Show I f. f I The Mystery Road I By E. E PHILLIPS OPPENHEIM by b 7 LIU LIttle Bro Drown A Oo Co I MYRTILE SEES LIFE Burton Dargon a IL young young- country coun try try girl or of t France stands stand byth tb great Cleat white while road at the end of the lane Ian She Is I. I pretty modest modest and and desperate Her Ifer mother la le dead She has been beena a household drudge Now het stepfather has haa picked but out a hue hua mis- mis band for tor her her her-a a man she he loathes She gases up and down the down that stretches out to t the great KURt unknown world That road means meana freedom to her and her and life lite Dare she hee travel It ItT IU Anything seems tema better than what she he must tao fade If It she Ih stays stay A tire the halts halb two young oung Englishmen of wealth and position The Tha distracted distracted dis die girl begs beg th them t n to take her awa from her misery In In a adventure they take her with them to Monte Carlo To 10 they seem like fairy princes prince Anyway they are men of or honor They take the girl as their ward ard And thus thua Mirth bf b. begin grins ln tc to td see Ie life I Thus begins the story of or of The Mystery Road noad The life liCe that Mirth Bees see quickly grows grow ex- ex exciting ex citing The scene leene shifts shifts' from i Mont Carlo to London London- U then to toI to I the countryside coun then to the Russia of ot the Soviets soviet New Near t and striking characters character men and CM women make milk their entrance to f- Ix Love v affairs affair adventure British diplomacy and Russian malevolence t. t lence fence are much In tn evidence The author Why that lat prince prine of tellers storyteller B. B Phillips roe helm who has hall charmed the Eng Eng- vi rJ lIa peoples with no noD 1 lel less tha D ev seventy tr noe ONE BOOK I f l' l F f i Chapter I 1 1 1 i 1 le lI stood upon the crazy veran veran- l. l Ja eta her shaded by her hand gazIng gaz gaz- I Ing d down tn the he straight narrow foot footT path patha a a sundering 8 line across the freshly fleshly pl plowed ed nel field which led to the I village Tillage In the hollow bollow below The mol mol- white stone cottage tr she he had bad Issued was wal set Met In a cleft of ot the hili hills hills' it seemed to i struggle against Its it Inborn ugliness and t td succeed only because of the t beauty of ot Its ate setting In letting In the tho foreground fore tore ground the brown ro 1 earth arth with Its neat ly Iy trained vines vines' and Its quarter of ot an acre of f fragrant traira t violets t the orchard A pink and white with masses of cherry tt blossom blossom- beyond n n a level levet stretch of ot oft t freshly turned brown ea earth rth soon to tobe be- be come me a delicate carpet of t tender gre green green n and by bl the time lime the vines should I sprout prout a sea of deep gold the typical ot the small mall French I e fJ hand band dropped to her side The three were plainly visible slow now She reD remained quiescent WatchIng Watch r lag Ing the them l with a m mute te tragedy In her face lace which to an any one orie Ignorant of the inner significance of this approaching process procession on must have seemed a I little v puzzling For there was Will nothing tragic about Jean Sn of middle middle- t aged a um pC t of t the district with coarsened face tace and weather weather- beaten aten akin or or or about the tile companion who hung bung on phi ann d a plump p pl p dark r woman with blush block cli hair haV and pye eyes vo- vo and fluent yf gesture of a pitched high hed voice und and apparently much tt t td say ImY The third person who r. r walked In the rear seemed even less lessI I likely tc to Incite apprehension lie He was more corpulent than his bis nel neighbor neighbor- Jean r and his hili whole appearance was ri one of discomfort Yet Vet the girls girl's eyes as they rested upon were vere tilled filled t with ter Pr They were were neat nen enough now flow for and ond her stepfather waving his hl hand hund c lIed out to her Ir It Is the Widow Dumay little tittle one and our ours friend and aM neighbor Pierre I Lt who come to drink a u glass of oT of wine us us Hurry ry With the table and some chairs and bring two one on one I two t S 'S of lost years year's vintage They sank Into the tho chairs which t had already J upon the x veranda ll Pierre rr Ia laying Ing his bis v hat upon a n handkerchief ju n a safe cor- cor 1 nor ner He lie kept the little cafe ate In the 11 age af and ants the strip of ot land which went it 11 he let to other Ills pale pule cheeks and flabby limbs hubs told their own story Jean looked l about him hint with t the e. e pride of ot the proprietor Not so 81 bad this little dwelling eh I he be exclaimed Four rooms al all 7 well well furnished a bed such uch as one set set- f l f dam 0 ai sees flee and anti a wardrobe made mude by my 4 fi a own grandfather Jl SarIt the carpenter It pleases S th thee e. e Marie Murle The rhe widow looked around her with a 11 A little sniff iV a SP It might t le e worse she conceded conrell conceded d. d but there ur arc the children Three only replied and end endy y In inn a year or so BO they will all 1111 1 bo ho 0 In the ya fields nelds Think that hut Il may UY wean neon 11 lan We can cun sell lell the timber from the till strip t jk behind and plant more nort vines Children S' S are arp not so hoc had hen they ore are are s i k The little ones ones one are Bre well enough h. I admitted but thy eld- eld r pf est she est she has not the air of Hi tt health They all looked up s' s the girl who t. t was WUI approaching them at this moment t with wine and gla gia a. s She was of medium height height- and aM slim Her filer coin com coin complexion t was WIlS creamily pale pate even the akin kin about her neck slid and arras arms had lit lit- e the tl of th the peasants peasant's brown bro Her lIer neat neat- t l' l Ir Il braided hair yea was of the darkest l 0 1 f oJ w t. t L' L Ir If 11 J L r shade hade of brown with here end and there some ome glints glint of a lighter color Her lIer yes eyes silkily fringed were were of ot a a wonder wonder- tul ful ul shade of ot deep blue her mouth tremulous ane and beautiful ra was somethIng a a little exotic abo about t her appearance appearance ap ap- although no DO actual Ion tion of III health The widow looked at her critically Pierre the Innkeeper with unpleasant un things In his hla black bea beady eyes Pooh l I she Is II well her enough stepfather stepfather step- step father other declared Never a doctor has bas croll roused crossed sed this threshold since her mother dIed lied many years rean ago ago Myrtile after otter she had filled the he g glasses would have slipped back Into I the he house but Jean grasped her by the arm Tonight my child h he Insisted yon must leave your books alone I You Tou must drink a glass of wine with us It Itis Is an occasion this Myrtile le looked from ene one ne to the other of the two visitors She hod had for tor a moment moment moment mo mo- ment the air of ot a trapped animal Madame Madame Ma MJ dame Dumay made a little grimace but ut Pierre Pierro only laughed She w was wall s. s a n nv v i thIs this not like Ike other u I girls Even the young men complained of f her aloofness lie He knew well how bow t to deal dent with such lIuch mo modesty esty Behold her stepfather continued our two best friends t I Here lIere Is good Mada Madame e Dumay A nice little Inc Income income JI JIahe she ahe makes at the shop shop- and a tidy sura I II I In n. n her stocking 4 Oh la In In la I the he widow Interrupted What t has haa th that t to do with thee my friend l I And Md also Jean went too tori without taking heM heed of th the then tion lon the brave Pierre Oh h a gay gay dog dog that I A roan of ot property mark ro rk you pop child chil chilAnd ld And listen d I t Why do you tou think these friends of mine are lire here I I 1 cannot tell Myrtile faltered Madame Dumay will become my mye wife e It Is Ia what we ne need here And edi a t. t 10 t I He Her Feet fee S Seemed Scarcely to Touch the tho Grown Grass Track l Pierre bear hear this little Utile one he one he seeks seeka u a wIfe lI lie he has chosen chosed you Iou I have given my cOlIs consent consent nt had had risen to his feet shrank k back against the wall ull The rhe terror had leaped now Into loto life lire ii a v fiot IU lil not not marry murry Monsieur Lea Les champs she declared The other other other- Is 3 your U it as s for tor me tue I wilt not marry I lJean 1 l Jean Set got leaned leuned ba back k In his bis chair and drank his wine Ills Ws two guests followed ell his Ilo hot I he laughed Come that thatIs Is III good You ou were there always a a ahoy khy child l Pierre shall woo you vou Into a I different humor Ay OAy Indeed r P the Innkeeper assented as 1111 seated leering across at Ih the girl Irl with covetous eyes We shall understand one another presently little one You Vou need have no fear Marriage e Is to n a pleasant thin thing You fou will lad find It so ao like 1111 the others other It la Is an nn Institution to he be toasted Jean d declared filling the he I. glasses and nn glancing amorously towards to to- wards the widow Trouble not about M my lay friend Pierre She Is 18 thine We shall drink this title glass glas of wine to Merriam It will be a festival festi festl val ful that eh Ih Merle Marie slipped through Ih the open doorway Her tier prospective pros Conked alter after her hr for tor a moment and hul hull mae roae Then he looked hark hirk at atHie atthe the Hie e wine flowing Into his Blase Myr tile the would keep wine keep wine by the side of ot TeRn Jean h Ot never nt I He lie resumed hI hi seat fiat In a minute or two t 3 s would WO follow fullow her her- her heras as al soon snob as the second bottle hottle was empty hm Across the stone stone flagged floor out nut through h the little garden and alone t I the e cypress avenue R to the road fled 1 She was like hike a 1 terrified young fawn tawn In the light half her hair 11 fly ly lying lag ing behind her her large lane eyes fled with fear Her lIer feet teet seemed scarcely to touch the Jr grown grass grown s-grown track She Rhe fled as one who vho leaves leavea behind evil nil Only once she looked look over her Ifer shoulder No one was u stirring no one seemed to have thought of nr pursuit She reached the t-t gate wh which ch led out on to the road end and clung dUDi to 0 r r. r I I c d. 1 i It for tor fora i a moment as I though for pro pro- On 00 the other side Ilde was free fre dom dam Her Iter eyes en filled with passionate desire delre If It only she Ibo kne knew how bow to gain laiD It III I 1 They were singing n now w flown lown at atthe atthe atthe the cottage She Bhe heard lean Jean strident voice In some some country song of at harvest and end vintage and what they called love 1010 As she stood there In Inthe Inthe Inthe the quiet of the evening there seemed suddenly to leop life a very furnace fur tur mice nace of revolt She She was wa's was weary of her monotonous tasks the tasks the abuse of ot other her stepfather the care of ot those motherless children n. n not of t Tier LeI own onn wn stock yet ret depe dependent dent upon her the gray tedium of a life lite and hopeless And nO his fresh terror I liar Her fingers tore at the rough splinters of the gate Her lIer eyes tra traveled hungrily hungrily hun hun- along that groat stretch of road rand passing here and there through ugh the forests rIsIng In the far tar distance to the top of ot the brown hillside and and disappearing In mystery At the other end of the road one might find happiness hap hap- happiness ss I t. t r l I Chapter Chap II The Tile two young yonn men adopted charac characteristic attitudes when confronted with the slight lIght misadventure of a a burst jurat tire the and a delay of hilt an hour TOUT our C Christopher Bent Dent deliberately filled and nd lita pipe and seating himself him him- self relf on 61 the tM top of a ton low gray stonewall stone stonewall wall gave gave tt to to the Joy jay j y of a wonderful View end the pleasure of unusual surroundings His com j compan pan pan- lon Ion on Gerald Dombey stood peevishly In n the middle of the road with his bis hands lands In to his pockets cursing the flint flint- strewn road the rottenness of of- all alt motor t tires rea and the evil chance led ed to this mishap In the last lap of their Journey Well be on the road again In twenty minutes your lordship t the 8 chauffeur promised as he be paused for forA A ft moment to wipe the perspiration rom from his hill forehead Ills master ster nodded with some SI signs of ot returning equanimity Dont distress yourself John he said sold Theres no real hurry so long tong longas as we ve get Jet Into Monte Carlo before dark Come on Christopher he hen n added turning to his companion Get Gel oft 01 that and let us explore The two young men strolled off ort to tether Aether Gerald paused to point lethe tc le the little little discolored house of ot Sargon Are th they y real people woo who live I Is b these theBe cottages cottage's I Ji Ie speculated d That place for tut to Instance looks Ilk tike like a R tv tny furni with Its patch of ot violets Its lis Uny vineyard Its belt hel of of plowed land and this little grove of cypresses cypresses it la a Just as as' as though some child b had bad 1 taken the all from box t box ox ant and laid 1014 them put there v Christopher withdrew the pipe from his mc mouth for tor a moment He Jle was vas aa aaI I looking at at the opening p in jho iha little glove grove of of cypresses cypresses And AntS there he murmured roust be the child t to whom they all blon belong I r think yon 0 1 are are Gerali Th There r. r Is so something n unreal aJo about t the place Gerald too too was su suddenly conscious of at the girl who stood clutching th the th top of ot the wooden gate her her- fare facer turned tur a little away awny from them absorbed absorbed ab ab- ab- ab In n the contemplation etl efi that distant spot where the road vanished l hi In a faint taint haze hate of bl blue le mist oWe Ve tt a u will talk to her he declared You you shall 1 practice your you your French Drench this little rustic Chris She pub p ably wont won't be able to to- understand a I awon word won you sav At the sound Found of ot their v voices turned her brail haul and at nt the t thing which they saw faw In tn her fare titre there was no longer nn any thought of frivol frivolous ous flue conversation cnn on the part of It the two young n non ni-n. tn The They stood atom for tor e mOlI moment nt In Indeed speechless Chiler Chi Is- Is top r spellbound Gerald of quicker quiche I f lillY carried fur for a moment Inti Inti In In- ti tl e a world worl front from which hl ll she seemed scented t to cave fallen rollEn Then his old themselves Sh She was ns at u as an angel I. but her feet teet were on the ground round and she was obviously ob ob- In distress Are re you IOU all alive 1 eller h ht he asked raising raisin his hll rap cap But ut certainly monsieur she an nn answered gravely I am alive Lut very verj er unhappy You can tell tin till perhaps the way wa to Cannes Canne Christopher her Inquired She pointed to where the tile thin ribbon rib ribbon bon hon of road In the distance seem scented d t tt h melt Int Into the bosom of the clouds Cannes Is le over o there monsieur she said 1111 and ond there It le no other rone road rond save this one You 1 ou go 0 there often otten perhaps Christopher ventured d A damsel In and two romantic and adventurous young men How can the they s save va vo her herT horT I I TO 10 BE DG CONTINUED |