Show t r I u ly 1 s. q CUT t p Jane Bunker Bunk L Tho kobbe Ca tb r f CHAPTER XV XV Continued Continued Y J 1 t t 16 16 Billy charged monsieur's confession i to 19 a private account that was growing l large rge Personally I felt I liked the theman theman man the better for it it-I it I read It as the effort to shield the girl and minimize K her part In the affair And in to that I IVas Iwas was Vas right Billy looked at it differ differ- Conceited cuss I he later con con- cont Wanted to take the whole credit to himself Oui madame monsieur went on 4 and all the while I felt him searching 1 my face for a sign of what I had accomplished accomplished ac ac- ac- ac with Mrs Delano Nos sing cl can n be safer safer safer-I I argue argue zan zan a afancy fancy slipper It lt is not worn on ze r steamer In ze cold of w winter inter and madame mad mad- ame have so assure me zat her bag bag- baggage gage because of her so good cousin 4 is pass difficulty And who would accuse madame of of of be he he gave me a knowing look and finished ambiguously of of to smuggle zoze valuable e papers zat do not concern her Ah All Ahr r no no-It no it would be incredible t to o see zem and zem-and and we have take care za zat t zey are not seen I And to accomplish h k zis we have put zem zeta where zey are almost almost al most but not quite seen I have explain explain ex ez to t plain all nil zis to Claire and she have hav e understand nt Oui Y The smugness with which he delivered I i if ered eyed himself of this was really amusIng amusing amus amus- ing lag and I couldn't help a smile which I encouraged him to add add at at th the same f time looking piercingly at me with me-with with a a deprecating shrug 3 And Just at nt ze moment of beautiful b tv 4 completion madame carries off oft one o of f t zoze slippers slippers we we know v not which whIr a All of us laughed and the tension n that had been quite plainly felt in our ou r little company broke Claire went on to tell us how i in n Antwerp nt she had occupied a room nm m t- t communicating with Mrs Delarios Delario's th the e r day before they sailed and h how w papa S t had taken Mrs Delano out to see th the e great Rubens in the cathedral an and d w she she pleading Claire pleading a n headache ha had d remained behind and had gone through e Mrs Delarios Delario's things so she could tell ell her father what there was they could coul d use had discovered the slippers and had taken them to her room and show slown n t them to her father that night night- and h he e said they would do admirably an and d she had got tb them m back while Mrs Delado Del Del- ado arlo was asleep 4 e But Bat It wasn't easy to put the bo box z into the slipper when it came to ih iha the he e a point Mrs Delano keenly felt th the e ee s obligations of her charge and prove proved d c a far too devoted chaperon At last las t t the chance arrived and the box was wa ts s stowed What then was the poor poo r i childs child's consternation n to hear me twitting twit ting Mrs Delano Into wearing th the 9 slippers I 1 She nearly had me then I Claire e confided with noticeable glee at her he r own ability to cope with the situation I got the box out Just one minute before be he fore afore ore she came into our stateroom t. t 1 But this fright made me so ill Ili I 1 s. s couldn't stay at table that night i iI I I should think so said Billy Dilly ant and I If f rave gave gave a sly glance In my direction that the t i. i I said I take back all I said about he hek her k I Mast last night she night she wasn't really in it a at t G i all It was all the old scoundrel of a Claire seemed ready to end here bu but butil t il II I wasn't ready to have her What was we wasl s I l 1 I to to tell monsieur My turn was corn com co ting in a minute and what was I t to isay jay isay I kept on with Claire Then uThen a aa so o a far fai as you know the box came through Li I 1 the customs S house in n one of those sli sliN slippers slip slip- p N pers pers And what were you to do after after pr r r fth that t f r-i r Vf t 2 The The words were hardly out of m mr my y r mouth ni uth when the front bell rang an and d George handed in a n telegram addressed d 1 to to Q monsieur Monsieur tore open the yellow envelop enve cave lop and rapidly scanned the message frowned hesitated started to spec speak k 4 and stopped looked at me r gly asked If It there was a telegraph rh h Office near and when I told him where whet e k fit ft was excused himself from our co company company com com- m pany to send an immediate and arul urgent urgent ur ur- 4 gent gent reply and instructed Claire mo t tf to o f answer every question I might care t tr to top o r pat p t and with that he be hurried off wi withe with the Uhe curt ceremony of one who expects expect s t Jo io be back on the quarter-hour quarter stroke e f There was how however ver but little ittle mo more ero ro e I needed to discover from rom Claire still 11 there there was one thing and I asked be her 1 bluntly Your father came over ahead ahen d k lot r of us on a faster steamer He lie was o othe on n U Me the e wharf in disguise when we a arrived ar ar- rived rived i f She She blushed furiously and stammered stam stam- m w Y yes he yes he was there an and d ta added ded hastily But I didn't know he was was there He told me mo there would be someone to isom someone one to to take when charge when harge-when when I ga gathe gave ve the signal that everything was all right right Oh Oh there was a signal lOf l 1 Of Of course urse I 1 had to et t the oth other er use ne know who had the DOX box DOX- You mc menu you had to let 3 your vr 1 fa ta- f a t r kr w t C Ar Oi v c I It UIt was papa papa but but I didn't see him What did you yon have to let hi him m I know Whether it was was you or Mrs D Deli Dela la How did you manage that thaU I UI set my little handbag on top o othe of f the suitcase that that said the box was wn s there Then I drew ot off my glove glove- glove glove- t that hat said sold in a slipper It wasn't wasn very hard to remember And you had given the signal when n I picked up the slipper sUpper Yes and Yes and I was so frightened I didn't know but papa would b be e killed And you went home with M Melano Mrs D elano DelarIo and tried to see if It she had bad th the e right slipper Yes but Yes but I 1 never found out out out- She looked as If she were dy dying ng t task to o ask Have you found out I was so afraid she would that I ended the examination cross-examination hastily b by y asking her what she heard fro from r he her r mother and signaled Billy to chip chill into nt o the conversation and make talk as fn fast st as he could and after shed she'd r rete replied U d about shoat her mother that mother that her grandfather a ther they was still dying and her moth mother e dared not leave she leave she turned to hill Billy y as though she had really only Just then the n become aware of his presence an and d they soon were chattering away like ti ke magpies and the blushes were mostly y on on Billys Billy's cheeks For which he mfg might ht be forgiven He was Just two twenty w o and she was Just sixteen but In t three tare lre we e years years dear dear me what a beauty s she he was going to be what be-what what a man killer I f II fI I left them to themselves going t to tomy tomy 0 my bedroom on some pretext pretest or another an at other while one quarter of an hour follow fol fo 1 low lowed ed another and still monsieur dl did d not return At nine Claire began to tobe tobe be restless at t quarter after she btu blurted blurt ed out Do you suppose anything b has as ast happened to papa papa papa- I had been supposing it t for halt half an hour hed hour hed he'd had time to make twenty t trips to the telegraph office and back back back- but I managed to say reassuringly reassuring Why what could happen and Bil Billy BUly ly supported me with a fine courageous 9 Nothing could have happened happened hes he's hes a man man man-he he knows how to take care of himself and was rewarded with a look loot Even at sixteen at-sixteen sixteen Claires Claire's loo looks ks were were valuable valuable Billy Billy wouldn't ha have v e va sold that to another fellow for a to ten ten- a dollar bill The elevator rumbled rambled up and I cried There he hI Is Is-I Is I think George presented m mi with t two w are au o a notes and the information that an a automobile au u was downstairs waiting I handed banded one note to Claire to tore re rend open the one addressed to me Il and nd read rend Im I'm sending a c car car r for tor my daughter r. r Will you ask Mr Rivers to escort her to the hotel hotell It Is to Y necessary that I L say some son few words to you alone I beg you to await me It lt was signed H ull de I 1 had barely finished this when I Leard heard Claire give a cry Mamma Iamma is dead l I and I looked up Just in tin tinto time timeto e to see her throw out her arms at and d swoon away at my ml feet People faint away In la this story 11 like ke the heroines of a mid Victorian mid r romance ro roo 0 mance manse but I 1 cant can't help it t. t Anyway Y I warned you there was no t f fait faint t coming which h faint was under the ti e circumstances natural enough To be exact Claire swooned at t my feet via Billys Billy's arms The intent Intention on was all aU on his side however however- however however-he he be caught her as she was goIng going go go- ing and let her down A light b bur bur- ur den des Got any smelling salts Quick if it you have bave Some water If t yoi YO t. t he ordered I couldn't help an inward snort at atthe the cool way vay In which he took the pr proprietorship pro o of the situation in my house house house-a a snort tempered with goo good good- d natured matured elderly amusement at his Impetuosity impetuosity im Im- ii and its Justifiable cause He was nearly as pale as Claire n and nd dreadfully agitated But Dut I was siren already dy running to the bathroom for the wat water er to revive her as twenty four hou hours 15 previous Td rd run for water t to assuage ge the agonies of her de dear nr papa Billy Dilly was on his knees Frore FroId tad er one protruded the note that h had ad caused the damage I went down on my knees and applied the wet tow towel 1 Billy fished forth the note and wit without without with with- h out co compunction read It t aloud My Afy child It was in n French Return to the hotel Immediately Ask Mr hit Rivers to escort you fOU VOTRE PERE PER E Nothing very shattering nerve-shattering and a not nota a word about her mother so evidently evident evade t. t ly lp shed she'd been expecting something a and nd this had keeled her ov over r on gene general rat principles What was In yours demanded demand ed Billy Dilly I reached out and got It off orr the ta tn table table ble where re Id I'd thrown it and gave ga It to him Nothing about her mother r said I. I i This getting her away is it ita Just Juit Juita Justa st a dodge to see me alone 1 l I Youre not going to tol I l Billy e exclaimed ex Co claimed with some somo dismay I sopped at Claires Claire's face and answered an I dont don't know know know-It it depends depend s o on how soon he comes I r wouldn't wouldn't-It wouldn't it Isn't safe for you You come liere here the very first thin thing g In the morning and If It I dont don't answer r your ring ring ring- Claire Just then stirred and w we e thought she was coming to but sh she e relapsed again and Billy BlUy doubled n up P his fists and made a motion toward the front door indicating that If I didn't t answer he would break it in It and t-and and the very first thing g In the morning I 1 dont don't know what wha t else to do and o and I leaned over Claire Clair e anxiously and whispered to myself f ra rather ther than Billy Dilly This is pret pretty ty bad Wheres that ammonia he demanded demanded de do e mantled making a wry face and adding addin g in a whisper Do you suppose sh she e knows Of 0 course not not I retorted Y You Yo u a uI dont don't suppose he was such a fool a ato as asto asto s to tell his own child how we done him l last ast night I Its It's In the kitchen where e w we e left It it Well shell she'll never know from m mand me I and and I 1 hope shell she'll never know fro from m you you admonished Billy rising from his hs a knees and searching my face for th the e assurance I 1 responded with something very like a glare Dilly glare Billy was really realty taking quite a bit on himself Just then then then-I I hope I knew without being told by a aboy boy who went went to school to me what the common common decencies of the case cos e were I But Dut all I said was Please Pleas e get it t A few drops of ot ammonia on the towel towel tow tow- el and she gasped Then she murmured murmured mur mar muted Oh mamma in tragic a accents accents ac ac- N cents and relapsed again I was s about to send Billy to the nearest doc doc- toi tor be he could get in captivity when th the e bell beU rang rang George George wanted to kno know w r when the young lady would be read ready the Uthe the shuffer's snuffers waltin an an hes he's In a hurry Billy who Billy-who who answered the ilie ring snapped out oat Let him wait walt wait Its It's s what hes he's paid for forGo Go down dowa and tell tel 1 him were we're coming coming coming- He ne slammed the door for a moment t forgetting Claire and she started u up P at the noise nollie with her cry Oh mam mom mamma ma I 1 and then seeing me Oh you I I Yes Yes Im Im I'm here I soothed an and d thought she was going ort oft again and am d gave her a good smart swat with the e towel and a good sharp Claire I l lIn In spite of ot our assurances assuranceS' it was a good hour half before she was anything anything any any- thing like all aU right and we got a c co- co a Sr 1 d f i I J. J Y Claire Swooned at My Feet herent account from her and found foun d she only thought something had happened happened hap hap- paned to her mother It was a full all f three-quarters three of an hour before sh she e was ready to leave I was more than minded half to g go o with her and but for monsieur's explicit a ar it note which note which I read again after site r Claire crone to her sen senses senses I I I should shoal d not have let her go off that way eve even a with Billy Dilly though I knew that so fa faras far faras r as devoted perfect cire care went tent hed he'd give e it to 10 her as well as L More acceptably acceptably accepts bly mayhap I 1 II I had a growing uneasiness th that at monsieur's surreptitious return i for or words alone with me marked a chan change ge e eIn in the current of events Had he already already al al- ready discovered without my help that Mrs Delario Delano had the diamonds Had he seen her since I left leCt the house And was he prepared to drop on her with the law Certainly I had already no no- noticed noticed tired he had about him the air of something he be h hadn't the night before when he threw himself on my mercy and implored me to help him Hed He'd shed his pleading attitude attitude- de- de that was how bow I summed him up in my in-my my new impression and when a person does that its it's either because he doesn't care or holds the whip 1 I was bound to see him and find out and Claire and aud Billy went aw away away y together Billy DUly wearing a grim or do trust me expression on his round young face tace connoting appreciation of his grave responsibility When Id I'd seen them off ot In the elevator eleva clot tor and closed my door I smiled I wasn't sorry that Billy was getting a wholesome nearness to the real thing in women alb albeit it a very young one one one- but time would rapidly remedy that difficulty and as for Claire well Claire well Billy Dilly was her first young man and I knew her Ideals wouldn't suffer suffer any any through him lie Ile might be a trine trifle rou rough h and on the fhe outside but he be wre tru true truo l bin luf I IIi I u. u Ii There |