Show FA h te 0 girl 1 inthe in in the mirror q mr CHAPTER VI continued bob know she said it if he had felt the least suspicion lie he have gone so BO far or for so long I 1 thought V I 1 had three or four months laurie bent cad and kissed her cheek im coming in every day he be said bald and abruptly left deft the room in the lower hall he stopped to take in the full real realization of what ho he had discovered louise superb arrogant rn ant beautiful louise was really til desperately A feeling of remorse mingled with his sense of hock ile he had believed her a sort of nervous hypochondriac he had bad so BO resented her excessive demands on barbara that it was only since he had seen much of her in this last month that he had been able whole to like and admire her As he stood silent lie he become con nelous of another presence an nu all cast aist impressive one familiar in the past but veiled now as it were in a of human emotion it was jep son on the butler ile be coughed humbly Hex cuse me sir he faltered but mrs quite so well lately sir ave you Lob served that laurie nodded 1 I noticed it today he admitted ashes losin strength very fast sir nail hall of us as seen it IL cook says aibe dont dant eat nothing and susanne and the nurse sass its ard work to get er from tile the bed to er chair laurie checked these revelations has the doctor been here today kesslr lr two of em ave been ere doctor speyer comes hevery day this morning le e brought doctor harnes again lifts very hup setting mr er brother avay away find and hall tile man was genuinely anxious laurie tried to reassure him she may be better in a day or he said more buoyantly than he felt nut but ill come in every day and heres my telephone number if anything goes wrong call rne me up immediately ined lately leave a message if rm fro ont not there here Ye sIr thank you sir jepson was pathetically grateful and relieved lie he had bad the english servants charac 14 need of sanction and authority when laurie reached his rooms he railed palled sonya on the telephone like jepson he be was feeling rather overwhelmed by his responsibilities it was a relief to bear deep nilor ful voice know you were here till just now he told her im coming to we 8 you in the morning I 1 want to ta talk 1 k to you yon about a lot of things including mrs Ord wayT suggested sonya yes you saw her today you noticed of course samuel Is to be operated on tomorrow ill send him lack to devon house with his mother in a few days as soon as he can safely travel and I 1 shall stay right here splendid of youl Its what barbara and mr warren would wish and mrs ordway too I 1 think though she would never sug sui vest it im sure it is laurie baurle hung up the receiver with a nervous hand to a youth of ty tour four it Is a somewhat overpowering experience to discover that destiny la Is especially busy over the affairs of two women for whom he has assumed a def definite lufte responsibility As ho he turned from thy the instrument its bell a impelled his attention lie ile took up iho ibe receiver and the voice of u girl came to his ear A week or mo iwo ago he had rather liked that voice iad end i ad its owner a gay irresponsible good hearted little creature who pranced in the front row of eh 91 uptown pony ballet now he be listened to it II with keen distaste I 1 hello Ilc llo baurle it twittered la Is that you this Is diillio a listen I 1 cotta flan A bunch banch of us Is ie coin at to gedney to supper hupper tonight waro ware chiw to leave right after the mow are you on mallrie baurle at ot rid of the fair billie he M it courteously but very firmly A by ELIZA ELIZABETH BE JORDAN 0 by the tb century compoy Com puy be rather unusual degree of firmness was necessary for miss HIM balte was not used to having her invitations refused she accepted the phenomenon with acute unwillingness and very finger angly bangs was not at home to divert hla his chums mind with his robust conversation As he be dressed tor for his call on doris the sharp contrasts contras tg of life struck k laurie with the peculiar force with which they hit the young and the inexperienced Buti Bu were they really contrasts on the one side were louise dying and doris seemingly eager to die on the other were billie and her friends foolish little butterflies enjoying their brief hour in the secret garden carden of life at eight laurie found dorl doris sitting under the shade of a reading lamp in her studio eternally chattering about good times playing they were happy perhaps even thinking they were happy but infinitely more tragic figures than Loul louise seand and doris yet a week ago he had thought they amused halml pondering on these and other largo problems he absently removed the bloom front from three fresh white ties CHAPTER VII griggs gets an order at eight laurie found doris sitting under the shade of a reading lamp to in her studio deep in the pages of a sophisticated french novel and radiating an almost oppressive atmosphere of well being subconsciously he resented this his mood was keyed to tragedy but he returned her half serious halt half mocking smile with one as enigmatic shook hands with grave formality and surveyed with mild interest a modest heap of bank notes of small denominations that lay on tile the table catching the rooms high lights following his glance doris nodded complacently 1 I left them there for you to see she remarked did the kind gentleman under the three balls give you all that ile he did count it laurie frowned dont be so arrogant about your wealth its fleeting any copybook copy book bok will tell you so she opened a small drawer in the table swept the bills into it and casually closed it laurie stared are you going to leave it there just like that she looked patient why not 1 I begin to understand why you yon are sometimes financially cramped ile he took tile the bills smoothed them out flat rolled back the rug to the edge of the table laid the money under tinder it and carefully replaced the rug the place to put it lie ob served with satisfaction no one connected with a studio ever lifts ut ru rug hangs bangs and I 1 used to throw our money under the furniture and pick it up BB as we needed it but others othera sometimes reached it first this way la Is better how lovely you yon looka he added As ho he spoke lie he comfortably seated himself on the other side ol of the reading lamp and moved the lamp I 1 amp to a point where it would not obstruct his view of her she bhe did look lovely she had put on an evening gown very simply made but rich in tho oriental coloring she loved she was like louise in that lauries Laurl cs thoughts swung to the clatters Int lat sickroom sick room and his braill brilliant ant young face grew somber the girl lounging in the big chair observed the sudden change ip in his hill expression she pushed a box of elgar cigarettes ettes toward him smoke if you yon like she said bald indifferently all my friends do lie ile caught the phrase then the she had frI friends endal 1 including herbert ransome shawl shaw lie asked as he lit a match dont include him among my friends 1 but he was here this afternoon lie ire wasi was I 1 in his hi rising interest laurie nearly let the match go out what did he be want to warn me to have nothing to do with you yon 1 1 I I like his infernal cheek I 1 laurie lit the cigarette and bufred nt at it savagely then rising he drew his ats chair forward and sat down facing her see here he said bald quietly better tell me the whole story I 1 cant help you much if im kept in the dark put lint if let me into things and before I 1 forget it he fie interrupted himself to interject 1 I want to all bring a friend of mine to call on you she will be a tower of strength ashes a russian and one of the best women I 1 know she listened with a slight smile her name miss Orl eneff sonya Orlene Orl eneff fr a great pat pal of my sisters and an all round good sort id like to bring her in tomorrow afternoon will five be convenient no she spoke now with the curtness of the morning in no circumstances she ehe added decisively but why he was dazed it if ever a knight errant worked under greater difficulties than these laurie told himself hed like to know the poor chaps chapa name 1 I have no wish to meet miss or leneat but ashes an ideal person for bof you to know exper experienced fenced sympathetic and understanding she did a lot for my sister last year I 1 must aust tell you all about that sometime she could do more for you sir devout devon I 1 the finality of her to tone n e brought him up short we must understand each other I 1 should like nothing better ile he to loo was suddenly formal this morning you projected yourself into my life literally he cordially agreed 1 I am grateful to you for what you did and what you wish to do but I 1 will not meet any more strangers I 1 will not meet miss Orl eneff or any one else Is that clear oil oh perfectly i 1 laurie sighed of course youre a crowned head lie mused aloud 1 I had bad forgotten would you you like my head head on a charger or anything like that she studied him thoughtfully almost from the first she sat said and except for an occasional minute or two you have refused to be serious that interests me why Is it arent you willing to realize that there are real troubles in the world terrible troubles that the bravest go down und r of course he was serious now ile he had bad begun to realize that fully its my unfortunate manner I 1 suppose he defended himself ive never taken anything seriously for very long its iti hard to form fona the tub bib it all of a sudden you will have to take tab M xo seri ri bously fie made a large larea gesture of acceptance all right he be promised that brings us ca back to where we were tell me the truth if theres anything in it that really menaces you yoa find me s serious alous enough before answering the she rose and opened the studio door on which he observed with approval a strong new lock and an inside bolt had already been placed he saw her peer up and down the hall then she closed and bolted the door and returned to her chair the precaution brought before him a mental vision of herbert ransome shaw prowling about the win uni con idor he spoke incredulously are you really afraid of that chap 1 I have good reason to be she said qu quietly betly she sat down in her chair again rested lier her elbows on the table and her chin in her hands in tile the pose already sofa familiar so millar to tc him and added quietly ile he Is the source of all my present trouble she stopped and turned her head to listen do you hear bear anything moving in tile the hall she asked almost in a whisper no shall I 1 look she shook her head dont unbolt the fhe door youre nervous im sure theres nothing there please go on he urged conr little friend bertle bertie seeing her expression he stopped short forgive me he said eald humbly rut put the plain truth Is 19 its awfully hard for we me to talie take that fellow serf seriously oh I 1 know be hes Is venomous he conceded buti cant help feeling that he its as much power over iron as you think he has he realized that she was listening but not to him there Is some gome one outside that boort she whispered laurie leaped to the door as noiselessly as a cat unbolted it and flung it open the hall was empty 11 he had bad an instantaneous impression that something as silent as a moving shadow had vanished around the staircase at the far end bui but when lie he reached the spot he be saw nothing save the descending sc iron spirals of successive stairways ile he returned to his companion smiling reassuringly its our nerves he said in a few minutes more I 1 shall be worrying about bertle bertie myself dolt bolt the door again she directed tie he obeyed she went on as it if there had been no interruption to their talk it what lie he Is she admitted ire he himself Is nothing as you say its what Is back of him that that frightens mel me why dont you smoke she interrupted herself to ask laurie automatically selected and lit another cigarette 1 I know going to be back of bertle bertie pretty soon he darkly predicted whoever he Is and whatever he la Is doing he has a big jolt coming to him and its coming fasi fast he laid down the cigarette and turned to her with hla his most charming expression a wonderfully sweet smile halt half shy wholly boyish before this look any one who loved laurence devon was helpless come lie he said gently tell me the whole story you know its ita not I 1 curiosity that hat makes me ask but how can I 1 help you when im working in the dark asslie hesitated his brilliant eyes so softened now continued to hold hers and I 1 want to help you he be added 1 I 1 want that privilege more than than I 1 want anything else in the world for a long moment she sat still i as if considering his words her eyes on her hands folded in her lap the strange deep flush he be had noticed once before again stained her face at last she straightened up with a quick inov movement ment throwing back her shoulders as it if to take on again some burden they bad almost cast off 1 I am sorry to seem so mysterious she said and so unresponsive I 1 will vill tell you this much and it Is more than I 1 ought to say in the situation we are in I 1 am in his power horribly so ile he can crush me at any time lie he chooses then why he the gentleness of her callers voice softened bened the brusqueness of his words because sh she stopped again for the first arst time she had bad become embarrassed arid and self conscious she made her climax in a rush lately he insists that he has fallen in love with me laurie uttered an ejaculation it was not a pretty one but it nicely fitted the emergency ile he has hoped that to save myself and others I 1 will marry him the contemptible temp tible crawling snake 1 the listener was impressed by her comparison certainly there was soni something ething ophidian about shaw he himself had noticed it it then for the time being youre really safe ho be suggested no ills his patience Is exhausted he Is beginning to realize that TS id rather die I 1 laurie gets get the idea thai the police ought inight to be notified but dorlo doris warns warn him that would spoil everything I 1 I 1 TO US MA |