| Show al K P 1 1 illel I AUNT ALICE AI richard elim lic aby au american playwright it tell con ull a so to is an friend bob bou singleton boraten aten tha 11 1 1 that last inspired or by the me genius of a young 1 whom h he ha hod boa ben I 1 la london d h ha lia has aton written ft play pi lady ty larkspur lamp solely 11 with 1 th tha I thought ihl hl th that she he should hould bum the limn leading charrel character herrel th athla oa 01 violet dewing enor has ha disappeared se Inu singleton alom an aviator Is liaa has lost just returned mso do ln vandia vall ded alm france hl uncle raymond BAYO BAY O d bashford B a wealthy X yaw man had contracted as n marriage ia a short fetid time I 1 before no hl death or while w on a mal visit to be japan pa he lert left a comparatively r cibil amount at of 1 money y and ad the privilege of real dence in the 1 garage 1 of his hi um am mer home barton on thi the sound A connecticut t arg B Baah ford tord 18 be fi cleved d to be traveling 1 in ill the orient I 1 ali a household at barton or 1 la made ad up of broken broke town awe employ employees of ini ol 01 a new lork hotel whim where bier Baah ford made do his hia hoefl 11 singleton vion or boea to I barton dusol taking with him in the manu all st c ut of lady Lesi larkspur th there he duds ama the ali a household iran gel y huab upset melet am BO me of it if mem hart Z being er 17 lud lu d by their comrades of aa p pro all c he head of 1 the establishment in L inform him that he hag am b been so Pr perplexed pied by al in the some what mysterious visits loon of a t ser arter apparently ily I 1 to foreigner el seeking mra Bas liford fo antolia m has haa 1 formed med to tha main mem em bora blom ot 4 the bichle bich ld lot into guard for protection used torrence 1 11 bashford Bash able tord e 1 law informs 1171 singleton as A th that f at mrs bashford la is in I 1 anumba and may iny be b pim expected p it al billion barton at any time 1 reads read cearlea 1 play and d minks highly of it it in a CHAPTER it 11 4 the aug amazing widow As an soon as torrence left I 1 returned to the garage feell feeling tg that with mrs bashford on american soil my use of 0 the a maid residence ecce even no as a 1 loafing place w was unbecoming al mrs Bsh bashford frd A BBS not net only in ID america but a motor bt at her command she hp might reach mark barton nt at any hour and no the vigor ous a domination we woman ali too nad bad captured cd my uncle ole 13 bah sh burled him in fi a tar far can country r and it then effected a hop bop skip kip and it jump fro from bangkok to seattle was vaa likely to be a prod Jaal leal spender speeder of gasoline her propensity for far traveling encouraged the hope that she bhe would quickly weary of cl barton and pine pill tor to land laade where h the elephant and flourish if ansh I 1 had bad brought with ith me the manu se r 1 pt of searles play ay and I 1 tell fell uron orion it irritably and begun began reading the hrit act the dialogue moved id and a I 1 read on as aa though en folded in the he air fr of a crisp criep spring morning my gauch over ever the upsetting of in mi plans yielded under the spell ot of his hia humor lady Larke larkspur pur was the name assumed by the daughter of s recluse ato la in the valley of virginia she had known no life hut but that of the pro open country where slie be ran wild all summer bummer aiding tier her father 1 in cut col leiting plants and beffer filis he had bad educated the girt girl in such a manner that only the cheer and joy of life were known to her rating hating man kind he be had encouraged her in no na she knew no an litera literature nare except the classics jamie 11 all history lit tar ive even II the history of the storied to a valley in which she lived filed was am a sealed led book to her the th girl s curiosity caarl fit is 1 routed bv be the olden appearance of strangers from the unknown world beyond whom he she be mystifies by her bar quaint taked old it world it abnes searles had bad taken an old theme and given a noel hotel twist to it the solution of the at of the fathers father a exile and an amusing corn core 1 of le lowers a sus liia caf pensive e interest ct well to ahe end 1 in the lait it act the girt girl appear at abail a ball at a countley he house in ia sophis ral raiment car and the story ends 1 in A t the he key of mirth in which it began it was a blending and it modern ration of diane diana atalanta cinderella and rosalind but air aeu in 1 the typewritten y page it A amie bigly alive alave and ad well calculated to evoke tea teara and lat that a play so BO enthralling should be burled in 1 a fall vault suit was we not to in be thought of f ond and I 1 set eat down and wrote searles long left letter demanding in that t in he A at once forget the lost star fr for w whom h hf be had bad britten title the pieces sun BU resting feeling the names or at several well weir known actresses I 1 thought worth 1 con 1 si dering for the leading roll role I 1 not satisfied with this I 1 telephoned a ta telegram legram to the agent at bell for to r transmission 1 in to searles at the ohio if it d rah he bad given give me a the next beat day passed without fuel dent deat and ad 0 on the h bearing rin g nothing front fears tom torrence I 1 beg began n to mra Bash forda proximity on na the third atall hearing fig nothing 1 I guark ed to an invitation tell As from na friends at ne new as london and drove in the a ra runabout bout for dinner it I 1 waa midnight when I 1 I 1 got back and who when I 1 reached the th selas sate several saam BIM install bof of th the lodge and ad be baited led me she fiher win com air ir antome antoine emerging from the da dork miless nean and epim speaking ang under aam atm alresa of deep emotion it madame the widow has 1 airbed I lit air fr why not cleopatra or air the queen of abiba I 1 exclaimed f testily fly to 1 cover I my ay 11 annoyance that my aunt had bad acra effected lier be descent I 1 in at my absence fore well she was waa expected the hei bouse is tiers hem v flat fiat do you a ant we nn to do about HT it I 1 ended with affected jocularity vie received herthe berths beste could but it we was most amit unfortunate your not net being here her 1 that your ides idea antoine or do you YA reflect the lady a sentiments I 1 m properly humiliated either way tell one me last just what hot she he saad well sir fr she just laughed when I 1 took tok the liberty of apologizing the sneering laughter of outraged dignity go a head ahead and ad give me A the rest of it elt it ft as at ten she mine came sir air and the guard held bell her up not let recognizing mIld her here at the gate gane soil and when the car would wouldn t stop step the bo boys ys chased her and fired at the tires a of f her machine it wai as very dreadful sir air and at the be house at the door deal sir lb the iffie guard we was very cry harsh with her sir air most regrettable you cerf certainly alidy made ad a mesa of it I 1 I 1 ejaculated but you did let ilat her I 1 in let into he her win otin house hause w we a must list rente remember raber ae iou did great grant her the courtesy of a lodging for far the night I 1 inquired ironically she a retired sir air there them was a jadv ad with her maybe a maid I 1 ran cant t exactly sav bev and we did everything sir fr to make a her ber comfortable she was a not whit atilt you yen might t say fu fussy sy but quite be human lite I 1 hope boru 11 pardon us sir air which we waa do due to nat being warned on oh it its a all right with me but in the morning she fihe 11 probably bounce the drove am part pact the houses whole wh Is lot of us lus an A old lady fatigued from fr a journey cross class country a of ry and 4 A a shot lit at on an her own lorec premises alc its a very pretty story antoine was swallowing hard 1 in his effort to continue the recital ou A say y a an old jadv or sir air the aal tresa Is not really what vou a would call so old l not exactly exact rua li sir itally a youngish lh parta I 1 should say my yoi graves the gardener just what the these veterans would roll call old it was a 4 matter of conjecture n J ecu acu young or air old she won would fit b hardly still there iab her recep reception there baa as a maid and they come came 1 in a macul reach nel lel mid did lit you put up th the a chauffeur fotr or did you shoot bell him on the spot at eat it vas A hired tili ed machine at sir ad madame sent bent it away th the darher was as a good beal eal upset over the shoot ing one of the reu mur tires waa A quits blom boan aitay Y you re lit luck it if he doern doesn t have I 1 vou all if arrested tomorrow I 1 remarked consolingly elam urs Balli bailers bailors fIld seemed quite by the file occurrence fenre antoine continued oh wonderful ond erful america P she elie kept say ing 19 after ned and got lier her wild inside we gotier gober pave ten tea watch A nas nh J she be asked or W did our me best belt b to make her comfortable coin far able and them way a dug dog sir air I 1 that the on not 1 tons 14 4 of dogs dog antohne auto spoke truly it if there them was us anything my uncle been bash detested it was a dog but I 1 reflected that a world widow who could corrol corral an 10 difficult subject object As my uncle would he quite quit r capable paid of 1 ing g him with delight 1 lo 10 the me caine cartne oes my respect tor far the woman an a power of f persuasion was inde ifield by this disclosure to an maka k sure nothing was required a if nie an morning I 1 drove past the house hour with the arely hanging banging to the footboard th the lower at rooms a wr were dark bat fiann laabs through gh th second story shutters masurat my aunt wa am established on the premises premise and hw her cheth c coming 19 and ad the cerement c of h her advent constituted a good joko joke of which I 1 and not net she as tho the vic victim ba when I 1 reached my quarters 1 in file karage garage I 1 slit but down and ad tough laughed until flynn ppe red frightened by my mil noisy mirth that had bad penetrated to his bl one augarten tons I 1 wakened birly rang a bell connecting my y rooms with the a chalif teura fears end of the garage As aa a tog ing to the flynn to prepare breakfast t suit end was dressed when the irishman in came I 1 in with the troy tray 1 in the absence of roni ron morning I pop paper I 1 cle cinda to him for far company el 1 trust you will not be leaving amr 1 he 1 men remarked tried eyeing in my half islas cocked d trunk r oak very soon amm flynn then elsie and I 1 will be going go to loo it ft a most at uncomfortable they 1 re talking making u dutch dh and ad 11 the rett rest that arf antohne 1 I bud and his array keep P pe A ua and it callan OB her it 8 most at disagreeable we limit find M ft the wife life old and we me sarr and ad be strong that tbt s the lh watchword we will hop that mrs men Paish ford ia Is we bonum of found ad verse and it tact fact who abu win exert herself to restore motors prom peace on bar p property 1 when I 1 call to pay my re and ad make my adieu adiela I 1 shaft felt speak to her bar or of the tb situation and vouch tor for your loyalty you hem haven t I 1 suppose seen eval the widow yet fihs ihs shea probably sleeping late quite the contrary norr ness she ber been up and round around for an hour an W more beare she shea hem been all 11 athe ame over and stopped for a squint at the garage halb her and ad the ahe pup POP ahe bren c here inspecting th ill garage garages I 1 asked gli glancing meing at re my watch it 11 has not 1 yet eight welock the barter banter died out of me clearly ft t had bad been my duty to be on an head hand 11 pilot her over the estate or at t I 1 least let to recelle receive her at the garage J juse V what was wag the lady s frame of mind aided as 49 to W things generally peeved wax AAA she over ever the row raw last night oh no DO quite cheerful an friendly she shea ordered a big var cap from new york and told we me it would be coming up to day and ad to make its place for far it if here was news indeed destroying all 11 my hopes hope that all she ansil meditated toted only a brief sojourn th the purchase of a machine chine meant definitely that she sh ma ft u lit remain for some anne time perhaps lor for the winter I 1 poured a second mp cop of miles coffee swallowed it grabbed my hot and stick and asked enlightenment i as aa to the murre course taken by mrs basu ford when she left the garage she took look the lower laws road land aora toward the sound and it stepped at i quite brisk like it ft was the serene it of september mornings mai and I 1 hurried harried away thinking the cloudless cloud lem blue arch the twinkling ses sea and the crisp air might serve to soften my aunts aunt a displeasure at her be hostile reception from the conservatories conserva tories I 1 caught a glimpse ot at a woman on the tha brach beach a slender similar agile woman throwing thian dog a ball for tha amusement 0 of a fox foi terrier the two were having no end ad of 1 a good time ft she sh s laughed long sit joyfully Jy fally when the ball fell 1 I I 1 into her bands and the terrier barked his discomfiture and eagerness for far a chance to redeem himself Antol An nea equivocal cad statement as aa to sirs mrs bashford a 3 age ae was ridiculous i instead of the middle aged woman whom I 1 nay A prepared to varell meet hera he was beyond question a vigorous healthy by being whose whom every movement cut spoke for far youth and the joy of life I 1 it might ait after all 11 be the maid and of af whom antoine bad spoken I 1 reached a ain low fees wall that separated the tha lawn I 1 from fr the file beach just juit as all effected a 4 mattsy pill up of the bell ball she turned swiftly and flung it straight sti sight at my head involuntarily I 1 put up my hard hand and ad caught it just aa aha he saw me and cried out a cry of warning and contrition I 1 tossed tamed the bull balli daud to the dog what want must you think of me re ann aha exclaimed 1 was wn blinded by the th sunlight uri light and d I 1 date t see a you Y mall r I 1 did not an 1 1 I had no business being to ID the way y jl I had antim acting fi first I ber b glow owing lug color he her viol violet t eyes a amazingly i ludgey fine eyes eye they hey were h her r fol fair r b hair 1 1 with its go golden idea glint her har fd plain black gown with lawn a collar I 1 and wristbands wrist bands it vas olis her age h however that roused me to instant sp speculation twenty five I 1 decided was a weast maximum more likely 61 ilia waa not ant more the than two too and if 1 bad be been told that nigh eighteen tes was wag the file total of 0 her years I 1 should t be hae A had bad the heart beal to dispute 1 it bob singleton I 1 said and stupidly added and you are mrs mra bashed Bash fd fordy unable able for file lit life of an me to avoid turning the statement mt into an A inquiry I 1 am your you aunt allies alice she said mid with in a smile putting out her hard hand do down he rex ithe he commanded the tn chanting terrier tie ile down over now new her hereupon upon rex bier obediently alund sprawled 1 in the sand and ad bria began VA try lug big to swallow the he ball rt iljan that silly of 1 roe A to try to in kill you the me first time we us aneta met her eyes eye danced with rovilla merriment self 1 I did dido if know of course that a ony one was A about ozee B but u t you anade do a very nice m tah ot or it itt I 1 I 1 had expected to receive you yaw most formally for mully in the drawing room mona but this really serves very well it past tree final dw down you bouldes ldes 1 string suppose we stay out here bad and talk a bit cant we make it alice and bob J ao TO BE CONTINUED knavery knater hr his mans |
