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Show hands. Tears came to her eyes. A sob swelled in her throat. She wept noiselessly. What was the success ol all the noisy merry party to her, when Rand had not come, and she knew not where he was? 1 In her heart she knew that Rand had not reniaiued away of his own volition, vo-lition, that something had kept him against his will. He had pledged her to solemn secrecy in regard to his movements, hut his prolonged absence without word or reassurance terrified her greatly. She sank down Into the window-seat and looked out The tall, gayly lighted pine was hateful, garish to her saddened eyes. Impatiently she pressed the button, and the hillslope was plunged into darkness. "It it's that d d old clubhouse," she said bitterly. "1 have a big notion no-tion to to burn It down." With the passionate words came sudden determination. She could not bear this anxiety, she must know the worst, however bad it be. She would slip into the forest, and reconnoiter. Rand had sternly ordered her to keep entirely out of the woods and away from the Little club, but Gay, In an emergency like this, and goaded by her fears for him, was not one to be balked by obedience. If she found the gang in tne Little club, she would call the police, immediately, have the place raided, and demand Rand of them. In her thoughts, vividly, she saw the slim worn face, the shapely ct-i.,,r,rr h a n H c rf t-lionn njhn hnrl ofvno The silence throbbed. Everybody looked at Alice Andover. She was the administrator, and this was a terrible charge he brought, Alice Andover did not flinch. She turned directly on the Captain. "John Christian Wallace, do you mean to tell me that you dared to take it upon yourself without consulting con-sulting me the natural administrator" administra-tor" The Captain removed his pipe and ambled amiably into the arena, a gentle, gen-tle, dignilied little old figure. Lie put an affectionate hand on Cuddy's arm. His voice was wavering with age and with excitement, but he was not daunted. "Buddy, 1 says to myself, 'Jailbird or no jailbird, he's Auntalmiry's son. He's got a right to know she's gone.' We said plenty of hard things against you, times enough, but uobody ever said that Buddy Bridges didn't love his mom. 'No.' says I, 'he's got a right to know it. So 1 marked the paper, and sent it right off to you. Buddy, in jail or what-not, for I don't hold to them as says " "But, Grauip," he interrupted, for everybody called the Captain Cramp, "Gramp, she was not dead! She was not dead !" "No, hut we thought she was. It said in the paper she was. We didn't know till next (lay, or day after, that she pulled through after all. 'No,' says I. 'he's her son,' and as soon as I read In the paper she was dead, I marked it and mailed it, and " "But, Gramp, my God, when you found out that she wasn't dead , , , . -t j, jgg -j . Ing Joyous call, the door opened, and he stood there, soft hat crushed low on his forehead over the big dark eyes, collar turned up about his chin-tall, chin-tall, thin, and weak, very pale, Buddy Bud-dy Bridges. Santa Claus, with little Auntalmiry still in his arms, turned as the others did. to look at this one who came so unceremoniously Into the party, bis face alone unsmiling, set and grim. He crossed without a wore into the center of the room, walked swagger Ingly, perhaps to hide the fact that he could not stand erect without swaying sway-ing weakly, and stood before Santa Claus. with Auntalmiry In his arms. It was she who moved first, moved vaguely, slipping to the floor, and then, not seeming to walk, seeming to float rather, she was beside him. her eyes riveted to his eyes, haggard and dark-lined, dark-lined, and her ringers crept softly up his coat toward his face, touching the curve of his chin uncertainly. Inquiringly, Inquir-ingly, as though It were by feeling she would be convinced. "Almiry, come away." broke in Alice Andover harshly, but it was pity that hardened her voice. "Come away. He's drunk." "It's Ruddy," Auntalmiry said faintly. faint-ly. "It's Buddy, t is Buddy." "Come away. I tell you; he's drunk." Then suddenly Buddy Bridges laughed. "Drunk," he shouted weakly hut with derision In his voice. "Oh. it's you. Alice Andover, up to your old tricks! Drunk I So that's what you thought. Well. I thought you were crazy, the pair of you, stuffing me up with cognac, locking me in I'm not drunk, mom, I'm sick. They couldn't tell the difference." Ever., eye In the bright, disordered, crowded room was intent upon Buddy Bridges, who held his mother In his arms, and laughed with her, wept with her. and talked to her in a fond weak voice. "Sick as a dog. In the hospital hos-pital weeks. Weak as the dickens. I was in the hospital when they told me you wer' here. I got oul of bed knocked two internes down sick as I was. Came op- here clear from California, mom. Twice I fainted away, and. when I came to, they had me off the train ano in hospital again. But as soon as I got my wind. I beat it again. Came on. Drunk 1 Isn't that like her, mom? I'd know in a minute it was Alice Andover! Tou haven't changed much, mom a little." How his eyes caressw) her! "Twenty-five "Twenty-five years, mom. Not a word from you in twenty-five years. I wouldn't have believed it. mom It was not just like you. Was it because they sent me to the pen. mora?" "The the pen. Buddy? The pen?" "Oh. hush, you fool," begged Alice Andover. "In Jersey. Twenty-five years " "Buddy, you don't mean the penitentiaryBuddy peniten-tiaryBuddy " "Mom, didn't you know it? Didn't you ever know it?" "Buddy" "Mom, you've just forgot. You knew it. You must have known it It was in the papers Is is she all right?" he asked falteringly of all the room. "You must have known it." Alice Andover was tall and fine In her dignity. "Yes. Buddy Bridges, we knew it. We all knew it. But nobody told her. Almiry never knew to this day" "Nobody told her " Alice Andover's dignity was simply killing. "On our island, Mr. Bridges," she said greatly, "we tell one another no news unless it's good news. There was nobody here low-down enough to tell Auntalmiry that her son had gone to jail." "Buddy " Auntalmiry's voice was pleading. "Aw, mom, It wasn't much. A roughhouse, a row over a game. You know I was always quick In a scrap. It wasn't much. But a man was hurt. So they sent me up for it. But. mom, since then, everything fine and dandy No nonsense since. Got a tine woman, got three nice kids, made a ' lot of money Great, mom." And then, suddenly, mercurial man as he had been a mercurial boy. he glowered, glowered with sudden anger around the room. "See here," he demanded sharply, "who sent me that paper-marked paper-marked Portland paperthat told me mom was dead? Twenty-five years ago! One of you sent me a paper that lied.'' Idle e) By ETHEL HUESTOS Copyright 1927 by The Bobbs-Merrill Co. WNU Service CHAPTER XI Continued 15 "Oh, you monster the poor dear trusting heart," she muttered, all in the same breath. Auntalmiry, flushed and rndianl with excitement, was the first to ar rive for the party. She was joyously pleased at the unusual tenderness ot Alice Andover's greeting, and took her all about the room to point out to her with shy pride, how cleverly she had managed things, explaining all the little economies she had used, the ruses to which she had resorted in her desire to make least money go farthest. Alice was sympathetic, so licitous, warmly approving, but kept always one sharp and terrified eye upon Gay, both of them in a pai.ic of fear lest the creature upstairs regain his sober senses and spoil the party for which Auntalmiry bad worked so hard. At Gay's direction, Auntalmiry took up her position by the window, with Alice Andover and Gay on either side, and pressed the electric button which set the solitary pine a-sparkle with colored lights from top to bottom, flashing a brilliant holiday greeting all over that end of the island. "It is the last invitation." she cried, and her thin little voice quavered with excitement. "Come to my party, come to my Christmas party! Everybody Every-body can see it. It will guide them up the hill. How the children will laugh ! It is very nice. Gay." The island trooped to the party in a body, a long stream pouring up the bill through the snow, so that all in a moment it seemed the Lone I'inp was a-surge and a-throb with it. There was much laughter. much shrill squealing, the piercing staccato of children's voices, the high nervous laughter of young girls, and deeper older voices, calling loud and cheery greeting. "If this babel doesn't wake him up. he might as well be dead," whispered Alice Andover. 'Til go and havve a look," said Gay "11 is enough to bring the trees to life." Gay listened outside the bedroom door a moment, hoping to hear the muffled heavy breathing that presaged the sleep of their unwelcome guest. Hut with the din from below she could bear nothing, so she opened the door quickly and stepped in. The' room was wrapped in silence, utter and heavy, and in the darkness she could not distinguish the shadow by the window-seat that was .Buddy Bridges. She pressed the button that flooded the room with light and showed In a flash its emptiness. The rugs lay in a rumpled heap upon the floor, but Buddy Bridges was not there. The window was open. Gay ran over and looked out, but in the shadow of rocks and trees by the house she could distinguish nothing. Her eyes swam giddily. "Such a Christmas," she stain niered. Already with that vividly creative mind of hers she could see him lying on the rocks, a bleeding mangled shape. Auntalmiry's son Suddenly Sud-denly she was afraid to be alone, and ran downstairs. Alice Andnvei awaited her coming at the foot of (he steps. She read fear in Gay's eyes. "What now. good heavens, what now?" "He Is gone. He Is not ..nere." "Gone I Gone where? Gone how?" "Come: Let's look." In the joyous confusion that reigned about the Christmas tree, with Santa Claus noisily distributing the pretty gifts with the burble ot his bells. Hie laughing voices, the crackle o tissue paper, and the treble ol children's voices over all. they went out anno ticed. And with nn electric flashlight, looked beneath the window fur Mir crushed and bleeding-Yes, bleeding-Yes, he had ceir-iinly dropped down Into the bank of snow There were many signs ot tramping, footprints, but the white snow bore no slains of red. And Buddy was noi there The outraged divinity whose patience still Is Infinite had guarded Auntalmiry's boy that nicht. So they went back, with what nonchalance non-chalance they could muster, and joined the merriment within. Bui Gay was sick at heart. Everybody had Here in the Cove She Was at the Mercy of Whoever Might Come Upon Her. that she had nulled through Why, in God's name, didn't you let me know?" The Captain was crestfallen, taken aback. But he rallied, slowly. "Wh-what "Wh-what say?" he asked feebly, hand to his ear. "Why didn't you send me word let me know when you found out that it was a mistake, and she had not died? I never knew. When I got out I headed head-ed west and never came back. Never wanted to come back if mom was gone. Why didn't you let me know?" "God bless my soul," ejaculated the Captain feebly. "Didn't you know she wasn't dead? Just think of that now. His own mother not dead, and he didn't even know it. Dear. dear. Buddy, 1 never thought of it from that day to this. 1 supposed of course a boy would know It if his own mother wasn't dead." When the last tired hut happy voice had sent Its final "Merry Christmas" ringing back across the snow, vcheu Auntalmiry, with Buddy's weak arm about her, bad disappeared beyond the arc of light that underlined the solitary pine. Gay turned back into the bright disordered rooms and closed the door slowly. She was very sad. The brightness of the room in all its gay confusion depressed her. aud she stood, a tired dejected figure in the midst of it. and pressed her burning face into her cold clasped to her on the waves in the Little cove. Almost she saw Rand's face, like that, with the merry eyes closed, the mocking mock-ing lips set hard, swept by salt water. "Oh, no," she cried faintly. Then she sprang to her feet, and pounded hotly up the stairs. She was feverish fever-ish with excitement now, her face flaming, her lips parched, her eyes tingling hot. But her slender, strong hands were like ice. "If they catch me, I do not care," she told herself hotly. "I've got to find him." She could not bear that recurring, evanescent vision of Rand's face on the winter sea. The cold fingers tore her party dress from her, pulled on heavy silk and woolen undergarments, her thickest woolen stockings, stout boots. She donned her warmest blouse beneath the fawn-colored suede wind-breaker, and bloomers beneath her heaviest knickers. The leather cap she pulled down to her ears, oaught up her leather leath-er fur-lined gloves, and then her dark-colored dark-colored slicker enveloped all. "If they see me, they'll think I'm a man," she said sturdily to her stout reflection in the glass, "with this cap, this slicker, these boots." Schooled by the experience of six months on the island, Gay slipped a flashlight into one pocket, and her pistol in the other. She was trembling trem-bling all over. "But I'm not afraid," she said firmly. firm-ly. She pressed the last electric button, but-ton, and the cottage merged into the darkness that covered all the coast. She opened the door gingerly an inch at a time, listening intently. The island was asleep in the darkness. There was no moon ; the stars, n -tote and cold, were pin-points of ice. She did not hesitate. She quite confidently con-fidently believed that she would rather die than endure the suspense of uncertainty. Not daring to use her flash, she made her way through i he snow slowly, from tree to tree, toward the Little club, stumbling often, running run-ning into unsuspected pines, falling over hidden shrubs. But she went on. When she cume at last to the row of trees that circled the clubhouse, she stood for a long moment, as Rand had taught her, flattened against the bark, listening. Neither sound nor sigh from within. "Sealed," she thought, "hermetically sealed." She crept cautiously around the corner, cor-ner, feeling her way inch by inch until she reached the spot where ltaud had taken out the rocks to get under the piazza. It had seemed simple enough as she bad watched him. and (Jay felt she could easily do the same thing, and thus obtain a view of the Interior, perhaps mlirmation. or denial, of het fears. But for all the strength of her young arms, for all the power of her stubborn will, she could not so much as stir the smallest of the ro.'ks, which were now deeply wedged into the fro zen soil, packed solidly, presenting a firm and immovable barricade to en trance under the pla-.za Thus balked, she flopped a moment to consider. Cine tiling was absolute, she would not go home. But she was puzzled as to wise procedure Templed for a moment to fire het pistol into the air. hoping that fear of a raid would draw the gang from ihe shelter of the clubhouse, second thought convinced her It would be sheer foolhanliness. At las! she de elded to go down into the cove, to ex amine the irrent door and look for a liln beneath the window curtains. (Jetting inlo the cove itself was very difficult, for Ihe crevices among ihe rocks were covered with snow nd she was obliged to claw her way along hand over hand, sounding with her feet for standing ground hiran down she slid, from rock to rock, fiom snowy crevice inlo snow crevice, kick ing. holding on with both hands like grim death, down louei mid lower until she attained ihe level tieach of the cove. She moved uariiy now feeling the great helplessness ol her position In Ihe woods she could mi least run for cover. Here in Ihe cove she was at Ihe mercy of whoever mighl come upon her Softly, keeping in the shadow nt Ihe rocky cliiTs. she crept to the clubhouse floor. She ran hei hrrl over the locks care fully, and then sofily turned Ihe knob Well oiled, silently it moved heiiealh her hand. The door to ihe Utile club was open (TO BE CONTINUED.) come to ihe party, the Captain was there, the two ministers were there, even Buddy Bridges had come Inane. But Hand came not. "Well, well." boomed Santa Claus. "well, well! Here's another present for little old Auntalmiry I Aunt ill-miry ill-miry !" Santa Claus, powerful young giant that he was, caught her up bodily into his arms, so that she was quite crushed in t lie shaggy fur of bis big coat. "Auntalmiry, Auntalmiry!" chorused the children gaily. And then, on the wave of that lov- |