Show 7 r a V 11 BY H E C NO Q az Is LI s I 1 1 THE STORY SO VA VAR cherry rawlings naw lings att orphan at art saint dorotheaa Doro theas convent school since she was seven knows almost nothing of her early history judge judson marshbanks and emma haskell are her guardians and when she Is twenty emma gets her a secretarial job with mrs airs porter in san francisco for whom emma Is 13 housekeeper at the Marshb mansion she meets the judges dictatorial old mother amy rich debutante daughter of 01 his dead brother fred and fran his gay young second wife emma tens tells cherry that her unmarried sister charlotte was cherrys chernys Cher rys mother and she learns irom from the judge that amys father was also her lather father kelly coa coates tes a young artist takes cherry along so fran will visit jil his s studio cherry can see he Is 19 very i fh ch in love with fran and Is jealous s porter dies and cherry goes to sinford S university living with the pr pran in agles at palo alto fran teus tens cherry she has decided to do the honorable thing and see kelly no more soon afterward he asks cherry to marry him alt although bough fran will always be the unattainable woman her answer Is no she wants no fran in the background emma tells cherry that she is not charlotte rawlings but amy marshbanks her sister having secretly exchanged the babies judge marshbanks confirms this saying i he has a statement fred swore to on his deathbed his mother unobserved in a deep chair overhears this seizes the papers and throws them into the grate fire amy twenty one in a few ew days Is going to marry count gogo constan tino kelly calls to see cherry and congratulates her on being amy marshbanks cherry Is happy when keuy kelly isaas says he seen fran in weeks i now continue with the story CHAPTER XIV 1 I never guessed it because it true amy answered in proud distaste it is true my child your father was a fascinating man women were drawn to him cherry and I 1 are the same age amy protested he was was married I 1 dont of course I 1 dont believe it cherry was born two months too soon I ter iter mother was charlotte rawlings the younger sister of emma haskell who was your grandfathers nurse tor for years my housekeeper after that you are not hurting me cherry said steadily interrupting you are talking of amys mother amy turned to cherry pathetic and bewildered what is all this cherry she talking about I 1 think my grandmothers losing her mind it all about 1 I saw emma a few weeks ago up in the mountains cherry began speaking in a voice suddenly hoarse and weak she told me that that fre 0 re had been a mistake in in in 71 and me in our identities amy aen ws we were just newborn babies of which there is absolutely no proof put in the old lady harshly there was proof judge marshbanks will tell amy so it if she asks him cherry was beginning when amy interrupted again in her turn you mean im not amy marshbanks and my fathers and mothers child and grandfather welling tons grandchild but so idiotic you are right amy said mrs marshbanks more quietly than she had yet spoken you are absolutely right my darling and I 1 am proud of you and now girls no more of it its late and I 1 am going to bed good night amy 4 do you suppose got her I 1 16 tasked asked in a whisper when they W in the hall she gets the most crackbrained crack brained idea come into my room cherry no corns come on in a 4 A J za when cherry reached the door martin was on his knees and the body of his master shot through the heart was resting against his shoulder minute Is any of that true was my father really your father too 1 emma says so cherry admitted sick of the whole thing uncle say so yes yes he told me long ago when I 1 was here after mrs porter died honest amy asked between a smile and a frown and cherry could see that she was not wholly displeased with the idea so emma and my father mused amy a deep dimple din aple appearing in her flawless little cheek not emma emmas younger sister charlotte she was only nineteen she was just out of boarding school that makes us cousins it amy asked still marveling at the strangeness of it no it she corrected it quickly it makes us half sisters cherry was standing looking at the other girl steadily 1 I think ill go to bed amy im terribly tired she went to her room and began slowly to undress before she fell asleep she heard fran and the judge come in and amys voice in the hall uncle jud could I 1 speak to you a minute minu tonight 9 said the judges pleasant voice in answer if I 1 could uncle all right trot down to the library theres a fire there cherry heard him say and then fra 1 ns voice if its that comic opera count jud be firm with herl lie he followed amy down and there was silence cherry nervously excited got into bed intending to wait until amy came up and to gather if she could from amys manner how the conference had gone but she was too sleepy long before the light in the hall went out she was deep in dreams they were troubled dreams someone was in danger A hoarse voice called out help help helal cherry sat up in bed terrified at darkness sweat suddenly cold on her hands and spine and brow what was it somebody had called help heipt 0 A shout came from the floor below and then the sound of a revolver shot clove the darkness sharply cherry was at the door now the hall lights rushed up and the light over the stairs amy was at the switch pallid with fright stout sturdy molly with may and some of the other maids behind her was running down from the upper floor fran clinging to the banister was 0 on n the stairs 1 what was that fran said in a quick quiet voice lets not lose our heads it was nothing they all ran downstairs after fran old martin tho the butler was in the lead and they saw him pause at the library door got him he said brokenly when cherry reached the door martin was on his knees and the body of his master shot through the heart was resting limply against his shoulder days went by there was a dreadful silence in the house a feeling of emptiness even though it was filled with people old mrs marshbanks murmuring to fran in frans room amy tearful and frightened in hers cherry coming and going with a colorless shocked face gregory marshbanks tall and good looking and serious home from college molly and may the two upstairs servants helene the maid the chinese cook and his helper martin the butler rousseau the chauffeur thess these were all there and besides these were officers of the law who had opened doors and blocked boxes taken their posts gravely and regularly at the entrances checking everyone who went out and in judge marshbanks had fallen back across his own chair had s slipped to the floor it bd been his voice they had first heard shouting for help cherry recognized recognize dit it as she remembered that dreadful sound in the silent night since then the place had been in full possession ot of the authorities the family the servants were being eternally summoned for questions fran had repeated to satisfaction her simple story she had come home from a burlingame party with her husband at about midnight she had felt restless and headachy that evening and judge marshbanks who always was glad to get home at a reasonable hour had been delighted to bring her back before the party was well under way the judge her story went in on had gone into the library for a talk with his niece amy marshbanks and fran had gone to bed she had heard nothing until his dreadful cry of help had rung rung through the house amy was a poor witness in her own behalf crying bitterly and breaking out with frightened self defense with every word she had asked uncle jud to talk to her that night no she say about what no he gotten angry at her nor she at him yes it had agitated her a good deal she had cried yes she had said then ill kill myself as martin testified but martin going about to put out the lights knew that she had gone upstairs before he spoke to uncle before uncle said to him ive a little business to finish here martin ill put out the lights had the announcement of your prospective marriage adyth anything ing todo to do with this conversation miss marshbanks amy had been asked she had hesitated had answered not exactly amy was twenty one now and society had been duly notified through the press of her intention to become the third countess constantino st mans mother had proved an incomparable com parable witness she had answered d questions thoughtfully evenly not wincing away from even the most appalling details who killed judson marshbanks headlined the newspapers everyone speculated and guess seemed as reasonable as that of everyone alses cherry you must have a theory kelly said one day when they were climbing the hill at sausalito Sau behind Top cote 1 I have about four she answered answered d judicially and amy would add one to that she has strong suspicions of you interesting commented kelly but after all she may have no more than four pursued cherry for one of my four is amy herself oh I 1 dont really think she had anything to do with it she interrupted his quick surprised look but she had a motive she knew that uncle jud was the only person who could really do anything about this question ol of her identity and mine she was frightened about the shame of it and the money of course and above all about gogo amy knew in her heart that gogo would leave her flat it if anything like that came out do amy kelly said in a mild ly pleased tone suspects me I 1 1 I dont say she suspects you but she knobs knows you liked fran ane anc that you were there that night and she asked me the other day if thought by any chance you and un cle jud could have had a quarrel ha I 1 wonder w 0 ader if she suspect gogo she was in perfect terror until hed been cleared amy acts like a person completely innocent she does but at the same time she and I 1 and the old lady are hiding what did actually go on that thai night what the discussions and quarrels were about and I 1 marvel sometimes that they the police dont smell a rat theres fran kelly said thoughtfully stuffing his pipe oh she who was she telephoning to that night kelly any one of a dozen men men fall for her the way soft coal goes into basements A few moments later they returned to the house cherry pulled on her hat and handed kelly her coat to hold for her 1 I hate to go back she said kelly adjusted the collar in back square her about with his big hands on her shoulders and carefully buttoned her coat you dont dant have to go back you know he said after a moment in which he had cleared his throat it would be so good she said her raised face close to his to belong here just peaceful days and meals and digging in the garden and climbing the hill why dont you do it cherry because from the very beginning kelly from the time I 1 first knew you ive known you love me and it if I 1 ever came here cherry said id want you to be so mad about me that you could hardly bear it id want you to feel that marriage marriage between us was a miracle and that if ever we had a child it would be a miracle to you too just as hs it would be ba to mel me and suppose I 1 said that it was that way with me cherry the man answered catching her lightly by the upper arms with both big hands holding her face to face with him suppose I 1 told you on my sacred oath that for weeks months I 1 know what was the matter with me and that after you went away this summer it came to me suddenly that it was you that its been you tor for a long time what would you say then marchioness id say she stammered dont dont fool mei Kelly cherry he asked and now she was crushed so tight against his heart that she could not find breath to answer will you marry me darling will you change my whole life for me and make it the most wonderful life that any man ever had in this world will you marchioness ch after a while he had to take her home for even with the most expeditious ious plans in the world they had to wait until such time as they could drive to san rafael for a marriage license and cherry had to obtain permission from the authorities to leave the marshbanks house TO BE CONTINUED I 1 |