Show w fi ZOt i-ZOt E A C Th ir 1 BY I VANCE VANCE- t L CHAPTER XVI Continued 19 19 I 1 am nin nil right fight Im I'm resting dear and thinking Dont Don't fret about me When I feel able I will come down downtO tO yOU ou As you will lie he assented unspeakably unspeakably ably relieved and returned to the kitchen Sunset Interrupted his thoughts sun sunset et and his wife Sounds of ot someone moving quietly round the kitchen a n soft clash of dishes the tho rattling of the grate drew him back to the door She showed him a n race face of calm cairn restraint restraint restraint re re- re- re and Implacable resolve Hugh Hugh her her voice had found a new sweet level of gentleness and strength I I Just wanted to tell you ou how sorry forry I am Ive I've let you go without your inn lunch ch Well VeIl he admitted with witha a short laugh Im famished 1 She paused regarding him with her Indulgent smile You strange creature 1 she said softly Are you angry with me me Impatient Impatient for this too facile descent from flom heroics to the commonplace Be patient with me dear But alarmed by his Ws expression her words stumbled had and ran out She stepped back a n pace a little flushed and ind tremulous Hugh I No Hugh no Dont be afraid of me lie he said turning away awny I dont don't mean menn to bother Only at nt at times times times- I 1 know dear but It must not be bc Shall you make a fire again tonIght tonight to to- night she asked when they had concluded concluded con con- eluded the meal In three places he said Well not stay another day for want of letting letting letting let let- ting people know were we're here Ill I'll go now When you are ready rendy- I 1 1 shant shan't be long she said When hen it was quite dark WhItaker brought a lantern to the door and called her and they went forth to to- gether As he had promised he be had built I up tip three towering pyres widely apart When nIl all three were in full roaring flame their illumination was hot and v slowing glowing over all the upland It teemed seemed d Impossible that the world should not now become cognizant of their distress A At some distance to the north of the greatest fire fire that that nearest the house farm they house they sat as on the previous GUS ous night looking out over the black end and unresponsive waters communing In undertones In that hour they learned much of one ne another much that had seemed strange and questionable assumed Ine In Inthe inthe the e unde understanding of each the C Cum Cum- m- m of the normal and right Whit Whit- Eker spoke at length and in much detail de de- tall tail of his Willful Missing years rears without wIthout without with- with out seeking to excuse the wrong mind e ed Ca reasoning which had won him his own consent to live under the mask of death He told of the motives that had bad prompted his return of all that had happened since In which she had had no 1 part part with with a single reserva reserva- tion One thing he kept back the time for that was not yet A listener in a his turn he heard the history of ot the little girl of th the Commercial CommercIal Com Corn mercial House breaking her heart against the hardness of life In what at first seemed utterly futile endeavor to live e by her own efforts asking nothing more of the man who hid had given her his name He le learned of the coming of Max Mar his interest in her the Indefatigable pains he had expended coaching herto herto her herto to bring out the latent ability his own genius divined of the Initial performance perform perform- ance of Joan Thursday before a meager and Indifferent audience her Instant triumph and subsequent conquest conquest conquest con con- quest of the country in half a dozen widely dissimilar roles finally of her decision to leave the stage when she married for reasons comprehensible le demanding neither exposition nor de de- de- de fence It doesn't matter any longer she commented concluding I uI loved and andI I i hated It It was deadly and It was glorious But Dut It no longer matters It Is finished Sara Law is no more You mean never nevel- to go back to the stage Never r ever And yet yet yet- he mused craftily Never She fell blindly Into his trap I promised myself long ago that If ever over I became a n wife wife wife- But nut you rou are no wife he countered Dear you are cruel to me I II II II I think Its It's you who would be bo cruel to yourself dear heart I think she announced wed better better better bet bet- ter go In She rose without assistance moved away awny toward the tile house paused and returned Hugh she said gently with a In her voice that wounded his conceit In himself for he was sure I It 11 spelled laughter at his expense and well merited well Hugh you big sulky boy I get et up this Instant and come I Id d I C back to the house with me You know Im I'm timid Arent Aren't you ashamed of yourself I suppose so he grumbled rising I presume its it's childish to want tho the moon moon and and sulk when you find you cant can't have It Or a n star He made no reply but his his very silence was eloquent They entered the kitchen have to be done If the they wont won't help us well we'll have to help ourselves Hugh HugIll I There was alarm In her tone He looked looke up quickly Hugh what are you thinking of oU Oh Oh nothing But Ive I've got to think of something She came nearer Intuitively alarmed and pleading Hugh you wouldn't leave me here alone Dont be afraid he ho said evasively Ill be here as here as always when always when you wake up She disappeared the light of her lamp faded flickering n the draught of ot the hall hail stencilled he the wall with its evanescent caricature of the balustrade balustrade bal bat and was no longer visible Hugh l I her voice rang from the I upper floor He started violently out of deep abstraction abstraction abstraction ab ab- ab- ab and replied inquiringly You wont won't forget to lock the Ole door He swore violently beneath his breath controlled his temp temper r and responded responded re re- re- re pleasantly Certain Certainly y not I I Then he shut the outside door with witha a convincing bang If uIt this be marriage I He smiled his twisted smile Leaving the kitchen light turned low he went to his own room and as on the previous nIght threw himself himself him him- self upon the bed without undressing but this time with no thought of sleep Indeed he had no expectation of clos cbs closing closing ing his eyes In slumber before the next night at nt the earliest he had hadI no intention other than to attempt to swim to the nearest land An hour dragged out Its weary wenry length and the half hulf of another He rose with Infinite precaution against making any noise Slowly on tiptoes stole toward the door out into the hall took tooka a single step on toward the kitchen and then piercing suddenly the absolute absolute lute stillness ness within the house a aboard aboard aboard board squealed like an animal beneath beneath beneath be be- neath his tread trend In an instant he heard the thud and patter of her footsteps above her loud quickened breathing as she leaned over o the balustrade looking down and her cry of dismay Hugh I r Hugh ic He halted saying in an even voice Yes it is I. I She had always seen him there was no use trying to get getaway getaway getaway away without her knowledge knowledg now besides besides besides be be- sides he was no thief sneak-thief to fly from froma a cry He lie burned with resentment I Impatience and indignation but he waited stolidly enough while the woman flew down the stairs to his side Hugh she demanded white faced and trembling what Is the matter Where are arc you going He moved his shoulders uneasily forcing a short laugh I daresay youve you've guessed It Undoubtedly you have Else why why why- He fl didn't finish save sav by a gesture of resignation You mean you were going going going-going going to try to swim swim- to the mainland I meant to try it he lie confessed I It should hould have known I she declared declared de de- de- de dared passionately I wis was asleep but butI I knew the instant nt you stirred It lilt must be done he muttered Please But it must not be done Hugh Her voice ascended I I I cant can't let you I wont won't let you You It'll ItH be your death death you'll you'll drown I shall have let you go to your death death- Oh now really really- he protested But Hugh I 1 know It I I 1 feel It here A hand strayed to rest fluttering fluttering flut flut- above her heart henrt If I 1 should let you go Oh my dear one dont don't dont don't go l 1 Mary he began hoarsely I uI tell you you you- Youre only going Hugh because because I 1 love you so I 1 I am nm afraid to let you love me mo That's true Isn't It Hugh Its It's its it's true lie He mumbled an nn almost Inaudible avowal of his Intention Hugh youre you're killing me I If It you love me me- He gave a gesture of ot d despair and capitulation Ive done doue my best Mary I meant to do the right thing I 1 I Hugh you mean you ou wont won't go Joy roy fro from a surcharged heart rang vi vibrant vi- vi brant brunt In every syllable uttered In that marvelous voice But now he lie dared meet icet her eyes Yes he lie said I III wont won't go go- go nodding with an nn apologetic shadow of his twisted smile I cant can't If It i t it It distresses you Oh m my dear my dear I 1 LIp T r. r 4 I Whitaker started staggered with amaze and the burden of or his wife wIte In his arms Her IIer own arras arm clipped him close Her fragrant tear-gemmed tear face brushed his He De knew at nt last the tho warmth of her sweet mouth the dear I madness of that first caress Then through the magical hush of that time when the world stood still the thin clear vibrations of a distant han hall oy Aho I 1 In his embrace his wife wIte stiffened and lifted her head bead to listen like Ute o II startled fawn Listen 1 He held up his hand band This time it rang out more near and most unmistakable AllOY Ahoy I The house ahoy I With the frenzied leap of a madman I Whitaker flung out Into the dim silvery silvery sil all very witchery of the night He stood staring while the girl stole to his side and caught his bis arm Ho passed it round her lifted the other hand dumbly pointed toward the northern beach For the tIle moment he could not trust himself to speak In the sweep of the anchorage a n small white yacht hovered ghostlike On the beach Itself a small boat was drawn up A A figure In white waited near it Rising over the brow of the uplands moved two other figurea figures figures fig fig- ures urea in white and one In darker clothing clothIng clothIng cloth- cloth Ing the latter leading lending the way at nt a rapid pace As they drew together the leader of the landing party checked his pace and called Hello there I Who are you What's the meaning of your fires fires fires- Mechanically Whitakers Whitaker's lips uttered uttered ut ut- Uttered the beginning of the response Shipwrecked signaling Shipwrecked signaling for help help help- 1 the voice of the other Interrupted with a Jubilant shout Thank God weve we've found you ou I Tf It wn was Ember CHAPTER I i i Disappearance Seldom perhaps has a habitation been so unceremoniously vacated as ns was the solitary farmhouse on that Isolated Island Whitaker delayed only long enough to place a bill borrowed borrowed borrowed bor bor- bor- bor rowed from Ember on the kitchen table In payment for tor what provIsions provisions provisions provi provI- they had consumed and to extinguish extinguish extinguish ex ex- ex- ex the lamps and shut the door Ten len minutes later Inter ne he occupied a chair beneath an nn awning on the afterdeck afterdeck after deck of the yacht and with a blessed I cigar fuming in the grip of his teeth stared back to where their rock of refuge ref uge was swiftly blending Into a small dark blur upon the face of the tho waters Ember he demanded querulously what the tEe devil Is that place You didn't know Ember asked amused It is No Mans Man's Land Im strong for Its sponsors In bap bap- And the other other- lI Marthas Vineyard That's Gay head the head the headland with the light lIght- house Off to the north of It the tho Elizabeth Islands If were we're lucky well we'll be at anchor off ore East Twenty- Twenty fourth street by nine o'clock tomorrow morning Any kick coming Not for me You might better consult con con- sult my suit my wife said Whitaker with an nn embarrassed laugh Look here Ive I've told you ou how things were with us In brief but Im I'm hanged If youve you've disgorged disgorged disgorged dis dis- dis- dis gorged a single word of explanation as to how you came carne to let Drummond slip through your fingers to say nothIng nothIng nothing noth noth- ing of how ho you manag managed d to find us He uHe didn't slip through my fingers Ember retorted He launched a young earthquake at my devoted head and A the oust dust settled i came to some time later with a gag in my mouth handcuffs on my wrists behind my back and rope round round- my legs Midnight the following night the owner happened along and let me loose It was easy enough to surmise Drummond had some pal or other working with him I him I was was ted from behind while Drummond was walking ahead And two men had worked in the of Mrs Whitaker So I went sleuthing traced you ou as far as ds Sag Harbor There I 1 lost you you and and there I 1 borrowed this outfit from a friend an time old-time client I of mine We Ve kept cruising looking up unlikely places And at nt that we were on the point of throwing up the sponge when I picked up a schooner that reported reported re re- re- re ported signal fires on No Mans Man's Land I I think that clears everything I up Yes said Whitaker sleepily And so strong was his need of sleep that it was not until ten o'clock the following morning when the yacht lay layat layat layat at her mooring in the East river that Ember succeeded In rousing him by main I strength and good His wife had gone ashore an hour ago after refusing to listen to a suggestion suggestion suggestion sug sug- that Whitaker be disturbed The note Ember handed him was brief but but- butin In sight adequate adequate ade nde- quate and compensating Dearest Boy Doy I wont won't let them wake you but I must run away Its It's early and I must do some mine shopping before people aro arc about My house hero Is closed Mrs Is In Maine Maino with tho the only keys kc's aside from those at ft Great West Bay Day and Im I'm a n. positive fright In a n. coat and skirt skirl borrowed from the tho stewardess I donl dont want even eyen you to see me inc until Im I'm decent ly dressed I shall put up at the Val Waldorf orf come there tonight and we will vIll dine to to- to gether sether Every fiber of ot my being loves you MARY MART Whitaker took a ser serene ne and shining face to the breakfast in the saloon under the eyes of Ember Toward noon they parted patted ashore each taking a taxicab to his lodgings The u under understanding der- der standing was that they were to dine together together nil all three Whitaker promising promis ing for his wife upon the morrow TO BE BB CONTINUED D. 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