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Show - i jl.Hi a; nickered !,. and out. The yellow lock on Ills crown stood straMit un fss.r her J7h?, first ''"Provements we U.fr f',e decU,e(3."'iH be to have Oie roots of that piece of hair du completely out. Think of all the hours and hours It will save me and the children." Bryn came In, quietly. ne shut the door behind him. He stood for a moment, lost In thought. nVhat'd he say?- Simon asked. Nothing," Bryn replied. "He d"ln t say anything. He's gone, and his car's gone too." "Gone!" Tubby echoed. ''What I want to know," Sully said ominously, "is, how did he get out? Three bolts, and a six inch thick door, and a bar of iron on the bottom. You said he couldn't. How did he?" Nobody answered her .. Deborah rose early, brushed her hair with swift nervous fingers bathed In cool water, and went out into the thin fresh morning sunshine. sun-shine. She had not slept well. She walked quickly, up the path between be-tween the ga; on and the orchard. She went on, but a few yards inside the stone wall that separated the orchard from the forest, she turned and raced back down the path as if she were pursued ; for It had occurred oc-curred to her suddenly that he Graham . . . might be hiding on the other side of the wall. Looking Look-ing back over her shoulder, she was brought up short Dy colliding with a tall solid person who seized her hands and swung them in his own. "What are you running away from, this bright and shining morning?" morn-ing?" Bryn Inquired. "Nothing," she said, with a little nervous laugh. "That is . . . nothing noth-ing real. I just got to thinking ... I just got to thinking that perhaps ... Oh, I was just worrying worry-ing about him. That's all." "Do you know how lovely you are?" he asked gently. Deborah pressed her Hps together. Her eyes searched his. He drew her hands up, and took them both in one of his. "It doesn't matter about Graham," he said. "Don't worry about It, sweetheart." She bent and plucked one of the clove pinks, put her hand up to the breast of his blue sweater and wove the flower stem through the stitches. watching thorn, being miserable and unhappy and lonely and . . . beaten. beat-en. Eryn didn't love Pilar' Eryn didn't love Pilar . . . the' words sang In Deborah's heart so loudly that she was almost afraid Pilar would hear them, lie had said ... "I love you." There was a sudden loud noise to Deborah's ears a man's unmistakable unmis-takable cry. Grandmother started forward In her chair. "Bryn," she said quickly. "Surely that is a 'man's voice?" Bryn stood up. "it's steam escaping, es-caping, Grandmother, that's all," he said reassuringly, and then, "Let's not slay here and have It worry you. It may go on for some time. How would you like to go for a little lit-tle drive with me? You haven't been In the car for a long time." "I think I should like It very much," she replied hesitantly. "But that noise . . . are you sure . . ." Positive," Bryn said definitely, lie ottered her his arm and led her down the steps. They were gone. Deborah, alter a little, remembered remem-bered Pilar, and turned to her. "I'm sorry, Filar," she said politely. "I forgot that you don't know what this Is all about." "I do know," Tiiar murmured. "Bryn told me the whole story, of course." "I see," Deborah said slowly. Tubby straightened. "Why do you say 'of course,' rilar?" She glanced at him. "It is a natural nat-ural thing to say, surely?" "No, it Is not. Not under the circumstances. You would suggest to Deborah that Bryn goes to you as a matter of course with all his concerns and Interests?" Filar rose. "I do not mean to suggest anything In particular to Deborah,"' she said coolly. "But if she chooses to be reminded that Bryn always has come to me with his interests and concerns, that is no fault of mine. It is true." "It is not true," Tubby said. "I know exactly what you have been to Bryn, just bow little you have really meant to him. These others know, too; Sally and Simon and Madeline. Here and now, before them, I ask you to repeat to Deborah Debo-rah the statement you have just made, and if you will repeat It, we will take the matter np with Bryn when he returns, all of us, together, togeth-er, Pilar." Pilar stared at him. She stamped her foot furiously. "You are impossible!" im-possible!" she stormed, and then turned and ran through the door and up the stairs like one followed by demons. "I'm terribly proud of you, Tubby," Tub-by," Sally said with a catch in her breath. "But I don't know whether wheth-er it was wise or not. You may discover dis-cover some bright morning that Pilar Pi-lar has put ground glass in Madeline's Made-line's coffee." "In my coffee?" Madeline inquired. in-quired. "Is it permissible to ask why mine, particularly?" Sally looked at Tubby helplessly. Tubby fidgeted. He stood first on one foot and then on the other. "Well," he said. "Well?" Madeline repeated. . "Look here, Sally," Tubby expostulated. expos-tulated. "That wasn't fair. That wasn't a bit fair. I didn't ... I don't . . . that is, I can't . . ." Sally took Madeline's hand. "Listen," "Lis-ten," she said. "I suppose I'll have to step in. Ue'll go on like that for hours, just maundering. Tubby Is could not understand. lie came up the steps and stood beside Grandmother's Grand-mother's chair. Tubby and Simon were standing helpless on the grass, Sally and Madeline had retreated to the doorway, and stood there, hand in hand, watching Grandmother, Grandmoth-er, too. And Pilar, still and un-moving, un-moving, sat in her chair behind the vines. Stuart Graham, with that black smile of his, came across the grass from the driveway. He swung his wide shoulders confidently, and Deborah Deb-orah wished wildly that Bryn would go out and do something to him . . . anything ... to stop that confident, steady advance, to wipe off that triumphant smile, to save Grandmother. But it was too late. He stopped on the lowest step. He faced Grandmother. He bowed to her. "Good-morning," he said brightly. Grandmother inclined her head. "Good-morning," she replied. "You are Mrs. Larned," he stated. "I think you will have heard of me, and from me. My name is Graham." "Indeed?" Grandmother murmured, entirely calm. Her pulse beat was swift, but steady. He stiffened at Grandmother's "Indeed?" "Stuart Graham," he repeated re-peated distinctly. "Prom Boston." Grandmother Inclined her head. "How do you do," she said coolly, with perfect self-possession, perfectly per-fectly unmoved. "I knew your grandparents, I believe. And your father, too. I hope they are quite well?" "Say," Graham demanded roughly rough-ly of Bryn. "This isn't Mrs. Larned Lar-ned herself. It's somebody dressed up to look like her. What're you trying try-ing to do, put something else over on me." "I am Mrs. Larned," Grandmother Grandmoth-er said quietly. "You are Stuart Graham. I quite understand. Is there something I can do for you? Your father, as I remember him, was a gentleman, and he was onr friend. Can I help you in any way for his sake?" "You are Mrs. Larned?" he asked, incredulously. "You are Mrs. Larned, Lar-ned, and you sit there as calm as ice when I tell you that I am Stuart Graham, and that this . . ." he indicated in-dicated Bryn contemptuously, "that this fellow is nothing more than an Impostor, a man who's been taking advantage of you, who's married your granddaughter without your conseut?" "This is all you have to say to me?" Grandmother asked. "Nothing "Noth-ing that you have said seems to me particularly interesting, or of any importance. I understand. And what, then?" Graham stood foolishly for a moment, mo-ment, regarding her with disbelieving disbeliev-ing eyes. Then "This is a fine kettle ket-tle of fish," he said. "Your husband took every precaution to see that Deborah and I should marry each other and without any compunction whatever you let her marry another man. What about me? I've been banking on marrying her, all my life !" "I am sure that 'banking' is a very well chosen word," Grandmother Grand-mother commented. He flushed darkly. "That's all very well. I suppose you realize that she doesn't get the money, now that she's married this smart guy who's got you wound around his finger? I suppose you can afford af-ford to snap your fingers at that, at deliberately throwing away everything every-thing your family ever had?" "Mr. Graham, I cannot think that this is any of your affair," said Grandmother, quietly. "I am sorry, but I cannot possibly see why you fountain h FRANCES 0LEY VEES : copyr'ehtby fces Shelley Wees s fl-XC Service TERX-Contim,ed ' .rare" lie b1111' "there's fuhv somewhere. There's .'. u? after nil this talk 'Irving' her to me. To a f fere's the catch?" He : Us chin. "I get It," he said icily- "I get It now." t- 'wfyour game In meeting Snd trying to scare me off, t V. yur eam?- yo"fs Girl's. After all her molly- - 'lis. Pretty cute." 0 -exactly what do you mean?" : Vv note in Bryn's voice did 'I 4' Graham's rising pride in - ' cleverness. "You don't want '-- e the old lady," he an- "And why? Because it E. t'i year game. There's some rij it will spoil your game." " s bere," Bryn said coldly, - r'ip, "I'm telling you the IS ttaliam, and there's no game - i Deborah is married to je ,vere married three days $ S;e met you there in San Vi ia), as soon as we could get i' It was her twenty-first nv t the day she would have t you if you'd been decent to yon come up here now, C know. Dy the terms of the ? - j too late for you to marry ? i collect the estate, even if sis't already married to me. st that you forget it and go 0 your ship. I will get you - if our marriage ; possibly CK! 1 e entitled to that much; and n ia must see that there is (;: ! st all to be gained here, K f. it you may as well go." . c a was smiling, an evil, on ; j smile. "Nothing to be lp , , . by me," he said softly, ife. it do you mean?" nst e filled in the picture pret-imn pret-imn haven't you? But you know - ti about that will, and the Bit! It seems to me the trouble (to j.. I mate, my cocky young !Si :; Mild be to tell the old lady til:; in, and who you aren't.". ij," nited. . I'i the lay," Graham said. ! Harried my girl, and now D:K- s-sing yourself off as me. tit think I'm a damn' fool. ' end of the year, if no-M; no-M; fits your plans, you'll - get !0 a"r ba dollars that ought to be ' s:: M you have the everlast-; everlast-; to tell me to get out of jeace and let you get away jr' tegan to whistle tunelessly y i to teeth. (jjh stepped suddenly through Moor. "Look here, Bryn," 1 "that's the use of trying k to him?' "'"is followed closely by Si-11 Si-11 Heir sudden appearance, jjjg:: 'd hack a step, stealth-tlei; stealth-tlei; -ribing in his pose caught cd: '?. and without stopping i&T- ! hurled himself forward now; liilj figUre and flung it i " 1; Graham, taken by sur- ; Jviiy. In a Becondi mon were Into the me-i, me-i, sitting on the recumbent . hai"led something to f nagun'he explained. .''', ''Get up," he said to :'Hv"., , put ln the milk ' e i'ou think it over. ' 4 beEln to come to your itmeu, struggling to "Oh, I Was Just Worrying About Him. That's All." very good at taking care of other people's love affairs, but he's terrible ter-rible at his own. Madeline, I may as well tell you ... he came into our room last night didn't be, Simon Si-mon and he sat on the edge of the bed . . . didn't he, Simon? . . . and talked about you for hours. And he ended up by practically asking ask-ing Simon for your hand, although anybody but Tubby would know It isn't done any more. There. That's what's the matter with him. And that's why Pilar will want to put ground glass In your coffee. Pilar always wanted Tubby if she couldn't have Bryn." Tubby stepped forward and lifted lift-ed Madeline's hand. He tucked it under bis arm. "Come on, Madeline," Made-line," he said. "After all, this thing's got to a stage where an audience is practically unnecessary." Sally dropped down in the step beside Deborah, exhausted. "There," she said faintly. "That's done. Aren't men idiots?" concern yourself with this matter. It no longer is any concern of yours. Your interest, It seems to me, is a trifle belated." Grandmother put Deborah's hand firmly away from her, and stood up. "And I will add now that I have seen you, that I shall thank God every moment of the remainder of my life that It is none of your concern, that when you had the opportunity to make It so, you thought us beneath your respect. re-spect. I would rather have starved and Deborah with me, than to have her marry you. I would rather see Deborah where her mother Is, ln her grave, than in the hands of such a man as you are." Graham drew back. "You believe be-lieve anything you're told, don't you?" he sneered. "I suppose you think this Is a very romantic marriage, mar-riage, this match between the girl and a young rolling-in-gold millionaire, million-aire, this James Weldon Shipley Crynildson, Third, who pretends to fall In love with your precious granddaughter and marries her at sight. Well, let me tell you, it Isn't half as romantic as It looks. Do you know what he Is? He's nothing but a cheap adventurer, that's all, going around the world buying thrills with his money. This is a new one, this is. lie hasn't done this before. Rut wait . . . when he's tired of his new toy, then you'll see what'll happen. He'll drop her like a wrung mop-rag." "That's enough," Eryn said sharply, sharp-ly, and stepped forward. lie turned to Grandmother. "Is there anything further you wish to say to him?" he asked her quietly. "Nothing, my tiny," Grandmother answered steadily, still standing proudly. "Then," Bryn snld directly to Graham, Gra-ham, "on your way. Go on," he said between his teeth, "if yo-know yo-know what's good fur ymi." (TO BZ COyTlSI LD) Her eyes lifted to his. Bryn started start-ed to speak, but she turned and walked quickly down the path toward to-ward the house, with Bryn walking close beside her. Grandmother, to Deborah's Intense In-tense surprise, was already up. Almost before Deborah had told a maid that they were ready for their breakfast, Pilar came downstairs, down-stairs, with her red beret on her smooth dark head and her bag in her gloved hand. "I find that I must go back at once to San Francisco, Fran-cisco, Mrs. Larned. I'm terribly sorry sor-ry to go. Good-by," she said firmly. "I can't think of it," Grandmother Grandmoth-er protested. "You must have breakfast." break-fast." She turned to the maid. "Joan, tell the cook that we want a tray of coffee and toast as quickly quick-ly as it can be prepared." Pilar glanced at her watch. "Oh, very well," she said, a little ungraciously. ungra-ciously. "I'm anxious to get home by night," she explained. Tubby was the last one down. "Well," be said jovially, "here we all are, eh? What've you got your hat on' for, Pilar? You're not leaving leav-ing us, surely?" Tilar gave him a disdainful glance. "I suppose you'll be heart-broken." "Well, you know how It is," Tubby Tub-by said cheerfully. The group had just moved out to the veranda when there came the roar of a laboring small engine from the road at the left. A small battered roadster turned in at the gate. With a splash and clatter of gravel it came to a stop. Deborah's heart dropped like lead at the sight of the driver. As the car stopped, Bryn rose, walked down the steps and stopped. His eyes met the triumphant eyes of the man driving the other car. For a moment, Bryn and Graham stood facing each other, Graham half out of his car. Then, withou a word, perfectly calm, Bryn turned toward' the veranda. Deborah lifted her eyes and met Brvn's in helpless anguish. Bryn vas smiling at 1""". a steady warn, comforting smile that seemed to toll or tlmt everything was a 1 right lh.lt slie had nothing to fear. She 5VBrynsa,dmild- P C,a,wful resi(,ence- fV . 7re:v Sun.-' .jli (; ljs over, grand-;ve grand-;ve and patted Tubby's Ci; y Grand- Mi $ if Ul be chilly, My: S "ins-room .Ctere'tlie moon to carefw of me $ r?hw,fhS: not in the least night .''! es'" Grand-' Grand-' iatho, a arniy ?$?.' ?ye ,U,et'y. "Dd look l?S?Ws "he W ,;ii4lv o tu''"cd away It was a long time before Grandmother Grand-mother and Bryn came back, nearly near-ly two hours. Graham pounded and tried to make himself heard a few times, but after a while he apparently appar-ently decided it was useless, and all was quiet. They came In at last, chatting comfortably. Grandmother kissed Deborah good-night and went directly direct-ly upstairs on Bryn's arm. He came Hying down ln a minute or two. "Where's Tub? And Madeline, and I'ilar?" be inquired. "Pilar's in bed," Sally answered, "and Madeline and Tubby went off in the general direction of Heaven. Toward the orchard. I imagine that's where they still are." "O-ho," Eryn said. "So at last It's come to this I Well, If you will excuse ex-cuse me, I must be about my own business." Deborah rose swiftly and laid her hand on his arm. "You won't go alone?" "Why not? It isn't going to be a war. We're just going to have a quiet little talk, Graham and I. I think he will see reason before we're through." ne left. A little later the door opened. It was Tubby and Madeline. He grinned sheepishly. His dimple |