Show 1 I y av GITE T T FOR GE 0 5 illustrated ay EAY PAY coo y anz r continued from last week W U rf W W CHAPTER 11 1 I hall laughed and then stood thought tul ful for a few moments smoking airily blowing rings then he took off his dressing gown put on his coat and had turned to bis his camera when flodie came back alere a a desperate old fl rt out there to see ou on mr air bonstelle telle mr doremus doremus 7 hall searched his mem ory what does he look like ille a bill collector no hes he s just nice od man m ith a side whisker effect trimmed with a gold chain in scallops and he stares at you over the top of his glasses hall sighed well nell have him in ill settle him I 1 mr air doremus grave and precise looked about tor for a chair and sat down deliberately he ile searched in the in side pocket of his frock coat as be he said bald pompously H hm in I 1 took the first opportunity to communicate with you mr unluckily how ever 1 I could not riot get you on the tele phone this morning still his hand groped in his pocket like a dog at a woodchuck s hole no hall remarked impatiently I 1 suppose I 1 gasn wasn t up doremus brought forth a long en delope solemnly he spoke looking over the tops of the rubber bows mr I 1 have the bonor honor of being the attorney tor for the estate of dour our uncle the late john beasley Boni A mental thunderbolt struck the room and hall shocked and fright ened could only gasp er Is there any news about the will ill mr doremus 9 here have a cigar doremus looked up and nodded gravel yes the will has been found mr at last he tapped the paper in his hand it was dicov ered this morning at eight twenty seven 0 clock you see I 1 have been prompt sir hall restrained an overwhelming curiosity where did you find it he asked faintly I 1 ah ali curious most curious an ec centric man your uncle mr boni etelle it was found in his in it if will believe me between the leaves of his own book I 1 mean of 0 course the one he ke wrote himself race suicide and how to prevent it I 1 believe it is called I 1 have not yet bad had the pleasure of reading it mr doremus stopped and gave the boung man a steady inspection I 1 understand that ou hill ill be twenty eight upon the fourth of may mr DOni stelle am I 1 correct 7 yes tomorrow why mr air doremus solemnly held up his hand walt wait he be commanded let me before I 1 go through the bhole document read this one cl clause flodie peeping through the t h e door do or mas a as breathlessly listening hall was mas growing white er hee it is mr doremus proceeded to read soberly TI the ie residue of my estate I 1 leave to my beloved nephew hall cutler on con that he Is married before he reaches the age ol 01 twenty eight years oh I 1 knew it well it Us s all up then just my luck luckl it if however at the beginning of his twenty eighth birthday he lie is still unmarried this residue shall be the property of my beloved cousin jonas Hassing bury as a testimony to our youthful friendship mr air doremus looked up hall was scowling lets let s see it he demanded and he took the inspru mei t and read the clause over to him self while mr doremus eyes drifted slowly about the apartment how mich will mill the residuary legatee re ceide hall asked weakly oh upward of four millions I 1 ex pet said mr doremus with unction and I 1 lose all that just because I 1 in a single man mant hall dropped limp and gloomy into a chair mr doremus bowed soberly your uncle held strong views mr air boni stelle he firmly believed in marriage he thought it a duty he ile maintained high ideals for the future of the race oh for heavens sake cried hall I 1 know all about that uncle john talk me to death on the subject 7 why didn dian t he get married himself himsel ft an unfortunate love affair I 1 un der stand prevented his putting his own theories into practice said dore mus I 1 think mind I 1 do not say so positively but it Is possible that had boti ou knowing jou ou understand bla his P pc cudar theories acted accordingly said hall married on the chance of be becoming doming Ms heird bright idea ideal but its too late now lord I 1 itis it is as you say toolate too late practical ly I 1 presume mr doremus remarked but legally I 1 must remind you that the time has not riot yet expired you have until midnight you understand in which to quality qualify tor for the inheritance much has been done in fourteen hours mr fourteen hours hall repeated why fourteen days would be enough time you cant put a like marriage through on a time sched ule you know can you I 1 confess I 1 do not riot know eaid said mr doremus rising hall sat in a brown study regarding his boots as mr air doremus prepared to leave flodde her eyes bright with excitement tiptoed back into the of flee lice mr air doremus deposited t the he paper upon the table well I 1 shall leave you this copy to inspect at your leisure you may not be aware amare that I 1 am a custica of the peace mr air boni stelle I 1 shall be quite willing to ac commodaro comm you should you find a bride I 1 thil k I 1 could perform as cred bitable a ceremony as any clergyman at halt half price he chuckled at the idea hall in no macd for jests rose and bollom followed ed hii bin i where a cousin jonas mr bury he asked lord he ought to be a happy man about now I 1 mr air doremus paused I 1 took the first opportunity of telegraphing to mr Hassing bury he said informing him of the provisions of J B boni stelle s vill v ill I 1 requested his immedi ate appearance in town and I 1 have no doubt that he will arrive here some time during the day think of that old hypocrite getting all that money hall exclaimed lord it makes me ill he 11 be a thou sand times more disgusting than ever with bis his religious bosh bogh and hia his charity alb talk mr doremus lifted an eloquent fin ger As an executor you understand I 1 must preserve an attitude of strict impartiality he admani admonished bed at the aa same e time in n my private capacity cap cichy I 1 confess that I 1 am on the side of you youth th four millions ah one could li ii bulge one a youthful dreams I 1 he ile shook his head sentimentally si la jeu nesse davalt si 81 la viell lesse hall matched him halt half amused say dorema yours you re all right mr air doremus was looking over his der to get a glimpse of flodde hall had an idea I 1 say he suggested why not come around here tonight and we 11 have a m rake ale oter oi er in lost in herl tance I 1 im in giving a small party you know just a few of my clients and an actress or two well mella w ell it might remind me of old times mr doremus offered his hand I 1 think I 1 shall come it may renew my youth ah ali mr you might not believe it but I 1 ve wait ed at the stage door myself in my time I 1 ill bet you have old sport and got away amity with it too said hall laugh ing come along then ill set them on you but meanwhile don t forget that I 1 in a justice of the peace mr doremus gave hall rail a poke in the ribs grinned bowed and went out with a youngish smile at biodle as be he flourished through the office no sooner was the door shut than hal hall DOni stelle exploded well flo ill die its all up I 1 its back to the farm for mine f that just my luck A lively hope had blossomed in flo dies heart she was pale and trepid I 1 couldn coulden t quite hear bear she answered dissembling what was if it four and a half million dollars gone to the devil just by a fluke that s sail all by jove Us its an outrage I 1 t flodie stood twisting her bands ba ud 4 nervously you dont don t mean you re going to let that nodie flodie stopped just in irk time her mind had run away with her lips ob oh mr I 1 mean you don t mean that mean old jonas Hassing bury s going to get that money yes confound him the psalm holler holier than thou old hypo critel four millions flodde think of it good lord it ferocious 7 and if that will had only been found when uncle john died but lord what athe a the use of talking lie ile walked doggedly back into the studio and gave a vicious swing to his camera flodie fisher followed him in then stood looking at him pensively she spoke slowly softly del dd beritely bera tely why don t you go ahead and get the money mr air get the money howa why get married flodde turned suddenly crimson why who in the world would have mea me flodde swallowed down a lump in her throat oh ashe she said I 1 im in sure there theres a borne nice girl rhod be so proud to marry you mr air well rell I 1 dont know how im I 1 m to find her and I 1 ive ve got deuced little time to look why do you realize that 1 ive ve only got till midnight to do the whole thing in ina he ile went up to her and do you imagine that any woman moman would want to be married in that waya oh when you re in love it doesn doean t matter how soon A hurricane wooing eha by jove I 1 wonder he stared at her with a new light in his eyes say you real ly think I 1 could get away with if why I 1 never oh you could do anything mr air I 1 im m certain you fou could do you know of any woman who d have me that quick flodie tried to speak hesitated couldn coulden t 1 I think go so she finally got out then timidly yes I 1 in sure she would mould by jove try it I 1 he exclaimed who Is she flodde almost broke down she crept up to him timidly why why you know mr air banist e ile don dont t you why you must know I 1 it s some one ehe she stopped and swallowed someone you see very often she coulden couldn t look him in the face but stood waiting malting fearfully trembling lord it if I 1 could do it hall went on to himself four pour millions be tore fore midnight he paused gazing at a corner of the ceiling oh by jovel above he ie exclaimed suddenly I 1 know now nom you mean rena royalton why I 1 never thought of her before of course yes that a a tact fact she did call me mall hall the last time I 1 saw her dian didn t she 9 he turned to flodie see here flodie you re clever how the he deuce did 3 ou on know flodde clutched at her heart and bit ler lip ill lo 10 to keep back the tears he ile put it to her direct 1 Is it mrs airs royalton Hoy alton flodie flodde 8 smile was a triumph it had in it a dozen different meanings W L ki yes I 1 m sure she was wonderful in its beautiful benun elation but it took a full minute for her to control herbele and meanwhile she busied herself with the tray yes she managed to say finally and choking she walked rapidly back into the office hall stood and thought it over he ile took out his watch and looked at it anxiously it was already ten 0 clock once he shook his head it was too outrageous then the humor of the at af fair seized him and he laughed harsh I 1 ly Y aloud flodie s v hite face appeared in the doorway what is it ita she cried I 1 ve got it he shouted we me 11 have the wedding tonight the guests are invited already and they cant can t get at the rice how s that won wont t that be great flodie fisher you youve ve saved my life he ile grabbed her and whirled her round in a crazy waltz tin till she broke brok e away in anguish oh mr boni bon stelle she began just have to tell you I 1 can t bear it at that moment there was a sound of the hall door opening what is if hall said anything I 1 can do for youa want to be a brides maid mald or what flodie turned looked and saw oh nothing she put her hand to her head as if it were aching there she Is now she sighed mrs airs hoy roy alton I 1 good tell her be ready in just a minute I 1 hall rushed into the dark room to load his plate holders flodie went ment wearily into the office with a curt good morning mrs roy alton and made a brave attempt to smile CHAPTER ill mrs royalton was plump and flam boyant handsome it if one didn t mind her pop eyes which were brown and brilliant she was a sleek and glossy woman dressed in the extreme of style apparently quite assured of her own charms her motions were pleas antly slow she moved about with a stately swanlike car carriage plage her vocal tones too were slow and smooth j full of a eort sort of sentimental unction vastly condescending always was mrs airs royalton to her interiors inferiors suave and flattering to those she admired she wore more white with a purple hat the matter child been crying haven t you what in the world does a young girl like you have to trouble you oh waiting on customers for one thing flodie tossed her head like a filly mrs airs royalton apparently get the sarcasm i well lwell you don dont t seem to wait on them very much isn t mr air ready for me yet flodie started to reply then changed her mind I 1 don t know she said ill see hall was mas blinking from the dark room loaded plate holders in hand oh mr air flodie whis despairingly you arent aren t going to propose to her are youa oh don t dont please mr air well what s the matter now I 1 thought you wanted me to 6 oh but I 1 dont don t now flodie youre you re crazy dont you worry it 11 be a happy day for 3 iou on little girl when I 1 im in married I 1 ill see that you get a better job than this say where a that other plate holder over on that shelf oh mr air boni stelle you 11 be awfully unhappy I 1 know you will I 1 he stopped unhappy with four millions with a private yacht a country house a villa in italy per haps automobiles a valet by jove I 1 guess not her face was absurdly distorted with pain and anxiety her fists were clenched she summoned her courage for the last despairing stroke oh she paints mr air Donist ellel I 1 she paints her face like a clown you wouldn t hall laughed aloud for heaven s sake Is that what s troubling you now I 1 suppose she s the only woman who does it in all new york well put your mind at rest flodie promise to reform her after m e re mar ried tell her to come in mrs royalton wandered into the studio she began as usual with mith a simper and a smile I 1 dont know that I 1 ought to shake hands with you on next page A 4 continued from pieced ng page IV mr Doni stelle you re a bad bad boy why haven t you been to see me all this long while she filled the place with her dulcet personality hall inspected her sagely as one in aspects a valuable object he is expect ing to purchase seeing her as it were for the first time ills his first re mark lacked conviction oh I 1 ve been busy rena that rena barely saved it busy I 1 oh you re always too busy for poor little me I 1 in sure you 11 take a horrid picture of me and I 1 did so want to get a good one today mrs royalton rattled on taking off her veil and inspecting her hair in the cheval glass she twitted him on his impoliteness she made her big eyes bigger she did the spoiled child kittenishly hall still seemed distrait he ile broke away nervously and went to work it wis his custom to engage his object in conversation permitting her to change position talk drink tea flirt or gesture as she would while she was unaware and before she began to wonder why he d d not begin to have managed the exposure of some dozen plates from one or two of which he was pretty sure to achieve a triumph of art and naturalness but at the mercy of his obsession this method was impossible today hall was too busy making up his mind and could not do two things at once 1 ou re not paying a bit of attention to me she pouted mrs royalton babyish was a picture for a cynic but hall was too engrossed in his own thoughts he ile caught her with an unlit ted finger cried there and slopped in a plate the fact Is I 1 am a bit worried today he confessed just look a bit over that way that s right fine he deftly pressed the bulb she went up to him and patted his arm oh you poor dear man oh oil I 1 wish I 1 could help him out oh no I 1 in afraid you can t help me he said irritably I 1 wish to reaven you could now look up he commanded then he dived under the focusing cloth and emerged to say its partly you that im worrying flout though rena about mea no not mra mrs royalton was delighted yes I 1 am really he went up to her and adjusted her jabot her eyes went off at him like a double shotgun in an elpio |