Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-04-11
Must
the
Woman
Aluays
Pay?

l should think"
Theed's brain was working quickly.
The nursing home proposition would be
no manner Of use to him.
II could not bear to think Of him in
the hands Of strangers. doctor, however
skilled and however kind" he said.
HE is living alone here-his daugh-
vied yesterday-and' his servants have
left. Is It possible for you to have him
removed to my house?"
.'Yes, of COURSE said the doctor.
IF you like I'll send an ambulance and
a couple of skilled men to remove him. :"
"Oh, thank you, doctor, thank you,"
said Theed, SELLING the doctor by both
hands. II shall remember your words
and shall put my trust in them"
~ The ambulance will be here within
an hour said the doctor, and made
his escape.
When the doctor had gone Theed re.
dine Crayne's number. A moment later
he was speaking to her.
He glanced at the couch whereon Jar
roman was lying. wondering how much
he could hear and understand of what
was going on around him, and decided
to assume that he could hear every
thing.
''Hullo? Theed speaking. am in
MIR. Jarroman's fiat. fear have
bad news. Poor Mr.. Jarroman has had
a seizure-a paralytic stroke. The doc
tor suggested that he should go to o
nursing home, but I feel sure that at
such time you would wish him to
be surrounded by friends, so I thought
of bringing him to your house. We
shall be there in an ambulance within
an hour. Yes Yes, feel sure
that could the poor fellow speak he
would wish this to be done, and l know
that 1t will be great happiness to you.
no less than to myself, to do all that
we can for him."
The rational rogue realized that was
NIL that need be said on the telephone.
The benevolent elderly gentleman sighed
deeply. sank into an armchair, and,
with folded hands, awaited the arrival
of the ambulance.
Theed and Claudine
A couple of hours later Theed was
lunching tete-a-te with Claudine
Crayne: In a quiet room upstairs Jar-
roman had been put to bed and was in
the hands of trained nurse,
The room in which luncheon had been
served was a small, eccentric apartment
to which Claudine rarely invited any
one: Ceiling and walls were covered
with an iridescent substance that
cleaned like mother of pearl: in its
depths the faint green hangings were
renected, and the deeper glow Of the
rosewood furniture. It's long window
opened on to a balcony filled with flow.
ers the color Of flame, and beyond them
was the garden with its closed gate.
..., While the servants were present
Theed excelled himself in banalities. His
admiration of the Sevres coffee set was
verging on the incoherent when Clau.
dine brought him abruptly to the point.
'All the time you have been talking
l have been trying to calculate what s
at the back Of your mind-and admit
I've failed,' she said. "Why have YOU
brought Jarroman here?"
Dear lady, his life is in danger. You
would not have him in strange hands
at such a time"
Claudine's cleaning nails beat a tat.
too upon the polished surface Of the
iii Ills. present seizure was brought
continued Theed. "He has made the
disturbing discovery that Nadia is not
MS daughter-but John Camden's."
1t was like the snarl of n cat, and,
as she leaned forward in her chair.
lnvoluntarily Theed backed his chair
an inch or two.
For a moment her fierce disappoint-
ment held, then she rose and moved
about the room. When she reseated
herself he saw that her resentment
against the fates had been beaten down
to mere petulance.
"A pity" she drawled. "That puts
an end to this brilliant intrigue Of
yours; But l still don't see why you
brought him here
ITO obtain your assistance in an
Observation-Disclosures intrigue" an.
swered Theed.
Claudine looked her impatience.
now that he knows?'
'The vital spark fickers--it Is be-
yond the power Of man to say when it
will be extinguished," intoncd Theed.
And while We can but endure the
throes of anxious uncertainty, the sit
uation is to all intents and purposes
tne,s,I, the same aoas as # our poor friend were
There was silence. Claudine's petu.
lance had vanished like snow before fire.
She fidgeted with her opals, her eyes
on Theed's flabby visage.
You mean you're going to get to
work at once?' she suggested slowly,
"Procrastination," answered Theed.
lis the thief of time. When opportun-
ity knocks at the door,
Suppose Jarroman recovers?"
AN eminently logical supposltion,"
said Thccd approvingly. II confess
that posi- bility occurred to me before !
telephoned you. l was assured that
medical opinion would be equally un-
surprised If he were to live or to die"
Claudine dropped her Opals and shiv-
cred.
There are limits" she said half to
herself And then:
What do you want me to do?'
You will know better than l." said
Thced You will know how to use
tect him from jarring contact with the
outside world"
Lady DOuccster Is Startled
"And now" Thced added. rising.
II must thank you for Il most de.
lightful lunch-most delightful
Clnudine rose also.
In plain English. you want me to
isolate him from the outside world,'
she said, curtly.
"Ah! Plain English. That cruel
little phrase has broken many a heart
and caused much unnecessary suffer
ing" murmurcd Theed shaking his
head. He was apparently still labor
Ing under that reflection when he
emerged on. to Cornish Terrace, hailed
taxi, and was driven to Gloucester
House.
''Is Lady Gloucester at home?" he
asked.
mo, sir" answered the butler.