Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1922-06-09
miss" the valet d

NpAC
"Will you please tell him wba,
say?"
Presently the voice Of Brors.,.
thin add worried, came TO her o~'+
the wire. I'm i'll, Bee. Absolrt%.
done up. II can't talk"
"Tell me about Clay Lind,,u
Were you with him when-wben y
happenedP"
There was a p%erceptible pause bA
fore the answer came.
with himT" She could feel his to,
ror throbbing over the wire. Thongh
she could not see him, she knew bs,
question had stricken him Whit
with him whereT'
"At this gambling-house-Maa.
dock'sf"
mo, I-I-Bee, 1 tell you I'm ill.,
HE went out last night to Join yn
at your club. I know that. When da
you see him last2"
give didn't-he didn't come
"Then you didn't see him at alp
There was another pause, significant
and telling, followed by a quayeriug
moo"
"Clary, I want to see you-right
away"
"Tm i'll, 1 tell you-can't leave my
bed" He gave a groan too genuine
to doubt.
noo%r{oo HING I'M tbo ronojuor n
eyes sparkled. For all her slimness,
size looked both competent and dan.
gerous.
"What does he say?" her father
asked.
"Says he didn't meet Clay at all
that he didn't show up. Dad, there's
something wrong about 1t. Clary's in
q panic about something. I'm going
to see him, no matter whether he can
leave his room or not"
Whitford looked dubious. Il don't
see"
well, l do" his daughter cut him
off decisively. "We're going to his
rooms-now. Why not? He says he's
Ill. All right. I'm engaged to be
married to him and I've a right to see
how i'll he is"
whats in your noodle, honey'
You've got some kind Of a suspicion.
What is it2"
81 think Clary knows something.
Ny notion is that he was at Mad.
docks and that he's in a blue funk fr
fear he'll be found and named as an
accessory. I'm going to find out al b.
can tell me-
But
She looked AT her father directly,
deep meaning in the lovely eyes.
little tremor ran through her body
Dad. Pm going to save Clay. That
the only thing that counts"
Her words we're an appeal. a cha
lenge. They told him that her heal
belonged to the friend in prison, an
they carried him back somehow to Ii
hour when the nurse first laid her,
tiny baby, in his arms. 4
His heart was very tender to b
Whatever you say, sweetheart"
Their chauffeur broke the speed
laws getting them to the apartment
house for bachelors where Bromfet
lived.
His valet for once was caught Of
guard when he opened the door Il
them. Beatrice was inside before lie
could quite make up his mind how
best to meet this frontal attack.
1--WE came to see Mn Bromfeld-'
she said.
SORRY, miss. He is really quite Ill
The doctor says"
I'm Miss Whitford. We're en-
gagged to be married. It's very i'm
pOrtant that / see him."
Eyes, miss, I know"
The man was perfectly well aware
that his master wanted of all things
to avoid a meeting with her. For
some reason or other, Bromf1eld was
In a state Of collapse this morning the
valet could not understand. The mans
business was to protect him until as
had recovered. But he could not fat
ly turn his masters fiancee out OF the
apartment. His eyes turned to Wht
ford and found no help there. BE feN
back on the usual device of servants
II don't really think he a see you
miss. The doctor has specially ton
me to guard against any excitement
But I'll ask Mr.. Bromfield if-if DC
feels up to it."
The valet passed into what was er
IDENTIFY a bedroom and closed the oOu
behind him. There was a faint mu'
mur of voices.
I'm going in now" Beatrice al
nounced abruptly to her father.
She moved forward quickly, DeiOls
Whitford could stop her, whippsu
open the door and stepped Into ms
room. Her father followed her ~
luctantly.
Clarendon, in a frogged dressing
gown, lay propped up by pillows. Ds
side the bed was q tray, upon wasa
was a decanter Of whisky ana
siphon Of soda. His figure seemed !