Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1916-03-03

wall mere, Bliioy L LII 6ONAo
in!" Leaving them, she walked quietly
to the door.
Hall! Oh, HALL" she called sweet
". She smiled as if upon an angel.
Come in here a minute, will you? We
got a little surprise for you'll" She
darted back, and took her place with
the others, three in a line.
He came in smiling, saw the three
outraged ladies', and stopped, with an
embarrassed grin. What is it," he
managed to say.
ooh, Hall, Hall, you've broken my
hearth" Mrs. Royalton wept again.
Hush up, Rena, You let me talk.
Miss Gale, will you! I'd like to hear
just what this particular sort of cur
can find to say for himself"
Guilty." said Hall, seeing the use
lessness of protest. Now go ahead!"
Have you got any face to stand
there and calmly acknowledge"
Carolyn broke in. You deliberately
deceived us, then-all three!"
Gust exactly as you deceived one
another!" he could not resist adding.
At that, all three broke loose to-
gether, and, for the next five minutes
Hall Bonistelle faced the music. 1t
was not only useless, but impossible,
to answer them. He stood, with his
arms folded, bowling and smiling sar-
donically.
The stiletto was Carolyn's weapon,
l,4 Gov Doca ,a,od tho hl,dnnon 6Aha
little Observation-Disclosures, r you?
Three at a shot, eh?" sang in between
You're a cad, Hall Bonistelle, you're
a liar and a cheat!" Poor Rena could
but feebly pinch him with r~eproaches;
she was dissolved in her woe. So it
went, splitting, pounding and blubber-
ing-he ought to be horsewhipped,
someone's father or somebody's broth
er should thrash him! 1t was an out
rage and a disgrace. What if they
called in the company to publish his
rascality? They were glad, glad, glad
he had lost his money; it was good
enough for him!
1t was then that Hall saw a great
light. He gave a laugh that stilled
them.
"Oho! The money! So that's why
you were all suddenly so keen to
marry me, was it! Why, | don't see
how you women nave the nerve to
look me in the face! Why, a woman
will do anything for money, then, will
she? She'll cheat, and lie and cut her
best friends throat behind her back
by jove, you're the coldest-blooded set
of female vampires | ever saw in my
life! It's a revelation to mel So
that's all you wanted, Ell? That's why
you all hung fire this morning, and got
me into this COMPOUNDED mess-oh, you
wanted time! Yes, time to inyesti.
gate my finances, of course-and then,
when you do get wind of this devilish
old legacy, then you're all after me on
the gallop,. like a pack of Siberian
wolves-falling over one another to
see who can get to the telephone first!
Well, thank God l found it out in time!
Thank God I'm free of all three of you,
you lying, back-biting, mercenary, two.
faced hypocrites! Well, it's all over,
now. l advise you to train your guns
on Cousin Jonas!"
There was a d~isagreeable pause.
When the pot calls the kettle black it
is uncomfortable for both. Then the
three women, their rage and disap
pointment still u~nappeased, swept out
of the studio and left him alone. Rosa
mund went out, surly and lowering
Carolyn sarcastic to the last, with a
bitter smile upon her lips, Mrs. Royal.
ton abjectly weeping, hurting her faint
~reproaches with a %lessening might.
She turned at the door to pull the
ruby ring from her hand, and, with all
of Flodie's abandon, if with less of
Flodie's justification, tossed it at him.
He drew a long breath, and dropped
into a chair. 1t had been a very bad
five minutes; it was a relief to have it
over. What next? The music still
continued, but it would soon be time
for his guests to be leaving. He knew
he ought to go out into the other
rooms and play the host-but he could
not. 1t was impossible for him to Sc
again the three ladies who must just
now be making their scornful exit. AS
soon as they were out of the way, he
would do his best with the others.
He knelt down on the floor and be-
gan to search for the ring.
Are you in here, Mr.. Bonistelle ?"
came Flodie's gentle voice at the door.
He jumped up and faced her. Eyes,
Flodie."
She came in tiInidly and gave a
glance at the clock. Eyes, it's all over:
the moneys gone!" he said calmly.
'"Have they left YETI"
She nodded, smiling. They're all
making up to Jonas with all their
might. By the way they talked, you
must have had a pretty lively time
with them" Flodie sat down demurely.
81 -I~.R11 nh