| Show CHILD 0 OF wa xa W 0 OCTAVUS SERVICE ROY COHEN by 0 BWY COHEN CHAPTER VII continued 9 but you were in a fight insisted kay an affair ot of sorts but not romantic my dear replied barney say that anyway and im still scared dont be silly n not and she tried not to ashe said dad came out here again today unnatural about that hes a pretty swell egg and he wants to be sure that youre happy 1 I know but hes worried too he wants to do things what sort of things he wants to see kirk reynolds so do I 1 but you I 1 told dad that too hes a grand person penson barney and ive hurt him without wanting to he talked to me tor for two hours he thinks im just a silly kid because I 1 wont tell him the truth im complaining about the same thing 1 I cant tell anybody it if you knew or tt if dad knew dont you think we do honey figu piu dont know you can only fei check honey and im not going to intrude any more when youre ready to tell me or your dad 1 I wish I 1 could she brushed her lios lio against his mouth tell me s it barney who was it he shrugged someone you dont even know A swamp angel named jeff butler this morning he was drunk and I 1 had to fire him this evening he was twice as drunk and we had a little trouble when we met in macs bar B Q her forehead crinkled ile he attack you did he noo no o not exactly you attacked him oh quit asking questions but I 1 want to know barney jeff attack you and you dont run around assaulting men like that without cause smart female arent you well have it then mr butler was indulging in some very obscene conversation I 1 walked in on it and got sore conversation about the gardens r about me what difference does that make it makes lots of difference he drew a deep breath youre either very foolish or very courageous kay or just doggone dog gone curious tell me all ali right he spoke slowly jeff butler has been spying on you and miss maynard he was describing to certain friends of his the details of well of the picture taking all her face was chalky 1 I see and by now the whole county knows what of it get this honey I 1 dont want you to kid yourself that 0 L tricked me into telling you the ur I 1 told you because I 1 knew bod were going to hear it anyway and I 1 figured it was better for you to get it firsthand first hand but now you know well agree that the yokels will gossip and that be terribly shocked but mother will start telling folks about what you and miss maynard have been doing and that will spike several guns the main point is that youre here with friends who would do anything for you that let ern em do so what more could a shy young maiden ask CHAPTER VUI VIII beverly buzzed with excitement good ladies abandoned housewifely duties or reduced them to a minimum and gathered to discuss this ant elut and most sensational out gokh of what they were pleased to call kay forresta For rests carryings on the general meeting place for those who could afford the time and money was the womans comans exchange and tea room an eminently respectable spec table place on monument square facing the white star hotel and operated by that elderly and unmistakably maiden lady miss deborah barton miss deborah was at this moment engaged in vigorously defending kay forrest for no particular reason except that she did not like some of the ladies who were sipping tea munching pop overs and enjoying themselves by ripping kays character to shreds they said disgraceful what it is running around the country naked they said 1 I knew no good would come of all this murders and immorality and drinking and debauchery they would have said a good deal more had it not been for miss deborah who had been hovering over the table like a dragon miss deborah said tommyrot and rubbish its just a lot of lies but miss deborah we know its true that kay was posing without any clothes on mrs hamilton admitted it was true she said and the speaker sniffed virtuously that it was artistic emph you all ever un der stand anything beautiful it seems to me that the fact that ruth hamilton knew about it all the time would settle everything doc morrison was consulted by several gossipy persons but with none too satisfactory results doc was a venerable old man gentle and kindly a person who was at one and the same time both pious and unregenerate doc had obtained his MD many many years before when medical schools demanded little preliminary education of their matriculating students and not too much of those who graduated for thirty years he had practiced in beverly with great moral success and small financial returns he lavishly dispensed his cure alls ails calomel and quinine he owned a battered asthmatic old car in which he bumped over bad roads day and night bringing cheer and solace and some degree of skill borne of long practice to those who were ill and poor not alone in beverly but all through beauregard county he was known and loved even those townsfolk who scoffed at his ability held him in high personal esteem men and women and children loved his kindly quizzical good nature his serene philosophy his broad charity doc morrison had been startled rather than shocked by the revelation of kay forresta Forres For rests Vs photographic nudity he gave ear to gossip tor for the sole purpose of chiding those who flayed clayed the girl and it was doc morrison who sternly advised miss the angular owner of bev erlys native beauty parlor that it behooved only those who were without sin to cast stones whereupon u miss Tr elane being unmistakably without sin indulged in an orgy of stone throwing and declared that she was doing it with docs approval at the lavish home of jonathan guinn mrs guinn was entertaining the literary circle the good ladies had abandoned their fervid pursuit of culture in favor of a discussion of the previous nights affair diana guinn was an authoritative person and as the wife of the towns foremost industrialist a prominent one it was she who propounded the question 1 I wonder what that awful henkel woman Is thinking and who then elicited applause by declaring the meeting adjourned and stating that in spite of the lateness of the hour she was on her way to the white star hotel to get a finger wave from sonia soma henkel and at the same time to make sure that the imported beautician knew all about the goings on of kirk reynolds bride diana moved through the gathering dusk with firm positive strides she persuaded miss henkel to remain open just a little while longer she delivered herself over to donias deft ministrations and she commenced to talk her voice was sharp her ideas definite and her choice of words excellent cel lent to be sure there be no misunderstanding she started at the beginning she authenticated her statements by saying that they must be true because no less a person than ruth hamilton had spent that morning on the telephone explaining pla ining to her friends that the whole hamilton family knew what kay had been doing that miss maynard was an artist not merely a photographer and that she considered the gossip unwarranted through all of this recital miss henkel was silent save for an occasional yes or Is that so but inwardly the tall sleek brunette was smiling she was humming lightly as she left the beauty shop and approached kirks door somehow this latest development seemed to bring kirk closer to her she knocked once lightly and responded to his come in by pushing through the door and closing it behind her he was standing at the window looking down on the square his back DRU he gave ear to gossip for the sole purpose of chiding those who flayed clayed the girl to her she said brightly deep thinking eh kirk he turned and then a look of astonishment passed over her face she stared incredulously then found herself overcome by merriment he smiled thinly so tunny funny she pointed and said through bursts of laughter those glasses gee they make you look goofy you ever seen eyeglasses before yeh but not on you she gazed again on the horn rimmed goggles and appeared to find them irresistibly funny she said the matter cant you read the spots on the dice any more you knew I 1 saw an occultist the other day in the capital and they just got here by special belive delivery ry so why should you be surprised im not surprised at the glasses only at how you look in them he glanced at himself in the mirror have your laugh kid maybe youre right at that they do change me a lot Waif Walf til the others see you im waiting and im glad youre in a good humor why because ive got news for you so can you take it ive done pretty well so tar far I 1 I 1 he nodded things are getting pretty hot that scrap at macs bar B Q last night help any what do you mean its given people something more t to 0 talk about and they were talking too much to start with his voice became flat im on the spot 1 I know the laughter was gone from her eyes she took his hand and pressed it lets get out of this burg he shook his head no can do babe but ive decided to do something else what his cold eyes held hers you aint gonna like it not a bit he paused for an instant then im bringing kay forrest into town youre what im bringing kay into town that room yonder he jerked his head toward a door opens into mine ashes moving in there babes lips were dry 1 I 1 I dont exactly get it kirk its simple enough I 1 made a dumb play at the beginning marrying the girl and letting her go back to the gardens that invited talk and the people in this town aint as sappy as I 1 thought they were they doped it out plenty quick and so so im going out to the gardens tonight and fetch kay all babe walked to the window she want kirk to see her face at that moment A few mir minutes Rutes since she had been so gay so confident that her jealousy of kay was groundless now everything was different she was afraid to speak fearful that she might say too much her hands were behind her back when she turned and kirk could not see the long pointed crimson nails biting into the flesh she said 1 I figure you better look out for trouble he reached tor for his hat his eyes were the color of ice he said remember this babe im always ready for trouble they sat on the veranda barney and margaret and mrs hamilton and jim owenby forcing conversation because they wished to be quite sure that kay would not think they were listening this was difficult of course because kay had been called to the telephone several minutes since and her voice low and insistent came down to them from the landing and try as they might they could not avoid hearing occasional remarks but why p yes I 1 know but I 1 cant fragments of conversation bits of protest in a voice which was freighted with worry they heard kay say well if I 1 must and they heard her descending sc the stairway slowly only barney looked at her directly and he saw that she was nervous and worried but before he could make up his mind whether to question her she spoke lets take a little walk barney he rose with alacrity surest thing you know need a wrap never mind what now princess she traced hieroglyphics on the lawn with the toe of one tiny foot she said 1 I want you to promise me something barney consider it promised this is serious IU ill put it in writing she placed her hand over his youre pretty fine do you realize that of course I 1 do ive spent my entire life being noble virtuous and dependable in fact I 1 might state that im a perfect example of what the well dressed young man should be 11 she shook her head 1 I wish things were as simple as that As me simple my dear young lady listen barney her voice was tight 1 I want you to give me your word so you said and I 1 assured 0 you 1 I know but this its different its serious I 1 remember now lets have it eating on you before I 1 explain I 1 want you to promise that you wont do anything about it he grinned ruefully im becoming expert at doing nothing about things she looked thoughtfully at the dlack black waters of the lagoon that telephone call was from kirk reynolds I 1 you dont seem surprised should I 1 be she was silent for a moment then youre not going to like this barney if by this you mean kirk youre right you must promise listen honey he dropped his arm from her shoulder and imprisoned one of her infinitesimal hands youre talking in circles ive promised everything I 1 can promise youre worried about something suppose you tell papa all about ft all right she groped for words which would not cut too deeply kirk reynolds is coming here tonight toight n I 1 want you to promise that you wont be at the house when he comes so why because im afraid there might be trouble not in my own home even here nix honey nix I 1 dont play the hero and host at the same time much as I 1 dislike this reynolds gent she said you might tonight how come because she moistened dry lips because hes coming to take me back to beverly with him she see barneys barneis Bar face for which fact the young man was grateful it was dark under the trees dark and still barney tried to speak lightly am I 1 supposed to ask questions ii it matter you see hes reserved a room at the white star hotel for me A room next to his she felt barneys barneis Bar fingers tighten over hers he said 1 I dont get it honey kirk do much explaining he said hed be out within an hour and told me to get ready but this hotel business cant you understand he thinks that folks have been talking and that this will stop their gossip im afraid your friend mr reynolds quite bright he he wants the town to believe I 1 really greally am his wife 1 I see and im to sit back and let you go with him yes there was no mirth in barneys barneis Bar laugh it was short and harsh he said ill have to ask a few questions first must you do whatever kirk orders yes why weve talked about that so many times you know I 1 cant explain 1 I see second question do you want to go with him her answer came sharply colp no then he said quietly youre not going but you still dont understand ive got to go like hell you do now you listen to me a few minutes young lady ive been playing the sap plenty long enough 1 I dont like it and most particularly I 1 dont like the idea of you living with kirk reynolds and morel more im not going to stand for it it please you promised 1 I dont care what I 1 promised that bird has been pushing you around long enough but theres nothing you can do no well damn soon find out about that his eyes were hot im going to have a talk with this lad A nice pleasant chat im going to ask a few questions and tell him a few things you why not because you promised and b because im asking you two lousy reasons and also because im afraid hes dangerous TO BE CONTINUED s A |
