Show the ORO amm ain by MARGARET TURNBULL illustrations rations IRWIN MYERS by Wart arat turnbull CHAPTER VII continued 15 au august gust cant make you nearly as t comfortable as I 1 can sir george answered confidently and proceeded to do it wever never robert macbeth admitted had he been made so corn fordable for table my word you have gentle hands lor for abig a big fellow he exclaimed looking up with gratitude at the tall form that bent over him to straighten iten a pillow plenty of practice robert macbeth th checked himself when he started to say where lie ile remembered that this tall slim young man before him had been ahr through ugh a 0 dreadful novitiate during the gr great ef it war why lie he asked after a moment as hir george moved to ring for tile the walter waiter why do you so determinedly avold avoid rich girls seriously that what you came here for to make a rach marriage sir george drew himself erect and turned quickly and savagely then RB as though the sight of the other mans helplessness checked his bis natural resentment kent sent ment stiffened that what wha t you think too it true irue or at least lenef partly true robert macbeth questioned question bd taking advantage of his infirmity whelp it help you put in order and yourself on your feet the young mans face darkened oh undoubtedly undoubted lyl I 1 butira but im not going to put Sandis broe in order at that price nor ami am I 1 sure that it would not take me off my feet he paused it if you will believe ine sir I 1 would like very much to tit have it finally understood that I 1 camp came out here for a job and nothing else id like to put myself on my own feet he looked up again no matter mitter what dear old aggy says the truth and he Ite hesitated 1 and id be obliged if you would bring yourself to believe it and to tell miss roberta that you do believe it why particularly roberta mac teeth dryly because the young mans face poled possibly if she was assured of this by you she might change her attitude which Is which Is one that 1 I have not been accustomed to sir george said simply ay iy and one which Is not pleasant for or a self belf respecting man if it will help belp matters matters out he be contIn continued bed still with the same quiet simplicity you can assure miss roberta that if she had the wealth of india belted around per waist I 1 look the road she ebe walked on much less want to marry her his tone was heated robertas father surveyed him with gathering rage set your mind at rest he declared grimly theres no DO danger of her ever looking your road I 1 have that from her own lips good I 1 then it if you will take the trouble to tell her I 1 never dreamed of lifting my eyes to her or to your pocketbook you may make jt it easier tor for her to treat me as a harmless young man her fathers diligent secretary and no spy what do 6 you mean by that demanded robert macbeth and receiving no answer at once said even more anxiously what do you mean by spy py 21 that Lani 11 am not one yet miss maebeth macbeth treats me is as though 11 I 1 were continually spying upon her what reason has roberta to tear fear that her determined father asked again 1 I 1 plead ignorance det declared lared his secretary inwardly cursing himself for having even hinted at it 1 I dont don I 1 t know the reason for her suspicion I 1 only know that it is so and she makes me feel it ILI the waiter entered with the supper and arranged it on the library table Mdell macbeth eth settled himself on his bis pit lons iowa and as he picked up his soup spoon bloon regarded the young man with amus amusement emeuL funny way to spend an hour at a party I 1 appreciate it of course but it makes me wonder theres no cause to wonder the libe younger mans mana tone was so weary so BO disillusioned that it startled macbeth 1 I dont give for parties air lr ravene forbears for years never ne er really at home really enjoying my self why I 1 would rather eat i with you sir air somehow how he added despite the fact that youage you are old older er and my boss I 1 have always had a feeling that you yoc like me tor for myself you yon are not cot far off macbeth told him 1 I liked you from the first im going to sit alt here day by day doing no nothing and wai watching ching you bring I 1 h home ome the bacon 0 sir george stared at him in amazement amean 1 I mean watching you do the work that I 1 ought to do oh odd expression that 11 I 1 I 1 it meant a I 1 little marketing on my part for the household and I 1 was wag just a trifle bothered I 1 never did market markek but of course no reabon why 1 begin atta boyl reachie reach me a cigarette dg arette dont you like the boys here mac asked as the younger man rose to get the cigarettes ob immense immensely lyl I 1 only they seem avery young to me said eald sir george ha be disco thit that the matches match were not with the cigarettes hut on a stand nears near tile the window and moved to get them robert Alu macbeth cBeth opened hit his is to tell him that ray hay browne and others h had ad bet been it in france during the war and were fully abold as old it if not older than Sir George when lie remembered i I 1 that the boys who went over from pere here though they fought and suffered as bravely as any there had lif at least come home to a lan land d of settled peace and plenty which had bad not been sir I 1 georges case case ile he wlas was about to put something of this in words when to his amazement the cigarettes were dashed on the desk find and sir george with a quick low exclamation went plunking plunging through the window an and along ole terr terrace itee in rapid pursuit t of some 0 one or something CHAPTER VIII some one had bad been listening it at the I 1 v though he flung Il himself linsel lf so headlong into the pursuit that fie ie was still carrying in hla his hand a box boi of matches matche marchesand sand and the shig single le cigarette which he lind had lyken filken out 0 of fabe the bos hn for mac bakli sir geci george ge was not in time to see h lis quarry finnery round fhe he corner he 1 I 1 ahra haa al sir r george been sari scaring ng you with it hl his imaginary men behind window curtains k flung the matches and cigarette from him and leaped paver over the edge 0 of athe the terrace and went toward the little landing place where he ha could see a man getting gettin ginto into oneff one of the canoes he had every reason to believe belleve that jin ln a moment momen t he be would have him in his i grasp when roberta macbeth rose suddenly it seemed to him out of the earth though it was really only from behind the shrubbery near the landing place and blocked his way he flung out his hand to keep from falling himself or knocking her down and grasped her shoulders be spun her I 1 out of tb the eway way disregarding her gasp of wrong I 1 but the delay bad been sufficient clent there was no sign of theman he had been pursuing and when he reached the waters edge there was no one there mechanically he began searching for borne hiding place among the boats when roberta joined him she was alone and breathless and both facts made sir george suspicious suspicions what happened she asked him abruptly he answered her ber with equal abruptness you have just prevented my capturing some one who was watching or listening g under your fathers edw window 1 she gave him a quick startled look and then raising her voice a little higher whether with intent or astonishment hie he could not be quite sure what things you imagine how could he have come this way without my seeing him sir george did not answer he went down to the waters edge and then started toward thelridge the bridge which lay in shadow instantly this provoking ing girl was in front of him again 1 I asked you 4 in the heat beat of his anger at her persistence he be answered her as he VV N D U would not have done onta ir he lind had stopped to think for a nio moment ment soine friend of yours evidently since you abeso areso are so anxious to screen him she stepped ed back as though lie had struck her do doa you mean she began 1 I dont mean anything he an avoiding tier her 1 I would like to continue my myse search areli alone goback to your guests guest sor or to your fattier father and explain 6 to him wily why you blocked my way ile he had twisted from her bernow now if she had wished to stop atop him slie she could not ile he run ran with the quick swiftness which his long ions legs impossible across the little bridge and up the road that led to the highway the road behind and before hirwas him was quite empty lie ile waited a mot moment nent Ills lils senses alert for any movement ln in the brush but there was none i not a sound so tar far us as he could hear cheari lie ile went slowly hack back tolt domeet to meet neet as lie crossed the bridge varlo various us riotous greetings and questions as to where and when he had lost his girl ile he replied bothem to them in the same jesting tone relieved that he had not been seen running along the terrace and that no bone had been alarmed robert gave him a quick inquiring look lie he answered it with a lettle btttle i warning frown lady sandison the door with same some of roberts gue guests saying in a low voice i to her hen stepson as she passed him 1113 dance ance with roberta laddie addle ashes missed you 1 I cant flatter myself so much as to believe that aggei I 1 advise advis ayou eyou as they say overmere over over here to lay off us yu you cant drive us together dename dear me dearl dear 1 said lady sandl sandi son i and hurried flurried after her guests macbeth looke dup at sir george ae ac the others left the room well 1 I catch him who the man who was listening at the w window youre crazy I 1 I chased him along down to the waters edge and then well then I 1 lost los thim him why because a girl got between us I 1 had to avoid knock knocking ingher her down the fellow got away who was the girl V rather not tell sir air i then you thin kishe knew something 1 I could not say robert macbeth gazed at him puzzled what would he want under my window again I 1 dont kno know wAr sir But there are a lot of your men here tonight they I 1 mean the gang after your payroll may have thought you would discuss some of your plans some one e was there and he was listening robert macbeth macreff leaned back to study the facts again while he did bothe so the band played a riotous fox for trot it if youre worried about the payroll macbeth who tad bad been smoking and thinking suddenly said aloud the spy went empty away nothing said to anyone tonight about our plans good I 1 then well sleep on it IL I 1 have a scheme which I 1 would like to tell you about tomorrow A voice from the door made them look up tired dad roberta asked she glanced quickly at the two men has sir george been scaring you with his imaginary men be hind hand window curtains iles hes so determined t to 0 find us infested with wild men shooting pistols that he sees bandits everywhere better send him to mexico father and let his dreams come true who told fold you about it macbeth took look from one to theother oh sir george of course roberta laughed 1 I met him when he was waa hot on his bis wild goose chase macbeth stared did you he ha tell me that bhae were you doing when you stopped him nothing said roberta and bit her lip fool she was I 1 sir george would be certain to io fasten asten all his silly suspicions upon jackl jack 1 how easy it would have been to have said she was looking at the water or waiting for her dance partner TO BE CONTINUED |