Show I i r 3 t E OPPENHEIM PP i COP by BROWN and ond CO i liT TAKE AKE ME S-r S SYNOPSIS SYNOPSIS Fleeing from a brutal stepfather an unhappy home and a n proposed ed husband sho eho detests Myrtile young French girl stands in a a. country countr road on tho the verge o of d desperation n. n Halted b by byan an exploded tire Ure two young Englishmen Lord Gerald Dombey Dombe and Christopher Bent are attracted b by tho the girls girl's distracted distracted distracted dis dis- dis- dis appearance CHAPTER II Continued II-Continued Continued 2 2 I have never been there monsieur she ehe be answered with her eyes fixed upon Ger Gerald ld Night after nl night ht when hen my m work Is done I come here hero end and I watch the road rond just where it t fades awa away but I have never nevel traveled tra along niong It I have never been further down In tLe the than the first village Gerald came a step newer nearer ne r to her He leaned n fI n the gate post His Isis tone and manner became unconscious unconsciously clous- clous ly lp caressing It was generally so fO when he spoke with women You are In trouble mademoiselle he ire said Sometimes even a str stranger mG racy may help hell I She looked down the r road nd where the automobile was jacked jacle up I Yes she admitted I am In inn great trouble No one but a stranger could helP elp me because e I have no friends Be brave then and speak on Gerald enjoined There had been no previous pre time In lier her life when M Myrtile had been requIred re- re to marshal lien her thoughts and speak peak unaccustomed words yet et at That moment clearly and unfalteringly she told her story She pointed to the weather stained cottage behind 10 I ItI live lire there she said with three half brothers anti and sisters and und a step step- I 1 father It My mother was the village s schoolmistress She married married for the tIe Second time a bad man an and she died lied I II have bae taken care of those children If I have kept kelt the house clean and tidy If Ir have hu done what the cure told me memy was us my any duty an and all the time I have 11 ted it It Why Christopher asked simply She looked across as though surp surprised sur sur- p at his Intervention Because the children are coarse land Bud gr greedy ed and mannered Ill-mannered she explained ex ex- I wear m myself self out trying to snake inake them different but It Is use use- jess less ess It Is In their blood because my stepfather stepfather 6 worse Often he drinks too tco much brantl brandy h he Is quarrelsome h lif hr s Is never ne kind I nd There Is not one little jO Joy In life lIe only when I escape for tor a little Ittle time and come here and 10 look 1 down the road which leads leals to liberty and wonder what may lie He at atthe atthe the other side of or the hills there You eee gee I have read books hooks books many honks books My mother and und father were both well educated I know and feel that the life Ute I am Dm leading Is terrible I There Is some something beyond all this Gerald said There Is something something some some- t thing of Instant trouble In your face Again Agnin for a moment she was ol voiceless voice voice- less ess a white dumb thing stricken nerveless with horror It was that look whIch bad had surprised the tw men Her breath as ns she spot spoke e seemed choked with unuttered sobs My stepfather bi brought ought home from the village tonight the tonight the Widow Dumay lIe He Is to marry her to tier to bring her to the farm lIe He brought ht too I Pierre the keeper of oC the Cafe cafe Horrible horrible Pierre Plene Gerald mur murmured muied softly Go on TI The e girl gill opened her lips 1115 but th the I words seemed to stick In her throat I They rhey propose se perhaps Il to betroth ou you he asked with quI quick 1 under under- I t 1 Her as assent ent was mirrored In theof the J. J gon of her e eyes cs lIe He Is fat and und old and he drinks duhe ante le cried a. a I 1 I would sooner die than t r tave him come near me I Look upon us us an nt two friends e Gerald Geraid heg begged cd What would rOll h 1 S us do 10 1 The c girl gill pointed once more to where when j the e rood rond disappeared amongst amongst- the Ill hills hUls I fir If H YOU vo leave me here she derl de de- rl I shall walk and run said mid saidi i 1 r wl until I pass S out of ot sight th there the e dl und i-und j und nd perhaps they ma may borrow horrow the ld wid Shows Show's t ws w's cart urt und and catch me and theu I 1 Ii i hall 11 all kill myself Take lake me with you ou your I teas r p S as far tar as us you ou are ure going going som somewhere hert t il where here f r can hide The rhe car glided slowly up to where they tey were standing n Gerald did dd not s hesitate for a u moment lIe He stepped 0 into taro his place ot nt the driving wheel wheeland wheelin in end and motioned to the seat h by his Ills stile side a t I Agreed he lie said We will Start Hurt t rou ou little one one one- one ell ell ll me how arc uro y jou ou J called 7 K Myrtile she shu murmured I 4 We will start you ou off ocr on the great I adventure of ot life Ufe It seems to me mep p at there can an be nothing worse In It store stole for you ou than what you ou leave I behind The girl pushed open the gate bate and und sprang Into the car like a frightened thing Gerald turned his head Around the corner of the farm three unsteady figures showed themselves three voices two voices two raucous and und one shrill shrill shrill- called for tor Myrtile There were wore threats gesticulations The girl cowered by Geralds Gerald's side Start Sturt she Implored Start please Christopher however howe hesitated I think he said sald we should first l hear what these people have ha to say The They have after all 11 some claim upon the girl It might be possible to aid her without bringing her away from home 1 M Iy tile rUle clung citing t to o Gerald Her eyes eves were swimming pools pools' of passionate entreat entreaty Start monsieur she pleaded There Is r. r r. for me but escape Why does t the other gentleman mind Get In theres there's a n good fell fellow on GerI Gerald Gerald Ger Ger- ald I begged Impatiently We dont don't want avant to have a row with these yo yo- 0 kels The chauffeur was already In the dickey behind I e eyes es Implored Christopher to take the place by tier her side With his feet still still on th the road however howe he lIe leaned across her to Gera Ger Ger- a ald Gerald he said this Is a u a- amore more mOIe serious perlous affair than you seem to think Who ho Is going to look 1001 after the child when we get to Monte Carlo You can If you like was the careless careless care care- less ICs reply Im not thinking of playIng play play- i lag Ing the Lothario If th that t Is what you ou mean menn 7 Word Vord of honor Word of honor Dont Don't be an a ass s old chap Its It's up to us to give gI the girl a chance Christopher stripped off his tort and wrapped It around Myrtile Then t t tJ A kM t i a V J I Z I rt in 1 ha r r 1 1 r rv O v Z r so soI I Speak a Little English I Understand Under Under- Understand stand Very Well Weli he took the tIle place by her side Ride Gerald sliced 1 ped d In to the clutch and und they b glided glide off The twilight overtook o them swiftly The lights of Monte Carlo Carlu us the they commenced the long descent nt were like e epin pin pill pricks of fire thrust t through a deep blue carpet M Myrtile whose eyes e. had laid h been 11 fixed upon the flying OIn milestones Ic leaned oIled now forward forward o now now- with a little exclamation ex ex- of or r. It I Lv is fairyland sh she sho cried Gerald looI looked Conked down at fit her ber ins r gently I I You live so RO near and you ho hope ha never ne been even tn as far tar 1 Kt is this tIlls he lie f asked It Is ns os I hll huva l told l you you she an nn I J have hu never traveled ten kilometers from rain the farm in m my life lite Christopher was wn almost In Incredulous Gerald however nodded rally cally all Both Buth young olm men hull hud taken It for grant granted cd from the first that their charge no English In I France lunce they the are like that Gerald OrrI Ger r ald old remarked It Is tile the I sans that count nut But this child child Isn't Isn't sh she amazing in ing Christopher Christophel Except for her hor clothes there l Isn't n a a thing about her ht that suggests the peasant l SI a Is like aile a child hl nn Madonna an rm angel who cl-who who ha ho has stolen into the clothes of a D girl gone une for Her for f first communion IolI I J should still sUll ii 11 IT e a to know what you ou are going oln to do with Ith her tier when aien wo we waI ar ar- arrive rive Christopher nse asked bluntly I Are you ou going to tune take her to the thevilla thevilla villa 7 Later on perhaps was WIlS t tits the lI careless careless care care- less reply Ce Cc mt DIt this eve eve- ning Why not Christopher persisted Your sister Is very cry kind hearted It seems Reems to me as ns long aa as we hove e th the girl on our hands that she Is 11 tl the e proper prop er en Derson to look titer Jer r her hu Gerald t silently My Iy dear Chris he lie said you ano Mary y are nrc- pals I know ow but I 1 am no sure that you ou altogether understand her She doesn't like surprises We Ve must pave the way a little before we ask for her help Myrtile I hud luid been looking from oneto one oneto to the other of her 1 two wo companions with a n sense of growing trouble In her e eyes eves cs Messieurs she Interrupted It was DS as wrong of me not to tell you oU before I 1 sneak a n little English I understand Yer very we well II You are a most amazing child Ger Gerald ld exclaimed looking n do down at I herin her herIn er erIn In genuine astonishment You have never ne been ten kilometers from your our homestead and you jou O l speak a foreign language That comes of ha hating ng a schoolmistress for a mother I suppose However have ha no fear We shall shull dispose dis dis- dispose po pose e of you pleasantly Tomorrow she said timidly ly T J l can find work worl Tomorrow be hanged banged Gerald re re- plied Look about you yon little one CIne We Ve Weare Weare are fire entering the town If your our story Is true tru true and and we know that It Is he added hastily you ou see for the first time lime shops v villas III os hotels The buildIng build build- Ing in front of us Is the casino Now you ou see the that fringe the bay buy It Is Js amazing Myrtile 1 murmured They hey drew up at the side door of the hotel where the two young oung men were to star stay Gerald descended Take care of the child for tor a 1 few minutes Chris he be begged ged I aa nm going to Interview one of the house house- keepers lie disappeared Into the hotel I Myrtile Myr tyr Myrtile tile watched his tall slim sUm figure until It was lost to to sight Then the fear seemed to return She shivered I am a trouble to him she fal fal- He Ue will hate me for It I only meant that you OU should drive me somewhere somewhere somewhere some some- where where I could lose myself Per Pel Perhaps naps Imps I had better go monsieur Can CanI I not slip silo awn away before he returns lie would be very angry If II you ou did Christopher assured her lter He lIe has gone to arrange for some one to look I after you ou for the night Bight Tomorrow I think you ou will do well If you ou try to find some som wor work you If-you If If you ou wish It I will help you you ou Her lIer eyes still devoured the door through h which Gerald had passed Tell me his name she begged His IUs name Christopher opher replied Mla IA Nl Gerald Gerold Annesley Dombey She repented repeated d It after him a a little hesitatingly I shall lIall always using think of him liIm as Gerald she said It Is a er very pretty name Tell me wh why did the chauffeur say sur your our lordship Because he lIc Is the eldest son of an anI I earl and he is entitled to be called culled i I Lord Lorl Dombey He Is noble nohle then I T am nm not sur sun I He lie seemed like that to me I And you ou monsieur May I know your yourI I name My I name Is Is Christopher Bent h ha he replied plain Christopher Bent Christophel is a n nery very ery nice name nathe she s said with a trifle of unconscious It Is ls not condescension but of course Js like Gerald She looked longingly back towards 1 I the crowded ClO doorway and th the young oung II I man who stood h by her hel side was aware l of a and altogether Inexplicable ble sensation He lie sudden suddenly 1 found himself eU envying fn Geralds Gerald's careless but fascinating manners his good looks his light debonair manner of speech i Even cn this little waif picked tip up at the roadside was already under his spell Then Christopher remember ed d other things about his friend an and his face lace grew v stern Gerale Gerald returned with a dressed net sed young He lIe held out his Ills hands to Myrtile and ami assisted her to alight ht It t Is nil all all' arranged child chilli he an announced an an- Annette Is a chambermaid here here She will tn take e you OU to comet l rooms close clOfie at hand bund where you will be made 1 comfortable l Tomorrow om morning earl early ChrI Christopher and I will come corne und and see Ice you 0 Mademoiselle will be entirely well f the young oung woman declared It Is but a n few y away I Myrtile still till wrapped In Christopher's Christo pher's s oat flat looked a little pathetic as all she she 11 stood upon the pU I. pavement Y ent by hy Annette's An foIl nette's neUe side t i I shall hal tint not not see you n again Jan tonight tl then rt Monsieur lon lr Il Lord Lor she u-l u asked pd shyly h I Not ot nt tonight he In 1 laughed And nd Monsieur Gerald Is quite enough from you petite I Tomorrow we the will have a J along Inn long Ions talk no fear riar you you u shall return return to the tile fu futin in unless It Is iso I of o r wl h. h 1 stooped top d null and with a n sudden suhn passionate gesture his hand baud fOh vo to h her r lips Then she Ihl dra dragged ed Annette off w without t looking king behind Gerald Gerald h J a It little e consciously coni Our village III K Is ts' ts somewhat demonstrative l he remarked 1 lightly Come Cagle oue n nn Chris A cocktail i while the they unpack our flur clothes Ive I've idle idle- t leto le- le l to the villa lIla We t mutt do Ida a duo duly dinner u flat t t. t but afterward after after- ward I will slimy show you tn t the ht land the pleasure ur Deckers rs 0 of I the hp world kayo hu haye I I II hail built huilt lI their temple I It I t Is on her way to tu tuI see nee life Out But what lund kind of life Is I II I I 1 she ehe to sec ice ce at Monte Monta Carlo Carlu I I 60 TO tit DF CONTINUED CONTINUED- Ti cO-Ti |