| Show sylvia sylvi a of the mi minute nute CHAPTER IX continued 20 and now as at this instant they leard heard the car start away again the accusation cusa tion in her inquisitors Inqui gaze deepened for mr creighton was sure that it was seeing his fathers car at the door that had made marvin drive on the girl was a liar and a schemer in the very act ot of waiting here for his ton son she had denied that she ever remained here tor for visitors I 1 it if she had bad not a guilty conscience it if in her relations with marvin there were nothing to hide she would not of course find and it necessary to lie ile A dangerous wench I 1 marvin could thank ills father for saving him from her mr creigh crelghton felt ruthless with ills his usual directness he came to his point you were expecting my son that was of course his car that topped stopped here and then at sight eight of mine drove on it not being tin nn adopt adept at seeing through a brick wall mr creighton I 1 dont know her evading a direct answer to his aery question only COD confirmed fIrmed him to in his darkest apprehensions miss ton he said abrupt ly 1 I would make it worth your while to resign from this school and go away away from your son mr crelghton creighton she inquired pleasantly exactly but in these do days vs of airships or r can I 1 flee that he cannot follow it if I 1 take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea or ascend up into heaven or make my bed jn in hell what Is it worth to you to get out oat of this neighborhood and stay out well not being very expert experienced aced in these transactions not very experienced 1 not very slie she imperturbably repeated so ill have bare to ask your advice the most I 1 ought to ask I 1 want to do as well as I 1 can for myself of course come miss bliss ton im serious us please dont try to play the tool fool with me you must know that I 1 could get rid of you less expensively A few words from me to your trustees and you would lose your position but ive no desire to in jur eyou I 1 prefer to help you help me out of the neighborhood ill amply compensate you for the loss of your school and something substantial over you really and truly are offering offer lm me money to give up this darned school and go away 1 I am but she exclaimed a glad sur jirlie coming into her bar eyes this la Is the first time in all my life that ive lv had money thrust at me will you give me any amount I 1 risk ask of course not have to be reasonable he protested feeling chocked that a girl who looked like this should after all be sordid and unprincipled jut jurt what would you call reasonable mr creighton name what its worth to you to leave avid and then ill answer you well then let me see well ill take my railroad fare to Holly hollywood wooI and enough more to support me and my family for six months while im convincing the picture makers at hollywood what a gold mine id be tor for them your family youre not going to tell me you have hae some children to sup I 1 I 1 aorl rl xo no I 1 wont po go so far as that only some parents two helpless little parents ente if I 1 give you a check for five thousand dollars when will you leavell leave acely caught her breath the suni hum seemed vast to her A thousand pounds it would liberate her from froin tills this schoolroom prison relieve her mothers needs and waft her to tar far away california with a sense of ease find and security such as she had not known in many years it if you will sign this statement giving up all claims upon my son ile he took a folded paper from his breast pocket and laid it on the desk in front of her pus pushing hing aside aide the letter six she had started to write to her mother all rl right ht she answered him gayly though not at once signing the paper and if I 1 fall at hollywood ill ni marry 1 I rry one of your sons and then my husband can pay back to you this loan one olle of my bons bon I 1 ive only one son chod he be fool enough to ghe you the chance young woman but sir mr creighton blie asked in genuine curiosity how did you find out about us did st croix talk in lis his sleep mr creighton stared at her now biow why lie wondered was blie putting up a bluff like that pretending it was st croli croix I 1 st ft carolil he repeated with a laugh dont waste your talents miss bliss etton trying to di belve me 1 my son st croix will neer acque me die a moments anxiety as to lila his cholee choice of a wife A efel stifel she breathed my ily goodness 1 all this about anyway im hure you know quite well what nil ill about K WE its not about st sl crem I 1 dont 11 he looked so sincerely acly puzzled and astonished shed that fir tu r an instant lie believed li v ed ivr lir almost Iu Ilu conly tonly for an 1111 gintant ill nevet neve is ve PY Y aidy girl eirl five thousand doia dol L by HELEN re MARTIN Copy copyright richt by D dd mod mead ft A OH co service lara to keep st croix fools from marrying herl he be repented repeated but but she elie faltered altered if its marvin margin youve been talking about do you marvin but you cant possibly but s what hot on earth makes you think marvin wants to slie she pulled herself up with a jerk it if she were not careful lie would realize that there was no least need for his paying tier her that bribe oh if its marvin you mean she rattled on then ill reconsider consi derl 1 I 1 dont think I 1 can sign away marvin I 1 or if I 1 do really cost you something marvin Is really worth something 1 youre mistaken iles hes worth the puny salary he be makes fifty six hundred no dollars a year not mot a dollar more 1 I know I 1 mean that kind of worth I 1 meant human worth I 1 however pet get money from you mr hr creighton on false pretenses I 1 really have my doubts whether mar blar vin aln would want a wife who could not tell how many states there are in his country do you think he be would ill tell you what sort of a wife marvin want when youve signed that paper without a moments besita hesitation tion she took up her pen and affixed her name amelia sell wench ton to the state hl nl Mt K ak 0 1 7 14 and if I 1 fall at hollywood ill marry one of your sons and then my husband can pay back to you this loan ment that she gave up all claims of every description upon the son of mr crelghton creighton how like you are he said as he received tile the paper from her hands and tucked it into his breast pocket to sign this and give it over to me before I 1 have given you my check ile he took from another pocket a baril bank book and rapidly filled out and tore off a check now then lie he said not at once handing it to her when will you go 1 I think I 1 ought to give the trustees a chance to get a teacher in my place dont you think of BI all those children running round loose for days without getting educated educate dl my bly conscience wont stand tor for it A conscience that can stand for bribes but your conscience seems to stand tor for them I 1 it if you think bribes so base why io do you go round offering bribes to your sons bons prospective wives corrupting the poor ioor working girl by the way mr crelghton creighton tills this wont be a bribe it will be a loan ill pay you back it if I 1 have to marry one of if your sons in order to for I 1 prophesy mr crelghton creighton that when you know me better youre going to want me for a daughter in law I 1 oil oh yes you are when I 1 come back from hollywood ill prove it to you tor for ill stop and pay you a ilsie isit or ill stop off and be your cook until ile ie earned that live five thousand dollars in america a cook must earn five thousand dollars in the bat of an eye I 1 when will you leave he sharply repeated the very moment ive the wherewithal to leave I 1 but he informed her in a firm tone as he handed her the chock check if you dire to come around here again you yon will be dealt with miss bliss ton in a more summary manner than you will likel like im afraid mr crelghton creighton rn ril have trouble cashing this and it would put you in such ell a funny light giving five thousand dollars to such a dangerously alluring girl as I 1 am apparently apparent lyl 1 if youve the real money about you ue he had been wondering Nil whether lether she would prove so sophisticated as to realize that thal ile he had no intention really of letting her leave the room with that check yoinne Yo you inre are indeed experienced ml MIS ton for one so young young he said ironically as he be took back the check and gave her a roll of bills ten five hundred dailar notes and it was at the very moment ot of her receiving these that again tho the sound of a car stopping outside interrupted them lies iles come back again said mr crelghton creighton bitterly in the hope that by this time id be gone I 1 you have played your game well and this time she answered blithely tier her head bent to listen though your car Is still there he seem to be driving away again little did they di dream eam that the first car that had stopped and then driven on had carried away mrs crelghton creighton who the moment she had recognized liar her hu husbands bands car parked nearby had been startlingly convinced that mar blar vins fantastic suspicions of a plot between his bis father and lady sylvia st croix was not after all fanta fantastic for what else in the world could bring her husband to the schoolhouse she had bad decided after a moments debating with herself not to intrude upon their conference she would let marvin know when she saw him on thursday what she had discovered it was so evident that he was deeply interested in the girl was his interest too deep to be turned to aversion by the fact that she was lady sylvia st croix and in league with his father to intrigue him into marrying her as he be had declared such a fact would disgust him I 1 A half hour after she had driven away narvin marvin driving out toward absalom salom duntz felt as he drew near william penn schoolhouse that that spot was fast becoming to him the pivot on which his whole universe turned 1 As he came nearer the sight eight of a car standing before the little building made his heart sink like lead in hla his breast was miss bliss ton having a rendezvous again with st croix As soon however as he was near enough to recognize the car he saw to his startled surprise that it was not st SL croix but his fat fathers herst 1 instantly he was convinced just as his mother had been that his bis suspicion of a collusion between miss ton find and his father to entrap him into a marriage had been well founded lie ile did note not with his mothers delicacy decide not to intrude upon them on the contrary he lost not a moment in parking alighting and striding straight into the schoolhouse to confront them his heart and brain in a whirl at the sound of his approaching step they had stepped down from the platform mr creightonn Creigh tons face stern as the judgment day miss bliss tons as interested as it if she were to in a theater seeing a play as they stood looking expectantly toward the door marvins earvins Mar vins long stride halted at sig lit of them well his father peremptorily inquired what are you doing here my duty as the county superintendent earning my salary an easy pleasant way to earn it calling after work on your young teachers 1 im here much oftener dorffi during school hours answered marvin borc wondering whether this tone of displeasure were assumed and wily why you wished to see me about some thing mr air crelghton creighton miss bliss Sch werick ton addressed marvla composedly the elder crelghton creighton recalling that site she had spoken of him as marvin Marv ln only to investigate replied blar vin why at tills this hour your school Is still open TO DS DID CONTINUED |
