Show cup un U by RICHA RICHARD M HOFFMANN copyright t by r richard chard hoff hoffmann man n service SYNOPSIS following his fathers bitter cratl i in of his idle we life and the with drapal awl of financial assistance 11 hal al ire lend ind only son of a wealthy banker oxide himself practically without funds hut but with tho the promise of a situation in francisco which city lie ho must reach each ban from new york within a definite time illige limit lie ho takes passage with cross country auto party on a share ensell basis with five other members ep i pense of the party an attractive girl barry trafford Tr anord middle aged aeed giles sister anastasia Anast asla a nun rind and kerrigan xer rigan sit n individual whom lie he instinctively dislikes martin alarta n crack he starts his journey barrys reticence annoys him to kerrigan lie he takes at once but he it is unable to to 8 shako hake off a feeling of uneasiness lie distrusts crack although gliding finding his intimacy with kerrigan r ripening ip e ning and ho he makes a little ates 63 with barry CHAPTER IV 8 thursday hal had some difficulty reaching his friend next morning and it was nearly one when he brodi brought ait kerrigan Ner rigin down froni froal their room to see what hed got really ought to look nt at it first through an old snapshot negative said jai hal your tour eyes do better if you take these things gradually it was a great locomotive of a car a certain high erectness the small huts hubs and spindly spokes proclaiming venerability but deep green and bright brass the pale taupe of the up tip holsters hols tery the miniature limps lamps beside the doors with a little red star in each tide side glass made its venerability that of an aristocrat who could ignore the fickleness tek leness of styles kerrigan Kerril mn bookel and his eyes softened affectionately shades of dempsey and willard he be breathed what is it A martin rtin day bomber without the wings nineteen twenty three said sat rial flat belonged to the mother of one of the directors and never been driven over forty cared for like an only child look at that upholstery kerri kerrigan kerrian an looked and stroked kings ride on cabric fabric less rich he said they left the en engine tie in it I 1 spose but why texas license plates only ones they had handy though be interesting to drive from mich ilich igan to california with texas plates and a new york driving license but the motors sweet sweets a nut the solid multiple chunk of tile the closing door drew an exclamation of awe from kerrigan ile he said you dont think ill be embarrassed rid ing in up so high find you see more of the country said U hal right over the heads of the crowds that gather true true I 1 its ts it a wonder were alive tell me more how much does the museum want tor for it three hundred and the tires look at the tires made of rubber they are and practically new and every everything thin works the speedometer even the cigar cl ar lighter the railing up on top widows walk no hats the laundry yard said rat bal colonel it if I 1 know you bowell so well id almost think you were making fun or of of chochol Chu chot chol there ysee said kerrigan youve gone and bought us it a car and dont know what to call it spose the others had come before f it was named the ignominy we better go up and throw out a horn from the quart an old old dog fancler fancier left ln in my pocket this morning got to christen it A drink said ilal hal at noon kerrigan what ayou think I 1 am Ker rigans eyes were merry just about what you seem lie said 1119 nala halls elbow and turning him round had become the cars name anie by the time rime the travelers were ready ady to start they were shown as in his timeless green and brass ass distinction john smiled loftily rocking back on his heels as tf if he were taking the air on the deck of his yacht and sirs airs made a little ex cia matlon of surprise clasped her hands in 10 front of her as if to be sure she nt touch the paint and gave ft ual hal 11 look of interest arid add respect oh its elegant she said oh my its beautiful barry and sister anastasia came up a rid ld carrys barrys look rat ran out to lial hal in un glardes confidence she came to his side de to admire said nod and tier her low voice ali ah its a sweet old thing aike l ake it said hal flat abo showing wing her his pi pleasure basure mm she said be fun wont and dd ye we can 11 light 9 lit the little c carriage at cant we 1131 al Pline kled 9 at t her more delightedly than he meant to said raid sd get bet we can lie and you shall have em to ro keep when we get there she looked at it ills his lips then up UD at ills is eyes securely ly expectantly on the point of letting 61 him S IS 1 l pass another of the intangible de fences but then she said only I 1 why dont we start because ne cause that miserable fella crack isn t here said hal 1111 and the brief confidence that had lain between ther their eyes lost itself barry turned tier her back on tile the others slipped tier her hand lightly inside rials bials arm and in lie he crooked it as they took a slow step stel or two away how long 0 do you think it should take to los angelest carry barry askel him hal flat return returned eo tile the gravity of her eyes all ill the while conscious of the casual casual resting of her hand on ills his arm as ir if sensation paused pati ed throughout his body except just there where she touched ched him and he sure he wholly matched her casualness as he h e said sa h 1 I figured it closely I 1 its ts about twenty five hundred miles six days would be fairly brisk why harry barry do you want to hurry her look coolly disavowed any plen plea for herself yoi boik wont say anything it if I 1 toll tell you why sister ariastar anastasia sla tier her low mention of it was quite as lyric 11 ric tender as the nuns had been is going to the coast she lias has a brother rother li at the tha santa barbara mission iles hes dying ile he wants tier her there before lie he dies to forgive him for something wrong lie thinks lie he did to her a long ion time ago ashes so patient so good so so jumble humble the word because that sometimes means things not always brave and fine she say anything thin to you but its so so much to tier her im sure she hear bieard anything for a long time she know whether lies hes dead now ilal hal wanted to keep her hand touching I 1 ng his arm until ile he found the remark that would open some small slit silt of intimacy in tier her thoughtful faintly anxious look put but all lie he said was D n that crack slie she watched him an instant ion longer er a as s if she expected him to say something else then she looked down at lit hi mouth tier her hand slipped from liis lit arm and she turned turn round and rid d n tile me too lie said to himself for letting that minute get away from tile me what Is it comes over you ireland you yokel lunch was vas not only eater eaten i but digested the luggage was all ii up P on on th the e widows walk under a spanking g ii fiew ew tarpaulin and still crack conic come A bagh clock somewhere round the corner struck four times hal squatting on roof murmured down to Kerri kerrigan gari 11 II 11 1 with him film lets leave his bag and his fare far e and shove off casualty casually barry said 1 I dont think be fair to leave him do you why not nor said hal lit if we make a couple of hundred miles before bedtime we might be one night less on the road conviction backed up barrys casual looking at kerrigan and hals obstinacy rose but suppose barry began and kerrigan interrupted here he comes barry lifted doc under tinder her arm and got into the car without hurry as if tier her stand about crack really mattered to her hal vaulted to the pavement as crack came up ind and said to him film any lay day this week young fella where the devil have you been crack flushed awfully sorry he said 1 I got delayed awful sorry ills hand came from his jacket pock pocket et and he dropped his look modestly to watch the golf ball fall to tile the pavement and bounce up to his hand again then as if jai hal were the only understanding understand ln of the one ona to share an 1 had I ad to ways of the world he said telegraph new york business business the answer was slow X comin back ile he as young as he chally looked hal decided it t old fashioned air straight only on y his brushed hair and jacket buttoned high N to the small OP opening ening that gave him maturity and whatever beau bemused sed his als remained private light drowsy eyes to them not wholly through shyness ess telegraph new york on business and wait tor for an answer it went through hals mind quickly something ile he had bad and vividly like thought of before and forgotten forgette for gotte n and before he I 1 said there was no pause get in your bags up crack looked up at tile the rack then of the car immune length the along alo ng to K hurry nice car he said shyly y as if he 6 knew something about it that ual ital sey they had bad gone 20 miles westward when ful pave gave a lost wall of dismay that man tha that man good gad cad sir what man asked kerrigan iles not here john said his des lie pe aeration ration rising we left him behind that driver that miller our fares all previous discussion of the mat ter of Al millers illers dismissal and hals possession of tile the fares had flown down past johns ears it turned out and as kerrigan explained it among eager oils and ills alls of understands under understanding ng hal flat became aware that he hall had undertaken responsibility or of a sort ort s here where forty eight hours ago he given a continental conti ta whether any of them got anywhere or not lie he was now being in ft trusted to land them all in los angeles safe soon ind and at no further expense it save gave him an odd feeling near the pit of his stomach not to be defined at all before tie he forgot it dusk came early because of the shredded cotton comforter of cloud low under tinder the sky and when they turned south at coldwater for the indiana border there was a warm rain smell ing breeze it was dark when they got to fort wayne and while they were at supper slipper there was a splatter of rain flew at the window it was agreed to push on a little fir farther ther giving the weather eather of ral night ht a chance to make up bp its mind and n d promptly it made up its mind to drench water down upon the world A pair of brilliant headlights moved toward them through the dark rain a truck and trailer enormous with wide top lights and a line of little green crystals along its side ila hal I 1 eased the accelerator r farther bending forward to keep track of the roads U ea ne X kill kil i 0 if vt po had to telegraph new york business the answer was slow comin back edge then made startling as physical assault for cor all its quiet chicks whis per sounded behind him stop it brakes easy isy there was nothing to see gee nothing but hal gave the brake pedal intermittent touches cursing the groundless authority in that whisper IS as lie he lid did it the headlights thundered past and OIL there re in the rain streaked lire lare close ahead a fi ure in a gleam edg in poncho rode a bicycle ila hal swung aside aside for him film fead fealing a confused emp ainess hold ills his chest for an instant telling himself he was finished with that uneasy premonition that sense of portent lie partly turned turn its his head to ask crack HOW the deuce did you yon see him crack answer nt at once after a little ills his whisper carine cami drowsing again in shy satisfaction 1 I i just sorta saw him when th they it was near ten ey cime came to to and they would have been ready to spend the night there even if at tile the first corner they had not seen a 0 white sign proclaim tourists on the lawn of an old house the cheerful untidy young g woman told kerrigan in loud surprise that she had two double rooms and three singles and failed to keep entirely calm before the coincidence that these accommodations would fit them with the lug luggage gage down an and in mana managed ged to divert tier her mind to thoughts though ts of where the nearest garage was one where lie he might find a mechanic and a grease gun ill be right back hal hai said to kerrigan see that everybody gets set tied lied and hook an early call tive live thirty ill airty say exit cut he rl right ht back the elderly night man nian at the garage found everything pretty dry and was delighted to have some one to talk to lial hal got away in just under tinder in an hour the rain had stopped the air was refreshed good almost cool and the waning moon rode silent over the last hurried shreds of cloud hal flat found himself possessed of a juvenile eagerness to get back to the house an eagerness out of all proportion to the chances of carrys barrys being up out of proportion to the importance of any slight scene of challenge and adroitness teat that might be between them if she were lie ile tried the door and found it locked A dim figure came toward the lie net curtained window and hal flat had to put down a quick resurgence of excitement the door gwun swung g timidly open and an the untidy young womans comans sta stage stae e whisper scraped round its edge 7 nil all in tied bed I 1 waited up tip for you ill just lock up tip and show you where your room Is I 1 was telling daddy how lucky it was you all could just fit it some of you married and all daddys daddes a great one for talking see sec him in the morning ile ie likes strangers oh no but youre going coln so early arent you yon you wont see him and rid so on halfway up the stairs where she suddenly interrupted herself to hiss a harsh at ila hal there was a low light over the landing eyebrows Fye brows raised head nodding she stabbed tier her finger several times at tile lie first door good night she whispered loudly like a conspirator ual wished he so wide awake lied hed lie he sorry in tile the morning lie ile opened the door gently hoping kerrigan was too deeply asleep to be disturbed but the light from the street lamp striking str ikins upward on the white celing revea revealed led a broad and unoccupied double bell bed against the wall good thou thought lit hal flat ill read ile he pressed the door shut with less care shot cliot the bolt under his h hand 1 n d pd found a light switch on the wall ft et first stroke the light clicked on and only then he heard a breath quickly quick y caught behind him in the room ile he turned and harrys barrys blue eyes with a gleaming rini rim of wet along each lower lid were wide mile and anxious on him TO BE CONTINUED |