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Show Frances Shelletj Wees m rfT- I'll I 1 in r "Yes, sir," Burch muttered despondently, de-spondently, and went out. Tubby was staring at Bryn. "Anybody "Any-body would think you were in love with the girl," he said. "Would they? How nice. It sounds so much better. So much more romantic and idyllic. To be in love with one's bride Instead of marrying her for her money." "Money!" Tubby said bitterly. "Money !" He shook his head miserably. mis-erably. "You're making some kind of a damned fool out of yourself, Bryn. You're letting some gang pull a fast one on you that's what you're doing. Do you think for a minute that that girl doesn't know who you are?" "She .doesn't," Bryn said calmly. Tubby snorted. "That's a bright remark, Isn't it? Very "bright. Now, if I ask you, how in God's name could anybody on the Pacific coast help having seen your ugly mug in the papers, how could anybody who can read help knowing about James Weldon Shipley Brynildson Third and his speed boats and his elephant ele-phant tusks and his seven cars and his polo ponies?" "I'm sure she can read," Bryn replied, re-plied, unruffled. "The first time I saw her she was reading over a lot of legal documents up In Hol-worthy's Hol-worthy's office." Tubby eyed him for a long moment. mo-ment. Then he said gustily, "Look here, Bryn. Did it ever occur to a small child, she went Infrequently Infrequent-ly with her grandparents over the. rough mountain roads to the little country town, or was perhaps allowed al-lowed to accompany old Gary, their servant, on a marketing expedition; but as she grew older, and her mother's beauty began to evidence itself in her, she was kept mors and more closely at home. There!1 were quite often guests at the great1 house when Deborah was a child,' but they were grave elderly people like her grandparents, so that shft grew np completely cut off from companions of her own age and generation. She had, however, a library full of books, and three people peo-ple entirely devoted to her welfare. It must be admitted that of the three,- Grandfather, Grandmother and Gary, it was Gary who taught her the most Interesting things. Grandfather taught her history, and science, and geography, and political politi-cal economy. Grandmother taught her needlework, and a number of things that made them both blush and over which they skipped as hastily as possible. But Gary Gary told her stories of people. Yes, there was Gary. Grandfather Grandfa-ther and Grandmother kept the Iron gates leading to the world locked and barred, but Gary lifted the shutters shut-ters of a thousand little windows, magic casements, all of them, opening open-ing on the foam of perilous seas. But no matter how staunchly Grandfather and Grandmother kept the iron gates locked against the world, they knew that some day they would have to be opened, even If only to allow themselves to pass through, on their last Journeys. For many years the question of Deborah's Debo-rah's future, when the iron gates should, be opened, gave them anxious anx-ious hours of discussion. She would have a fortune greater than her father's before her, since it had grown through the years. She had no relatives other than her grandparents. grand-parents. Deborah must be completely com-pletely secure. So, when she was thirteen, eight years ago, Grandfather Grand-father had gone away to San Francisco Fran-cisco on a journey, and when he returned re-turned he had stopped frowning, and they told her that her future happiness was taken care of. Courtney Graham, less than a year after the marriage of Deborah's Debo-rah's mother, had taken unto himself him-self a wife. ' For him to do so had been a blow, but after talking It all over for a number of years, Grandfather and Grandmother had consoled themselves by saying that of course Anne, as far as Courtney knew at the time of his marriage, was happy ; that If she had been dead, Courtney would have devoted devot-ed his life to mourning her loss, would have considered himself a widower. No ; Courtney had been a perfect New England gentleman and he had done no wrong. He had a son, born two months after Deborah herself. The boy's name was Stuart, and now at thirteen thir-teen he was a tall handsome lad of great promise. His father and grandfather both thought that a second attempt at an alliance between be-tween the two families might prove a happy one. So it was understood that if the young people were willing, will-ing, they should marry each other when they grew tip. (TO BE CONTINUED) idiot. You, James Weldon Shipley Brynildson Third. Ye gods and little lit-tle fishes, aren't there enough men on the coast who would marry her for this fifty thousand dollars she's supposed to be paying you, without you stepping Into it? It's so damned absurd. What are you doing It for? Fifty thousand dollars doesn't mean anything to you! And they've got It ull worked out so that there'll be plenty of publicity and trouble when you want a divorce . . . you going up Into the Oregon backwoods back-woods to live with her for a year. So romantic! And she'll turn out to be a cheap little crook, but she'll be married to you all the same and entitled to a lot of your property when the break comes and your name as well. Doesn't It sound beautiful?" "Don't be an ass," Bryn said comfortably. com-fortably. "I happen to know that this business is on the level, because be-cause I've known about the case for years. I met the old gentleman gentle-man himself, Deborah's grandfather, grandfa-ther, when he was here eight years ago fixing the will up with Ted's father. fa-ther. It was just when I was taking tak-ing over my property and spending a good deal of time in Holworthy's office. The old gentleman was a most interesting old chap, and we had several long conversations. He was Intensely concerned about this will he was making, and very anxious anx-ious to make sure that he was doing do-ing the right thing. The old man put the thing up to me as a hypothetical hypo-thetical case and asked me what I thought of it. Being a young fool, I thought It sounded fine." "So now," Tubby said, eyeing him, "when It doesn't look as if it might be so fine, you feel responsible? respon-sible? Is that It? Is that why you're throwing yourself away like a sack of soft potatoes?" Bryn sighed. "I do wish you'd go and change your clothes' he said. "You can't be my best man In a white tie and tail, not when I'm wearing a lounge suit. We'd probably have another earthquake." "And what about Pilar?" "Well, what about her?" "For two years you've carted her. around. Everybody thinks you're going to marry her. She'll go blooey when she hears this. Have you told her anything at all?" "How could I tell her? I wasn't sure myself until two hours ago. And there's no reason why I should. I've never asked her to marry me, or even hinted about It." "Well, I don't have to tell her, do I?" "That's a bright idea," Bryn said happily. "Thanks, old man. I'll do the same for you one of these days. Now, on your way, Tubby. Go and get dressed. Burch will bring you your cocktail, and lend you one of his shirts and a collar. You can wear my pants If you're careful not to take a deep breath, but I don't think you'd better try buttoning the coat. All In keeping . . . she'll think you got them second hand." Twenty-three years previously, Anne Whittaker Larned had eloped, on the morning of the day of her wedding to Courtney Graham, and had married a young man, who, had he been a woman, would never nev-er have been received in the society so-ciety in which the Larneds moved. The consequences were disastrous. The young man had no money, but he had expected to have a great deal when the Larneds relented and forgave their only daughter. However, How-ever, he encountered unexpected difficulties with the daughter herself; her-self; for when she discovered why he had married her, she crept away from him, her heart as nearly broken bro-ken as a physical organ can be broken bro-ken by human unhappiness, and when her daughter was only a few days old, she died. Fortunately, the young father who never knew that he was a father was kicked In a vital spot by a horse, and died before he could cause any more misfortune; thus strengthening the belief of a number of people in the vengeance and justice of God. The aged and broken grandparents grandpar-ents took their daughter's child and also the blame for their daughter's unhappiness. If, they told themselves, them-selves, miserably, they had guarded guard-ed her well, she would never have met this handsome young scoun- Ma2t- CHAPTER I Rx i, 1 ie, TN finished his story. Tall, JhT'an. bronzed, he stood before It 7)I" crystal mirror hanging over n0 'stone fireplace and examined ,i, iin critically. It was a very I,, ? chin, but Bryn was not In the concerned with its nlceness; Eias trying to determine whether 1 had or had not nicked it in- 'simally. It seemed not. Burch 'done his usual perfect job. I nW, niS e-VeS r0Und an(1 diS" ed, dropped Into one of the nes; morocco armchairs and stared 5!,f:'at the dusk. It was pouring C.,ttcsmoke across the bay, sifting ' C'igh the Golden Gate to blot !.d' -he sunset The daily fleet of 'ig vessels, their sails a row -ny dark triangles against the Skiing face of the sun, slipped jnce more to brave the perils of Vasty deep. Below the house D raves lapped Idly at the white gentle and harmless, bby was not a philosopher, and Tfpad very little imagination. To 1 h .y a horse was a horse, usually AjLfour legs and a tail. It was "p?omething over which kingdoms I L it be lost or with which prin-kLjs prin-kLjs might be rescued. Waves to Hy were waves, always wet and chilly. But now, as he stared through the wide plate' glass ijbw, there was a look of posl-Sillnspiration posl-Sillnspiration on his face, as if he W I( telling himself that these s, at least, might sometimes the shores of China, the far, dangerous shores of China; R, these waves might easily, and tender though they now FTnired, might easily puff and and lift themselves to fall rs akthunder and fury on one of the ,..ent little vessels drifting now tVKlrenely past the sun. Life was rwthat, Tubby was convinced. 3by put his head down Into his pi3 and groaned-i groaned-i modiMok here, Bryn," he said In a bid:eg0ne voice, "you can't go I Glllgh with It, I won't let you. .ACfcS Anal." i TrUPt. tut." Bryn responded amia-cti-BjHe pressed a bell on the man-nclu-Sice. Burch, bland and serene, tlle door no'selessly. fitbt-irch, I am being married this ii- ire was a moment of dead St,Si'ess as If even the waves had S3i In their irresistible course. Burch swallowed, and said ", "Indeed, sir? Do you wish - procure a maidservant, sir?" ; TJsedl'i looked up, startled. "A ..servant? Do we need a maid- Vj". Vtr gtejliyas thinking of your wife, sir." r wife?" Bryn repeated, his ron incoming sharply to Burch's lrt i Then, "Ah ... no. She will 'e coming here." iry good, sir. What shall I looked down at the gray (0MWltl1 wulch Tubby had Inslst-was Inslst-was desecrating the evening. RVWonsldered. "Well, shirts and s. Nothing else, except those If trousers I got so much mud fTfl: Tahoe." ajJfclPs, sir. Nothing else? No guns? filng tackle? No golf clubs?" idling. By the way I am a f engineer out of work be-of be-of the depression. Anything ng engineer out of work be-of be-of the depression wouldn't I wouldn't have. I've pawned 4 It1' i Wmi- "Did It Ever Occur to You That Ted Holworthy Might Be Engineering Engi-neering This Beautiful Mix-up?" you that Ted Holworthy himself might be engineering this beautiful beauti-ful mix-up? Did it?" "I can't say that it did." "All this talking he's been doing about her. What did he tell you about her for In the first place? Oh, I know he said It was an Interesting Interest-ing case, but that was just to get you listening.'.' "Didn't you think it was an Interesting In-teresting case, Tubby?" "Well, If It was a case, yes. Certainly. Cer-tainly. Of course. I thought myself my-self It was interesting. But you notice no-tice I didn't get all wrought up about It and start hanging around to get a look at the girl, and even if I had I wouldn't even dream of stepping Into a game like this and marrying her myself." "Neither did I," Bryn said. "I drel, and all would have been as they had planned. She would have married Courtney Graham, scion of an old and spotless family, and all her ways would have been ways of pleasantness and all her paths would have been paths of peace. The Grahams were among the first people of Boston. Nowhere on their escutcheon could be found a blot, and even the erasure marks were so carefully done as to leave no trace. A perfect marriage, it would have been. But their daughter daugh-ter was dead, and their bitter regret re-gret was in vain. However, they still had the child, and over the mother's grave they vowed to themselves them-selves that nothing should mar this girl's life. They dedicated their remaining years to her. It seemed to them that they must creep out of the world with her, hi.lo her, and find for her a sanctuary. They had sold the historic mansion man-sion In Boston, and with their heau- never dreamed of such a thing. But I was curious, I'll admit that. You haven't any curiosity because you haven't got any Imagination. If you had, you'd have been hanging around, too. You'd have wanted to look at the man In the case, when he arrived for this wedding to a girl he'd never seen, and then wheu you saw the man you'd certainly have wanted to get a look at the girl, and when you saw the girl . . ." Bryn paused. Tubby looked at him curiously, but Bryn coughed and went on immediately. "When you saw the girl you would most assuredly have wanted to know how It was all going to come out. She . . . well, she wasn't his type, Tub." "You're saying just what I've been trying to say," Tubby cried. "Holworthy's been working on your Imagination. He knows what you're like. Well, It's succeeded. Everything's Every-thing's gone according to plan. You're roped. Tonight you're go- JT'ch drew a noticeable deep gj1!- "Very good, sir. Shall you e to breakfast?" irtalnly." . ." ucjp' I said she wasn't coming." Jl1 . . yes, sir. Lunch?" u 0 lunch. I shall be leaving im-,"l,t0ly im-,"l,t0ly atter breakfast, and you ' Prepare dinner until ap-2Softl!atcly ap-2Softl!atcly a 5'ear fl'om tonight. I oe away during that time." .sli!S' slr- A,ld the orders for ifUfl) n?" rgjtp'ii swung round from the glass, disregarded Burch thoughtfully. f'ts so," he sai(i meditatively. flT " UaVe forKtt?"- Tell Xlor-4ffJ Xlor-4ffJ tilke a spauner, will you, and jve the paint not all of it, but ' ""even portions from the TtOTe- Tc" him to take a chisel C B've It some nice deep .10 VheS. Tell him to make it look a car I might imve bollht for tiful old household poods, had gone west as far as they could go, out to the Oregon wilderness. There, In the most glorious natural surroundings, surround-ings, they had built a hui'e stone house. They were miles from the nearest town, and cut off from ail easy contact with civili;i:ion. Here the child, Deborah, grew up. with only her grandparents and the servants for her companions. In the early years, when she was yet flw- lorty-two dollars and fifty from a bankrupt gangster. He ?1, bas.h ,P 'the fenders, and if ing further occurs to him..." 15ella"-e, sir? The new n n;t0r? T1,e Wel: car?" jJS.f Hl,,?6 U,ins'" Bryn said Sftrch's00" I,iS tel 'Ch "sUntPd countenance. hat. all." B,-yn said crisply. ing to marry this girl that you ve only seen three times, a girl you don't really know a darn thing about, just because she has some kind of cock-and-bull story about having to get married before her twenty-first birthday and the man she's supposed to marry doesn't happen to take her fancy. Of course he wouldn't take her fancy with you around. Certainly he wouldn't. That's what It's all about, you darn |
