Show W I 1 T 0 U im CHAPTER XI continued 17 memory slashed into her self con mrs gregory had witnessed a will a week before mrs dane had died where was it should she go to jed stewart at once and tell him what she had heard but he knew he had asked mrs gregory to say nothing about it why hadn haan t he told her what did it all mean it gave her a panicky feeling as if she were wan dering blindly in the dark on the edge of a precipice she poked the fire vigorously it was a physical outlet to her turmoil of mind take care miss or you 11 set the chimney afire henri warned from the threshold I 1 I 1 think not it was thoroughly cleaned when I 1 came here to live why was he puttering he ile was drawing the hangings over the win dows pulling a rug in place re folding the morning newspaper on the desk fussing about the parrot s cage a parrot who had lost half of his tail and all his self assurance since his ills excursion into the outer world he cleared his throat and drew long bony fingers over his slack mouth I 1 I 1 I 1 ve been wanting a chance to talk with you since since we we found the parrot miss he was avoiding mention of the tragedy at the filling station why what have you to say to me he drew his fingers across his mouth it s about that what happened at the filling station you know I 1 went to the movies that eve rung ning came home and went to bed miss lucette and the others saw me when I 1 came down to find out what the noise was I 1 heard you know that after that I 1 dressed and went out to hunt for the parrot that I 1 brought him in with me but the police want to check up on me every minute you can help me very much miss I 1 how I 1 by swearing that I 1 was in this house at the time of the the rob bery at the filling station but as I 1 remember it you t henri you said that you were hunting for the parrot the butler emitted a sound like the snarl of a savage beast at bay you d better say I 1 was mrs or or tell how I 1 found this in your desk he drew a folded pa per from his pocket mr sam has overlooked grand dramatic material right here hen ri you would steal the show as the villain in his comedy just what is this her voice was tinged with amused unbelief take it miss brooke thought of the fangs of a wolf as he smiled his secretive smile she unfolded the paper and noticed that a tiny corner comer of the sheet was missing mary amanda dane danes s writing I 1 mrs gregory s sig nature I 1 henri s clotilde s was it the will of which mrs gregory had spoken only a few moments ago how had it come in henn henri s posses sion siona you say you found this in my desk the butler s greedy eyes glit like black beads yes miss I 1 m prepared to swear to that in court unless we can come to terms 11 why didn dian t you take it directly to mr trent or mr stewart was her voice as icy as her body felt I 1 thought it was too bad to do that until I 1 found out if you and I 1 couldn coulden t work together mr mark tried to get me in wrong with the old madame hatred flamed in his eyes and voice I 1 why should I 1 help him will this this help him bead read it miss 1 ill I wait until I 1 m alone the paper is torn did you tear it when you pulled it from my desk henri s teeth showed between suddenly pallid lips 1 I I 1 didn dian t pull it miss I 1 I 1 took it careful the last word was a whisper what was there about a torn corner of a sheet of paper to terrify him talk with you about it later henri perhaps perhaps as you suggest we may be able to work together I 1 thought you might see it that way miss but don t take too long brooke stood rigid listening until she heard the door to the china closet swing curious how she had come to know every sound in this house which had been hers for so short a time hers hersl was it hers what was in the paper chic henri would swear he had found in her desk she had pretended to consider his is proposition that they work to gether merely to get time to decide what she should do she raced up the stairs switched on the light in her boudoir locked the door behind her she spread out the paper on her desk shut her eyes hard drew a long breath before she looked there was not much on the page but what there was was in mr dane s fine writing the date was that of a week before she died the words burned into brooke brookes s mind as if written with a red hot poker 1 I don t know how to word a formal will but I 1 hereby give and bequeath all my property real and personal which I 1 left in a previous will to brooke reyburn except the amount as stated in said will to by emilie loring a emille lorins service be given to my faithful servants henn henri and clotilde jacques to my m nephew mark trent to have and to ti hold during his life and to dispose of as he wishes I 1 know now tha that my ideas of right and wrong should not deprive him of his rightful in hen tance he was a wonderful son he has been a devoted nephew I 1 make him sole executor without bonds of my estate I 1 ask him to t provide an income sufficient foi for frills and fun for my dear young friend brooke reyburn brooke studied the signature mary amanda dane s without a doubt unless it was a clever forgery anne gregory s name sprawl ing under it and henn henri s and clo tilde s tight foreign writing suppose she de destroyed troyed this papel paper which would deprive her of a for tune A lighted match under it and it would go up in smoke who ae 4 1 1 Z was she two persons would know who would believe henn henri against her wasn gasn t he al ready under suspicion in the filling station hold up suppose he did try blackmail he wouldn t get far with I 1 it t what terrible thing was she think ing inga the eyes of the white faced girl who stared back at her from the mirror were big with horror was she two persons had her other self turned craven had that thought changed her face for an instant she had been a criminal at heart she brooke reyburn who considered her per personal conal standards of honor and decency of the high est after this she would under stand temptation as she never had understood it before A earl carl lucette and sam she must hurry and dress sometime during the evening she would give the paper to mark trent that aou would id be her answer to henn henri where could she put it meanwhile 7 she would tuck it inside her frock she was fastening the corsage of green orchids mark trent had sent her to the front of her gleaming silver frock when he met her brown eyes in the mirror she dropped the flowers as if they had burned her fingers she couldn coulden t wear his gift until she was sure that he be lieveld that she had not known until this evening of his aunt s change of mind why hadn haan t he come directly to her when he had heard mrs Gre gregory gorys s story because he be lieveld she knew where the will was that she was dishonest dr dic honest that was why perhaps he was right what would he think of her if he suspected that for a split second she had thought of burning it ita f she would wear jerry s gar demas denlas she had chosen mark the magnificent s orchids first simply because he was her host she ac a herself she added more color to her white c cheeks heeks to her lips dusted her face with powder anything to switch her mind from that nightmare instant of terrifying suggestion she waited until she heard her brother brothers s and her sister sisters s doors close before she opened her c sam popped his head out and called white tie tonight brooked of course sam our promising young playwright must be swanky I 1 ve had your top hat ironed and there s a gardenia in a box on your dresser she heard his groan of tion as she started down the stairs she stopped on the threshold of the living room she loved now it would be torn up by the roots all her father s treasures would go b back ack to storage and her gorgeous flower windows would be but a dream would she be obliged to re turn the money she had spent that would mean dragging a ball and chain of debt the rest of her life cheerful prospect could mary amanda dane s little friend brooke reyburn see herself ac hepting from mark the magnificent an income sufficient for frills and fun never she would have to hunt for a job ob but she wouldn t have to hunt she wouldn t I 1 the palm beach offer had the position been filled she would send a night letter better do it now before sara sam and lucette came down As she waited for the telephone call to go through she to told id hersell herself that she had learned one in estima ble lesson she had learned that fox fol every person the gateway to suo suc cess was in himself that achievement was a matter of keeping on keeping on of giving one ones s basi and trying everlastingly trying to te make that best better she was returning to business equipped with that knowledge she gave her message and turned to the fire she didn dian t really mind going back to work she had loved it but he had planned to do so much for her mother for lucette for sam sam I 1 nothing must happen to dis tract his mind from the production of the play if she were to produce that will now the neighborhood to say nothing of the cast would palpitate with excitement the Rey burns would have to leave lookout house at once she knew nothing of law except that it was as relentless as a juggernaut what the court de creed had to be done A producer from new york was coming to see sam sams s comedy the boston manager wouldn t bring him down unless he thought sam had talent the performance was only 48 43 hours away could she keep henri quiet until then it if she couldn coulden t she was the world s worst actress and sam had said that she was good after the play mark trent was to keep open house for cast and audience she would stay until the last guest had departed then she would give this will burning against her skin to him and fade gracefully from the picture better lock it up in her desk until then it wouldn t be safe to carry it around with her back in her boudoir she locked the paper in an inside drawer of her desk and slipped the key into her bag of silver sequins returning to the living room she paused before the portrait above the mantel this all means that you and I 1 will be on the move again she said in a low voice on the move but with banners duch esal esa with banners banner sl she threw a kiss to the woman in green satin and emeralds who looked back at her gravely sam appeared in the doorway and brooke quickly asked have you heard any more particulars about about what you call the crime wave she perched on the arm of a big chair and looked up at sam standing with one elbow on the mantel nope nothing except the usual lot of wild yarns which roll up like snowballs at a time like this have you ever thought that one of her ex lovers might have bumped oft off the fair lola I 1 sam I 1 where did you hear that didn dian t hear it that ex lover motif is a plot a little thing of my own its it s my conception of what should have occurred to put claws tearing digging ravening claws into the filling station mystery may use the idea sometime come time that why I 1 asked you to clip all the accounts of the police activities and confessions it if there were any have you done it ita I 1 have from every paper I 1 could get hold of when you want them they are in a manila envelope in the lower right hand drawer of my dek deck I 1 haven t said anything tc to you about it but I 1 was afraid that after what had happened mark trent might feel that he could not go on with the play afraid I 1 that s putting it mildly I 1 nearly had heart failure till he as me that he would keep his part hell he 11 make islands arise I 1 he does more than play the lead he puts glamour into the comedy and warmth and strength and vital ity I 1 told him he was a fighting lover he looked queer for a mm min ute perhaps he was thinking that he didn dian t put up much of a battle for that wife of his who walked off with the french count why should he change his plans for a woman like that the shock of the tragedy has practically worn wom off spirits are picking up and by day after tomor row everyone will be keen to make whoopee to get the thing out of their minds two days boy but I 1 get cold feet when I 1 think of all that night means to me he frowned at his younger sister who in a diaphanous white evening frock sprinkled with gold leaves appeared in the doorway lucette when jerry field quotes es islands arise look as if he were aying abing something serious not as if he were inviting I 1 ve followed exactly the busi ness in my sides master reyburn don t apologize I 1 in m not apologizing I 1 m explain ing remember kiddo that tomorrow night will be the last re hearsay for which blessing praise be to allah ill tell you right now sam reyburn you 11 never get me in another play of yours boy I 1 won t want youl you islands arise will be a smash hit hitt have tl the tle e best actors in new york camping on my trail for a chance in iti it he looked at his watching him with fascinated eyes dark color surged to his hair I 1 suppose you two girls think I 1 in m a darn fool lucette made a little dash toward him and patted his arm TO BE CONTINUED |