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Show - j- THE STORY SO FAR: Larry Cutter starUed pretty Jacqueline (Jack) Anthony, An-thony, public stenographer at the Hotel Raynear, by telling her she could real. Ize her globe-trotting ambitions by marrying mar-rying him. Before their marriage, they 41 INSTALLMENT FIFTEEN signed a contract providing that Jacqueline Jacque-line may continue her present mode of living for six months, after which she could tear up the contract. When her father, Vince Anthony, became 111, Larry Lar-ry Invited him into the country to Uve. After a month's absence, Vince returned to the city and told Jacqueline he was meeting Larry that night. Fearful of her father's safety, she was anxious to learn more about their plans. Now continue with the story. "I guess I'll be trotting along, Skipper," Vince told his daughter. "Not yet. It's not eleven. I want to know something . . ." "Well?" "Where are you and Larry going?" go-ing?" "Why, back to the farm ... as far as I know." "Direct?" "Why . . . You're getting sort of 'curious, aren't you, Skipper?" "Yes, I am, Vince," she said earnestly. ear-nestly. "But I have a reason. Won't you please tell me just what you're going to do tonight?" "Sure! But I don't know. Larry asked me to meet him. Said he was going . . ." "Where?" "I don't know." Vince's voice took on a stubborn tone. "After all, that's Larry's business. I'm only taking orders." Jacqueline was thinking fast now. Vince had shown his hand, in a way. He knew more about what was afoot than he was admitting; that, or he was following Larry In a blind fash-Ion. fash-Ion. "Taking orders." That didn't quite sound like Vince, easy-going as he was always. All the old fears came trooping back. There was still some reason to believe that Larry was doing some things without the law, or intended to. "Don't worry, dear. I'll be perfectly per-fectly all right," Jacqueline assured him when she was ready to leave. "There are some books over there in the case. Cigarettes in the desk. Please stay until I come in . . . even if It's late." "I still don't like . . ." "Nonsense!" She tried to laugh. The excitement of the night's adventure ad-venture was making itself felt, buoying buoy-ing her up. "Can't a woman go out and find her husband without stirring stir-ring up such a fuss?" 1 Vince only stared at her as she opened the door and blew him a parting kiss. He was beyond words Jacqueline tried to observe her driver's face In the gloom when she told him to drive her to Hayner's roadhouse. He accepted his directions direc-tions without evincing surprise that a lady should be going to such a place at midnight. In the semi-darkness of her retreat, re-treat, she tried to ponder the situation situa-tion calmly. All that really mattered tonight was to save Vince from any untoward unto-ward complications. It was her place now to shoulder any fresh difficulties dif-ficulties arising from her association associa-tion with Larry. It did not occur to her to wonder, or care, what his reaction to all this would be. If he still wished to preserve his air of reticence about his doings, it was his own affair. But he was "I was expecting him to meet me here tonight" "I know. I wouldn't let him come." "So?" "Yes. I don't think I care to discuss dis-cuss it here, Larry. I think it would be better if we were to go to Vince and all talk it over together. I told him . . . about us. I had to ... to keep him from coming." "I see." Larry's gaze and voice were leveL Quiet "Would you like to take me home now?" "I'm sorry, Jack. I can't do that I have something I must attend to and . . . frankly, I don't care to be seen in . . . where I might be recognized." rec-ognized." "I thought so," she answered coldly. cold-ly. "But you were perfectly willing to take Vince into . . . wherever you're going." "Yes and no. I'll be glad to get a cab for you." "Larry . . ." Jacqueline's eyes suddenly were beseeching. "I don't know what it's all about But I'm afraid. Please . . . don't go! I've tried not to ask questions. I don't want to interfere . . . .really I don't. But there's something wrong. I feel it!" The expression of Larry's face did not change. "Nothing to be tragic about, my dear. Come on and stroll out to the Larry was marking time, waiting for any suspicion to die down before be-fore he . . . did what? Perhaps this was the night he had been waiting for. And he was taking the unsuspecting un-suspecting Vince into it with him. Vince was all she had. She must risk anything and everything to keep him out of trouble. She would! Cost what it might! Vince settled into deep silence for a moment. He was deep in thought. When he roused himself, it was to declare, "I've got to see Larry right away." "You can't, Vince!" "Why?" "Because I won't let you. You don't know what you're running into and I tell you I won't let you go! You can't! You're all I've got now ..." "There, there. You mustn't get ex- car with me. We'll try to straighten things out. But not in here, if you don't mind. I'll be with you as soon as I pay my check." The roadster stood in deep shadows, shad-ows, with no other cars near it. Larry Lar-ry helped Jacqueline in, then seated himself beside her. "Jack, I wish I could tell you what it's all about . . . But there's too much at stake. I've waited too long to have anything slip now." You're all wrong in thinking that I was planning to let Vince in for anything. any-thing. I thought I might need his services as a driver, that's all." "Larry . . . you're going out to your old home, aren't you?" "Yes." "And you wanted Vince to bring your car back, in case . . ." "There's no use in trying to hide anyjjjng from you, I see. I thought I might 'want him to do an errand for me at Rannie's house." "So that Mr. Hicks would know something had happened to you." "Perhaps. But nothing is going to happen to me. Now will you let me take you part way home . . . put you into a cab?" "No." Jacqueline was thinking rapidly. There was a clutch of fear at her heart . . . remembering that man they saw guarding Fairlawn. She suddenly realized that she was thinking of Larry in much the same terms as she had thought of Vince. It was not the matter of wrongdoing. wrong-doing. But danger. The danger had taken a very definite shape now. Her mouth was dry. She had to moisten her lips before she could speak. "Larry!" "Yes, Jack?" cited. And I've got to go. I'll be late, first thing I know. You go to sleep and forget it." He picked up his hat. With a spring, Jacqueline was out of her chair. She placed her back against the door leading to the hall. Her face was pale, but determined. Her dark eyes wide, dry. "Vince, you're not going to meet T.arrv Pnttpr!" "Who's going to stop me?" There was a brittle edge to his voice. "I am. I have the right to!" "Right?" He stared at her won-deringly. won-deringly. "What right?" "I . . . I'm Larry's . . . wife!" The news that his daughter was married to Larry Cutter seemed to almost stun Vincent Anthony. . "You . . . you're married ... to Larry . . .?" he managed at length. "Yes, Vince." "Why? I mean, when?" "I'm going with you," she repeated stubbornly. not going to drag Vince into any fresh difficulties. All these reflections were still in a chaotic muddle when the cab came to a sudden standstill. "Hayner's, ma'am." The driver reached back and opened the door. Jacqueline alighted in some trepidation trepi-dation and looked about her. The roadhouse stood apart from other buildings. Fortunately, it was "We haven't time to talk about that part of it." "But if you're his wife . . ." Vince's brain seemed to be functioning func-tioning again. "If you're his wife, why don't you know . . . everything?" every-thing?" "Because r promised I wouldn't ask. And he's been unwilling to tell. At first, I didn't think it mattered much. That it wouldn't hurt anybody any-body but me. But when you came back . . ." "Then you and Larry have never lived together, have you?" "No. I'll tell you all about it brightly lighted and had an air of quiet respectability. "Please wait here just a moment," mo-ment," Jacqueline said. "I am looking look-ing for a friend. If . . . they are not here, I may wish to go back at once." "Okay, ma'am." Unpleasant visions of entering a barroom or something of that sort assailed Jacqueline as she walked quickly up the gravel path and stepped on the porch. Drawing a deep breath, she pushed the door open and peered in. There were very few guests at "I'm going with you." Larry Cutter would have given a great deal to read the expression in his wife's eyes when she made that little announcement. He sat in silence for a moment, then said slowly: "It's no good, Jack. You figure that if you stick with me I won'1 go. Of course I can't put you oul of the car . . . unless I have to, But I have to see this through to night." "I'm going with you," she repeat aH ctnhhnmlv. when we have time. iNODoay Knows anything about it." "And him telling me he was in love with you . . ." Vince murmured mur-mured helplessly. "I don't get it." Jacqueline had herself in hand now. "You'll have to let me straighten this out, Vince. I told you I had the right. Now, you know I have. I'm going to meet Larry tonight and have an understanding. I will not let you take the risk of getting into any trouble ... or hurt Where vill I find him?" "See here, Skipper. Larry won't like it. He's depending on me. You know, I can drive his car and . . .." "He can drive bis own car tonight," to-night," Jacqueline said calmly. "But what's he going to say?" "I will see him and talk to him. You won't have to. I would rather you stayed here until I came back. I want to talk to him alone." "But, Skipper, you can't go there alone. It's out on the edge of town. I'll have to go with you." "Never mind. I'm used to going about alone. I'll take a taxi at the corner and ask the driver to wait tor sie ... at least until I know everything is all right." She crossed to the desk and came back with pencil pen-cil and a bit of paper. "Write the aadress so there won't be any mistake." mis-take." Vince scribbled it with a sigh. He still was feeling the effect of Jacqueline's Jacque-line's astounding news, felt baffled and helpless. He scarcely knew his Skipper tonight the small tables with their red and white cloths. And there was Larry . . . only a short distance away. A half finished stein of beer was in front of him. He was smoking his pipe and idly marking the back of a menu with a pencil stub. As Jacqueline Jac-queline stepped inside the door, he glanced up and saw her. Pushing back his chair so suddenly sudden-ly that he almost overturned it Larry Lar-ry came striding to meet her. "Jack . . . !" he exclaimed in a low tone. "Where did you come from?" "I'd like to speak to you a few minutes, Larry," she told him composedly com-posedly enough. "Of course! How did you get here? Won't you sit down with me ... the place is perfectly all right," seeing her glance about questioningly. "I came in a cab. It's out front" "That's all right My car is parked behind the house. Wait here a second and I'll tell your man he needn't wait I'll see that you get home safely." For the sake of appearances, Jacqueline Jac-queline seated herself at Larry's table. ta-ble. When Larry returned, he seated himself and asked, "May I order something for you?" "No, thank you. I'd rather not stay." "Where's Vince?" was his next quick question. "Nothing has happened hap-pened to him, has there?" "No. Vince i all right" "Then I'll have to tell you why you can't, my dear. You've guessed right. I'm going out to Fairlawn and I'm going into that house. There is something there I must try to find." "Does it belong to you, Larry?" "That's a question. It may not even be in existence. But I owe it to someone to take the chance. To a man who's been dead a good many years." "Oh . . . you mean your father." "Yes," was the grim reply. "I aim to square an old account for him tonight. I never had the chance before, but I've been waiting a long time. Just waiting until I had enough of a stake to take care of . . . eventualities." "But, Larry, wouldn't the man who owns the house now let you look for what you want? If you explained it was your father's?" A grim laugh was her answer. "You're slipping. Jack. Didn't you see that fence? And the gentlemaD prowling around?" "Then you can't possibly get in there, Larry. You might get . . . hurt!" "I'm not worrying over that my dear. It will be more serious if I'm caught. I'll be sent up for trespass, tres-pass, burglary and whatnot Unless Un-less my pocketbook is long enough to drag it out in the courts. If 1 can lay hands on what I want . . Well, I won't have to bother abou that" (TO BE CONTMUEDJ |