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DECEMBER 5, 1940
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By jOSEPI
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CHAPTER III
SYNOPSIS ? Jeffrey Castle
rounds off his college education
.' v.. u ,*VW1 lu KUl'JflL' IU1U rv.uins
to his home in Parviile, where he
is expected to practice law with
his father. Jeffrey seeks out his
childhood friend and neighbor,
Audrey Swan, nicknamed 'Crygie',
and confides to her his disinclination
to work in his father's office.
Jeff invites Audrey to dinner
at his house?Olive Cooper,
whom he lias met in Europe, is expected
there over the week-end.
Audrey meets Vic Qu .n at a dinner
party at the Castle home. A
lew minutes later she hears Olive
addressed as "Mrs.'' Judge Castle's
homing voice pierces her bewilderment.
"Upon my word, if it isn't my little
girl! Audrey, you've quite
grown up?and into a very winsome
young lady, eh, Louise?"
"Yes, indeed!" Mrs. Castle's hand,
plump and beringed, appeared at a
formal elevation. "So pleased to
have you here, my dear." Then as
the butler anocared at the door ?oth
an announcement that dinner was j
served, "Victor, dear* you are tak-1
ing Miss Swan in. See that she is
nicely token care of."
"To the death," that young man
promised gravely, offering his arm.
By the time she was seated, Audrey
reached the conclusion that she
quite approved of Victor Quinn.
He wasn't handsome, like Jeff.
But he was very much alive and
very interesting. There was o
tongue-in-cheek quality to his remarks
and the suspicion of a twinkle
in the deep-set gray eyes.
"li seems to mc Jeffrey said you
were a school friend," she suggested
politely to break a somewhat
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awkward silence.
"More than a friend," Victor a<
rr.ittrd. He lowered his voice to
confidential tone. "You see. Je
doesn't care for the law. 1 had !
and it was due to me that he riidn
flunk out. God help htm if he eve
tries the state exam!"
Audrey laid her bouillon spoc
aside and lifted her napkin to hi
lips, controlling ail impulse t
choke. Mr. Quinn's next rental
was no help. He must have bee
watching her but he looked th
nthnr lour b ? ~b '
j uc vuaervra genii^
| That's the cuiest little trick yot
nose did just that.
"Don't you like it?" was the (if
j mure retort. "I can't help it."
"Oi course I do. Only it rr.aki
r.ie feel that I should offer you
bit of carrot 1 was prepared to lis.
| you. Audrey Swain. But not so corr
pleieiy. I had a pert rabbit once an
1 loved it."
"I believe I tike you. too. M:
Quinn. In spite of your memories.
"Then call mc Vic. Weie o!
friends now."
After dinner the general convci
salion seemed to languish and th
party revealed an inclination
separate into groups. "Look. At;
drey," Vic remarked suddenly
"That next room appears to be th
Judge's library. Let's slip in an
have a look and a smoke. Mind?
"I'd love to."
".Say! You know this is what
call swell!" Vic stood by the bi
table with its softly glowing lam;
scanning the shelves that lined ai
the available wall space, rcachin
from floor to ceiling.
Audry stood with her back to tlili
table, leaning her weight on her tw
I alms. A long time since she hai
been in this room, and the fuioilia
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i** | surroundings brought .1 little pan
ji.iko homesickness.
Site was recalled to the preset
I by Vic. He was regarding hi
: tiirough half-closed eyes, his fieii
on. one side. What did you wat
to ask me. Audrey?"
She looked up with a start, u
^ terly discomfited by his altrewdnes
"What made you think I want t
J_ ask you anything'.'" was her parr*
ing retort
i; "Deduction, my chile. Didn't
0 tell you I was a lawyer? So wh *
was it.?"
r j "When you were telling me aboi
these people at dinner. I Uiougl
;] you were careful not to include?
' "The guest of honor? Maybe
" was overly informative about th
^ rest. You're right. Would I bav
. been putting my finger on a tendc
'e spot?"
"That's ridiculous! Jeff told m
[' ever so much about her, only h
1 didn't happen to mention that sh
v. as married. Or had been. It di
" jolt me just a little when ho intra
auced us. I wondered if I misun
'-s derstood."
a "No. You didn't misunderstand
e She was married about two year
ago. Still is. But the mill is grind
3 ing."
"Oh! You mean she's getting
r. divorce."
" | "It's in the bag. I happen t
d i know. I'm a sort of satellite o
j Brand. Blumenthal and Brand. W
.. don't tntle with such casi;s as
o rule, but Olive's papa is the grea
0 and only Harvey Harrison. Henc
Mr. Cooper will be cased out of thi
f, scone without any fanfare of trum
pets. And profitably, too."
d "Then I'm sorry for her."'
"Umm?m." Vie was starini
through the drawing-room door
1 "People in her circle have quaio.
y notions of marriage. It's like buyinj
i, a fur wrap. If the style changes o
il you figure it isn't becoming, yot
g work it off on the second-hand mar
and pick out something different
e | You wouldn't know about that."
o i "We're getting quite too serious,'
d I Audrey decided. "Could we dance."
r| "The very thing 1 was going t
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fj. j suggest," Vie declared "It's my onc|
social grace.'
\t! Victor Quinr, proved to bo an.
:r ? at coropliihed dancer and Audrey .felt
idJ a momesiuxry regret when Jet! cut
it sir after one circuit of the big hall.
|' Not sorry you came"'' he asked al(.
most at once
s. "What do you think?"
0 "That i." you're bored, youre hid -
irg it very welL You must, have cast
a spell over Vic. He always suspects
1 lone females of being on the prowl."
a "Perltaps I am. I like him a lot."
"Queer chap in many ways. No
11 n.oney to speak of. but an entree
that no amount of dough can get
you. He's keen a self-appointed
' mentor to mc- and I don't mind tell"
ir.g you I owe hint a lot. He probabf!
ly lias admitted it to you. One day
r he'll make his merk?a high one.
flay, Cygie?"
c "Yes?"
? "1 know you haven't had any
chance to get acquainted, but?M
r" "She's lovely. Jeff.'"
With her mother and father tor
j ui interested audience, Audrey had
v been detailing an account of the
1 Castle dinner over the morning cotlee
and a cigarette,
j "Oh, Miss Audrey!"'
The girl turned to see the cook'^
rj face peering through the kitchen
c door.
"What, is it, Julia?"
a "A man at the back door what
\ wants to sec you.*'
I "For goodness' ralce!" Audrey
. [ half rose from her chair, sank back
i ... -
( tie s here."
I "The devil you say! So it's as
j bad as all that!"
"You win," she admitted to V:c
S who stood smiling at her from the
! doorway. "Let's go." j
[ When the stables were reached, |
j Audrey introduced the guest to her
' father and admitted to little feell
ing of relief at Vic's attitude. He
j displayed a keen interest In all that
j was shown him. The two men were
still deep in their conversation when
S her ear caught the pounding of
i hooves in the lane.
[ "Company coming," she announcj
ed. "Let's go out to meet them.
5 You come, too, Dad."
\ Audrey could not keep her adt
miring eyes from Olive's smiling
! face and trim, erect figure. She was
' even more attractive in her riding
! clothes than in a dinner gown, thej
girl acknowledged to herself. Olive
I was mounted on Eileen.
[ Jeff was looking particularly well
- in whipcord breeches, his shirt
J open at the throat, bareheaded. Tho
S group chatted with gay informality,
I with the exception of Anthony
* u:hncn nroonn...-.:-j * -
, ....vov y.wtu^icu iHieiuiun was directed
mainly to Eileen's restless
movements.
It was Olive who created a diver
sien with a direct question to Jeff.
"WhjBPB are those jumps you were
telling me about, Jeffrey? I'm anxious
to try them. So is ibis mure
she added as Eileen tossed her head
fretfully. i
"'Over there in. the paddock," he
replied with an indicating wave c.i
his crop, then an uncertain look directed
at Audrey. "Aren't you saddied
vet?"
"Go ahead,' was her smiting re- :
joinder. "I'll he with you presont|
ly." She turned and rested her arms '
j on the top of the fence watching :
the others ride away.
"Why doesn't Mr. Jeffrey tell that
young woman to go easy on the
curb?" Anthony's usually mild void
carried a growl.
"That's what I'm thinking." Au- j
drey agreed in a tense little voice. ]
Vic took his ulace at th.. f...-.-.
- v. an :i luugli. "It's Vic, Mom." Show
him in,' Julia."
It was none othc." than Victor
Quinn who strolled in smilingly and
called a cheery greeting. "Hello,
Audrey! You're looking very well
indeed this morning."
I- "I am. Mr. Quinn. mj' mother."
t "lilit-i. Swan I ;i?ti , 1i ol, t ...1 4 ,
- W
i meet you. Please don't get up." I
"Oh, we've finished breakfast
! ing ago," Audrey smiled. "We'll
' lind more comfortable chairs. It
' may be pleasant out on the porch."
, "Hut I want to stay here," Vie
expostulated. "I want a cup of coffee.
That's what I came for. Don't
J tell me I'm too late."
J "Of course you're not!" Martha
t exclaimed, taking refuge in a burst
I cl hospitality. "You sit right down
i lure with Audrey. I'll have somo
^ hot coffee for you in just a minute."
' She caught up the pot and started
\ out with it then paused at the door
I to ask. "Can't we fix you some ba[
con and eggs, too? You must be
' hungry after your walk."
I "Weil?'
J "Of course you will."
j "Do you mind telling me what all
| this is about?" Audrey demanded.
' "That bunch up on the hill
i doesn't seem to go in for getting un
i ill all. 1 prowled all over the place
without seeing any sign of life until
1 stumbled over a serf working in
ilio garden. Bv way of making conversation
I asked him who lived >n
the pleasant looking house I could
see in the distance. He told me.
And here I am. Oh, thank you!''
The last was for Julia who had
come padding in with the bacon and
eggs. Audrey poured her guesL's
coffee and made toast.
"You know, Audrey?" Vic paused
for a satisfying bite. "I don't retall
ever taking part in a domesli:
scene like this. Not in years, at alt
events. i cant tell you how it
makes me feel."
"I'm sorry we haven't a pert rabbit
for you."
"But I'd rather have you and
your nose," he grinned impudently.
; "And that reminds me?I think
you'll see a cavalcade of sorts head ing
this way after a bit. Jeff gave
a glowing account of your unique
i menagerie and Olive was all set for
i an inspection."
I The sound of the telephone bell
' came from the hall. It was Jeffrey
i Castle. "Hello, Audrey. Would it be
| all right if some of us rode over
i after a bit? We want to have a try
| at your bars, if you don't mind,
r We'll all go for a ride later, so be
i ready to join us."
I "Maybe."
| "Sure you can. Say, Cygie, V:c
' is missing this morning.' Nobody's
1 seen him."
{hold by the undercurrent cf anxiety
j in the words he had just heard. The I I
trio stood in silence, watching. They
saw the horses reined up some fifty
yards from the first set of bars. j
then Eileen shot forward, urged into]
a swift gallop. ]|
Suddenly Anthony Swan wasp
scrambling over die fence.
Sensing that some calamity was
imminent. Vic lifted Audrey un-1
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PAGE THIRTEEN
ceremoniously in his anus and dropped
her on the other side of the
white barrier, vaulting ever after
her. He caught her hand and the
I wo raced after Anthony, who had.
spirited ahead.
It happened before they could
reach tile scene. Eileen, head thrown
' igh. barely had her forelegs over
Ike top bar when she crashed down,
Lurried an almost complete sumc-rt.Hlll
VW ri tM-.vn ? -1 ^
m.i iwi iii a neap.
By the time the others came up,
left had dismounted and was holding
Olive's limp figure in his arms.
Eileen had attempted to get to her
teet but had rolled on her side and
lay stiU.
(To Be Continued)
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