Show h ir 00 LJ din ma R by E L IZA BE TH JORDAN 0 by the th conjury COMPlin if t STORY FROM THE START lauffe devon a gay cay young chap somewhat inclined to wildness time has recently succeeded UH am ft a playwright ills his wealthy ili him ter barbara who linn anh helped him bilm I 1 to 0 uc ceel nd has junt been married and to IB colang to japan leaving lauris on liln own and annes his theatrical partners have promised barbara 0 to o keep on an eye on thoy a scolia old him cpr hlf his laziness of late and lift he retorts that tie adventure from his hl wf window idov lit in now new york lie he seem mea tho reflection of a beautiful girl in it mirror in the houie opposite prom from the elevator boy lit in the garim house lauffe learah trip girla name la is mayo again in ili the mirrors reflection lie sees bees tier with a re volar and fears site ahe means to commit suicide ito rushes into antu her atar apartment tint lit and winning tier lier confidence induces tier her to lunch with him though she aho warns him of lanker danger at lunch rna mile admits there la in A mystery in tier her life CHAPTER IV continued 7 that wont do 1011 loll I 1 lie declared the phe lid la Is off just admitted it you yon feel fed botter better for having it orr on sn sit to do 1 I As your big brother and solf self counselor 1 I I 1 tills is opportunity port unity to tell you what you youre re going to do she pursed her lips sit at him bim it avas tile the gesture of a rebella us iivo entire manner lind changed so RO suddenly that laurie felt a bewilderment till equal to ills his satisfaction in it vor the first fline throughout the in fit if lip experienced tile lie thrill slie site hall given hill in the mirror keib s site bhe prompted prompt pd in ahe alie or isert place lie ite th tha ground that stretched between went them now was inner firmer hut but still uncertain one false step might lose inch of what lie he lind hill rained gained theres the question ot of your future tie lie wont went on in a brisk matter of fact tone 1 I spent two month lust last year looking oldriK Ip for n jot job in ill now new york I 1 wits about down to my last cent before I 1 found it it occurred to me that perhaps you ilu do was beginning to flounder that chilt I 1 tim hm out of work she aslie tin till dished cri calmly linly you are right laurie beamed at tier her surely tits his wily way clear bowl now 1 I hall li id a streak bart ak of luck last year lie he resumed 1 I collaborate don a play that people were foolish enough to like nver since effice thit that money has poured in on mo me tit in the most way I 1 clink when I 1 walk dollars ooze from my pockets when I 1 make a gesture Ks tur lust last week tit nt tile bank tile cashier begged lieff ged tire roe to trilb some of iny money away rind end do something with vitt it ile ho said it was vw burdening the institution so ni as your adopted brother 4 r im fit going to start rl s bank banic account for you lie he pride ended simply indeed leed you fire are not indeed I 1 ami 1 I to live I 1 did not agree to la 19 it you americans gayy to sp sponge ongel I 1 ile he ignored fill all hut but the phrase of the reply rr ply what mint to do you mea ikenn it by that he demanded with r ilcken pil in interest i arent you an all american Amerl cuu slit slip bit tier her lip no N IN o not wholly I 1 what mint then she hesitated 1 I cant tell you that ju just at yet she mild at last oli oh lil lanele pursed his fits ups lips lit in A noiseless whistle the girls voice wits was anti though hc her was that ot of london up till now r she he had spoken na as colloquially as anny american ind indeed ed tier her speech was much like tits his sisters lie ile was 7 1 ed why you tell tire me tills this be bc alro jore fl ro that I 1 rim am not wholly american t HIP lip was smiling tit nt him ironically but Is I s remained serious yes and oh a lot of thing sil of cn clire ire you know I 1 arn am all at sett sea about you the familiar shadow fell over tier her fe when whan one Is within an hour or two nf the next world she asked indifferently why should one tell anybody ilow how long have you been in atar 1 I var all my illy life off und on oil rig as least was wan reassuring lip ile tie he saw a kaledin alehin of light tin the girl carl had bad declared that she wits was ilot a j spy nor involved in war kropa einda hut but it was quite possible tie hp ironed lint int she was crime enmeshed sheI in nimitz little web of politics of vast am in I i i tance to her arid her group of very 1 ailitto importance to any one else 1 11 I suppose lie he suggested ested ly that net youve said so BO much idiom Is a political net tiley they had biad been speaking throughout in low tones inaudible at any acher eithle their lipar pst fellow diners wre wore two middle aged women ot fit least thirty feet nw but title atie started vin loly under his words worda site she malc a aimi anict gesture of caution tint and turning anif around swept the room with a firl glance laurie Ia urle tits his den elf relf r in lits ingco tier curiously taking lit in tier evident tr trillion wilon tier slowly returning poise and ut tit last the little breath of relief with which w slit turned back to hlin 1 I wish I 1 could tell dl you till ill you want to know site fuld buti aunt ehnts nil fi 1 l there la 14 to it so sf please lot id us change clin nire tie lie vis urance returned youre riot hot a crown fiend or tin nn e PI 4 called princes or of that kind tire you lie he hiked politely poll tely tills this ahne she KI bently it fion low ciagle of laughter loyons joyous kind c no then lets get heick to our bank account we lieve plenty of glnn it i rt run in over ovar to tit alic fifth branch cli of ill alic forn corn I 1 linnra hani il prore ili the doi lri hour what color of elleck look book to do you 1 I told you alie lared with still and den inci that hint my iny bur bar grilii galil lid did riot not Illic ludo sponging for tilt the first dine in tho tip taxing interview imir glicr rood good humor deserted bilm my mv ilear girl tie be suld said almost impatiently patiently dont hoat heat the dall mound around tile bush I 1 youve youn got to live till wr wel can inythe Ind the right work for and inny take some konie time u have intelligence enough to sen that ini im neither n gily gay Lol Lot harlo barlo nor it doit doii junn in your arf present sent state of r libil youre not tit it to decide anything up till your mend for till nil that jin in going to decide for you it will save us both some trouble iio stopped TIP lie ind bad discovered that slip she was riot not listening to him sli was sitting absolutely still her bead a little turned ifer her lips were slightly parted and tin tier her eyes wide and artar ing in were lived fixed on some goine one across acro ohp room laurales Ln La urles eyes ejea follow followed hers they focused on a man sitting alinne nt a little table it was clear that tant lie hall just entered for a walter waiter stood hy by tits and the newcomer wits gavini judicious attention to to the bill of fare lie ile was a n person of medium liel slit fetid rather moro mon than medium stoutness carelessly dressed in a altie ills tit ln difference to dresh wits furth 0 r asp tsp betrayed by the lie filet that lint fit his rendy ninde four in hand annd tie tic hall had slipped the mooring of a white borke bonc stud leaving that useful adjunct of the toilet open to tile the yet eyes of tile world n bild ills face will was round smooth shaven find rather pale ile he had dark slightly yelled veiled gany eyes which blinked noar near sight edly nt at the he menu altogether lie wag a seemingly worthy person tr to whom tilt casual observer would hardly have glen ian n second glance white the two of nt eyes neross the room stared nt at him film lie he confided lili ills order it to tit alie waiter rafter it rt it brief order for lip brow of lie chii latter iatter clouded its is lie he wrote it down don and dp do edly strolled llod olt the newcomer lear leaned keil lindt back in lili ills chair fitall as lie did so flo glanced glance around tile room boorn ILs hl projecting cyc from table to entile suddenly rested rl pd fixed on the lie girl they showed in terest but tin no surprise ile he bowed with will a lint half f 11 an 11 odd 1 4 mlle p ill baniul all tolerant and ill then disregarding her trick luck of response tip he used his eyes on oil ahls wall f tring litell rind and for tits ills luncheon to be served La laurales urles attention returned to the girl slie site was fallig ailin again but tier lier eyes bios looked past him bilm its as it if liu lie were not there ile he lias has found roe me even emi tier dipre she afie muttered of course lie he would lie he I 1 always docs leurle looked tit nt tier her po do you ou nivan mean tie he aslies crisply that that clial tile room Is fol lowing losing you strout around id 1 sho she looked nt lit hlin hill ai it 11 abruptly recalled to the fact act of tits hla presence ifer her eyes dropped yes yea she muttered dully 1 I 1 nitty escape him for a time thile but tie he always where I 1 am lie ho will me when tie he chooses und and roll tun tile about under ills fits pews for it while unil and then perhaps let tile me go again that sounds like a certa certain liti phase of nf domestic lift life commented 1 Is lie liy by nn an chance your hits band tier her eye ayos held it 11 rising anger 1 I lie e la Is nut not slip she mild 1 I uni am not fulir ried I 1 Litt I lyle dropped hla his fiend into the ash arity and tin rose roe ro e with it 11 sigh high its till nil very von confusing fusIng lit lie adelt tell tel and it digression front froin tile till asie ls ie im abrald I 1 shall have if to go to tile exertion or reasoning with ailin slie she till ii tint but before she could protest or ir restrain ti litin tiu he litti left lier will 1 cros crossed seil the room to it tho stran gers table CHAPTER V mr herbert ransome shaw the ninn man in the blue serge suit detached ills his unsent gazo gaze from tile opposite wull wall arid and looked ill nil quickly when laurie baurle stopped tit at tits his mile lie vaa elti clearly arly surprised ed but courteous ile he halt rose frow from his hig chair but the I 1 7 I 1 i 1 I came over here ho he said casually to mention to you that you are annoying the tha lady I 1 I 1 am with s rew comor conier waved him back und olid drol dropped sited into antu the vncent tit wot opposite lint iio ife wits MUS mailling sa illing the man in blue serge wits riot not lie ile looked puzzled Z led though vaguely MiRi iely responsive A thard person por fron watching tile two 1111 glit almost lieve thought tile episode the CI sual reunion of mm men who frequently luti elied together d forward its in tits ills chair rested one pillow on oil tile the table und and I 1 ills ids case it to the stranger strang vr the lutter rejected d it with 11 slight how thank you yon lint but not before lunch lie sald quietly ills and inan tier ner were those of un tin educated man alie lle ty of ills IS borle wits harsh louris lit a cigarette blew out tile the fintch and looked ed straight glit I 1 nto into tilt strangers projecting iray B rny ryea eyes lie HP lind noted impulsively ely N now I 1 ow that lie he was liere here lie ho wits was anxious to put the job over concisely firmly but above love all neatly there roust must ile be nothing loni done that would attract the attention 0 of I 1 the few persons persona in room 1 11 I came dyer aver here tie he sold bald casual ly to mention to you that you are annoying tha 1 lady ally I 1 am with I 1 won want to mention also that the in must u qt stop the glance of the stronger ranger nt held lamurle observed with interest that the veiled look of the projecting eyes had changed chanced a little the atie change did not idd fidd to tile stran strangers gerH charm before I 1 answer you tell roe me one thing he sold bald formally lly by what right do you act as tile the ladys protector torr laurie hesitated un an instant the question was embarrassing ilas hns site blie authorized you to net in a way but illow how long ions have you yon known her low how well lie do you know hert her command of the interview waa wa slipping from froin tile you younger riger man lie resolutely resumed it look here liepp lie he said halff firmly 1 I carne to tills this table to tell you something but I 1 will mill decide what that Is to be I 1 tint am not here to answer questions it 1 Is enough for you tri ili know I 1 that cirp have glun given tile nip the right to protect the tie lady from annoyance I 1 want to make inake it clear to you ou that I 1 shall exercise that right hereafter hoi putter you tire to let tier ak almie akine ine do you sou understand der stand absolutely alone you are an ni lioi to tn follow tier hr riot not to enter whore where she can see you he lie recklessly ended fell the stranger looked tit it him film through the light veil ell which soel CHIP ned to lime have fallen over tile projecting eyes 1 I should really like to tn know lip he said when and where you I 1 met tier lier I 1 saw you 1011 starting orf arf together in ti the iv but I 1 nm am riot not quite sure whether your our alist encounter oc currell tills I flior morning lillig 11 ali and yon wont he baurle s stood food up tip le ive warned you lie he said sah curtly 1 I dont know how well you understand der stand our laws ili ih this country but I 1 halicy you know enough of then ahcin to 0 o realize that you cannot shadow it a lady without phout getting into tro trouble tible she admitted that the stranger appeared to exper experience lence a tepid gimm filow of emotion slip site must know you iou better than I 1 thought lie added reflectively doris Is not the type to pour tier her contI continence dence into every nav now ear lie he mused seeming ning to forget the ot others liers presence lit in tits his interest in this revelation itao have I 1 made self bulte clear lauffe was as staring tit nt him with a 1 mingling of resentment arid and li interest tit the other nodded I 1 you lae have my alv young iouna friend lo lie 10 sald said willi sudden seriousness and now I 1 too will vitt be cleat clea I 1 in ili return for foi ono warning I 1 will alp another 0 neep keep out of matters matteis I 1 that hat t do not concern you I 1 aurelo I grinned tit at him you forget that I 1 have hao ninde made athla ahli matter no lily concern he said si id lightly try to remember that the other man rose ills manner war iner had changed change to a sort lort of impatient weariness get tier out of here lie he said abruptly you fire are beginning to irritate me file you two take T ilc tier her honie home and then keep keel away front from tier lier unless you are looking for tro trouble tible lie ile delivered the dinst words so clearly find and menacingly that tile waiter who had appeared with tits his luncheon heard thein tint and fell bark back a step looking into the veiled eyes eie baurle la ji ele le also felt it a sense of re detoll voll ohp fellow wits was positively vt conious titer was something lit in tile dull but owl ned look of tho those w goggling eyes ees lit in the lie forward tanist of the smooth brown blown li head ertl lu ive said my lily say pay lie he retorted it I 1 ever or cutch ion around that studio or in tiny way nimo annoying ying the lady ill thrash you ou within tin an inch of your our life alf und and ilion ill turn left of you oil oner oer to lo tile the authorities under y lie ile ii nodded lidded wid and strolled back to miss maos table for an instant the othir otheir ninn stood od looking after him in if tempted to tc follow then with it 11 shrug dhru r lie dropped into lilal chair find beglin tile lie luncheon the walter waiter had fiat placed before him baurle found tile girl standing by the table really ready for the fl lr reet et tier lier |