pull Doctor Insisted II Go ahead I Aim at the black spot soI on the t t Hold the pistol so I the fore sight is just in the middle I of the notch in the rear sight Then press the trigger slowly till It fires 1 I And Jerrell after a moment in I obeyed A splinter fiew flew I from the edge of the batter board laughed Six feet wide Ira I Don t you see the target I Iman man Jerrell hoping to finish this or- or ordeal ordeal or ordeal deal hurriedly tried again and then I BeI again But his shots were wild Be Between Between Between tween s shots hot h o t s Doctor I coached him showing him how to stand how to hold the pistol how crow to press the trigger but Jerrell at length lowered the weapon turned aside shook his head laugh laughing laughing laughing ing uncomfortably I That s enough he insisted It It s snot snot not my game j Doctor chuckled and received the weapon from Jerrell s shand shand shand hand Wait Walt a minute Don t give up yet he persisted Let me show you how it s donel He fired rapidly t two 0 or three times There he said LIke that Now Nott Dan go put up a fresh target will till you Ira s got to score I one hit at least before I let him himoff oil ofT He took the empty empt magazine out of the pistol and turned to Jerrell Try it without actually shooting he suggested and a n d pressed the weapon into Jerrell s shands shands hands Ma Maybe Mas be you re flinching sI I afraid of it Just aim and snap the trigger I Dan had gone obediently to ard the other othel end nd of the court to fix fixa fixa a new target on the frame Jerrell protested half angrily Ned I Idon Idon Idon don t want to shoot I tell you But Doctor still insisted Don t be an ass Ira If It you can make the stock market sit up and beg you ought to be able to point a pistol at a target I 11 stand be behind behind behind hind you see whether hether you re aim aiming mg ing properly Jerrell was flushed and furious yet it was impossible to refuse with without without without out actual offen-c offen He lifted the weapon and faced the target on onder onder onder der and Doctor said be behind behind behind hind him All right now go ahead Jerrell pointed the pistol in n the general direction of the other end of the court but as he did so soI I Dan his task concluded turned and saw him and nd cried quickly Hey don t aim that thin at atme atme me met Nancy had been watching Jerrell sorry for him because her father pressed him so tactlessly but also puzzled by something in his count coun coun- coun countenance countenance She saw his lips compress and veins on his forehead swell as though he were sere engaged in an actual physical struggle But when Dan called his protest she looked that way Her lIer father here lot it Jerrell s shoulder shoulder shoulder der said reassuringly Don Don t wo worry r ry Dan GUll Guns S empty And I then the then the shot in the still I loud and aIr of rang andI I startlingly Nancy saw Dan in 10 the I very act of moving to one tide side ide out of line with the pistol s muzzle clasp his middle with both hands and slump quietly forward on his knees He bow bowed down and fell a little on his side very quietly There was something terrible in that quietness Nancy was standing a little to one sIde near Mary Ann and when then Dan fell feU she remained a moment mo motionless motionless all her senses in suspect suspension lion sion unable to think or move able only to see She saw Dan lying there so quiet on an the ground and she saw Jerrell staring incredulously at the pistol in his hands She bhe saw her father turn to Jerrell leap tow arc him h the weapon away avay lie He cried Isn ott Cu furiously I To be continued |