San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1926-04-11
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she greeIeu Hlll' VITO AChlIi, di-
other cup"
"Not for me, thanks" cut in
Peter. give breakfasted. Sorry
to come so early" he added as
soon as they were alone, "but I've
something on my mind"
Her heart thudded in spite of
her trust in yesterdays lie.
'Yes?" she breathed. "What is
it?"
"Tt's about Monks Yielding" he
said, and waited.
"Oh?" Panic threatened to
come, but she fought it down.
She looked at him as closely as he
was looking at her, Had he, after
all, seen Mr.. Soames? And if he
had?
give heard rumor that it has
been bought under the option and
that the new owner intends to hang
onto it."
A rumor, thought Stacey, re-
lieved, was easy enough to deal
with.
81 bet you it is only a rumor."
How steady she wasD "1f you
drop in on Mr.. Soames this morn
ing"
~ shall not be able to get
Monks Yielding, and you know it,
Stacey" He was staring at her,
his jaw set, ~
She felt as if her blood stood
still. Her hand crept to her
bosom. There came a creaking
sound.
ITO put it more exactly, Stacey,
! shall not be able to get Monks
Yielding, because you have bought
it yourself. =. Do you deny it?
There's no sense in denying it. l
saw Soames last night and he told
me you had bought it. You didn't
want me TO see him. That's why
you told me he had gone to
Brighton when he hadn't.
She stumbled to her feet, her
hand still at the cool laces of her
gown, her wide eyes changing from
green to gray, from gray to the
brown of storm-tossed waters. Mr..
Soames had driven in the thin
end of the wedge - dear old Mr..
Soames, it wasn't his fault, but
"Well, Stacey"
Time. She must have a little
time to think of reason why she
could have bought his house and
not told him, hurt him and not told
him.
"Mr. Soames has betrayed my
confidence" she STAN m ered
though she knew the accusation to
be undeserved. q"
"He has not. A transaction
like the purchase of house can
not be confidential. ! am
in honor bound to keep Soames
clear. But Soames has admitted
the existence of deed of gift"
ooh, no! Oh, no! He hasn't
told you of that"
1t was stricken cry. But
Peter Yielding heard none of its
sorrow, only its fear.
"He has not" he flung at her
"A deed of gift is a professional
confluence and, naturally, Soames
won't betray it. But little good
will that do you! Comstock guessed
the contents Of that deed
sprang the guess on Soamcs-
"YOu've-yOu've guessed? She
stood gazing at him.
"Did you think COmstoCk such
a fool that he couldn't put two and
two together, even after he found
the diamonds were gone? He
rang Soames up yesterday and
bluffed that you'd told him about
a deed. Soames fell into the trap
and admitted to Comstock-"
"Comstock?" she repeated duly. |.
81 don't follow. Who is Com
stock? The name is only very
vaguely familiar to me-"
"A pitiable bluff, Stacey. A par
ticularly feeble"
Her appraised hand silenced /.
him, in spite Of himself.
peter, listen, please. What do |.
you mean by-Comstock? Is he
clerk in Mr.. Soames' office? No
that would be Lenpile."
She could see that he was
clenching his fists. He lowered .
above her, angry, suspicious, but
lAD ADHEtL GElLdll. 1tI own f.
scorching fear of humiliation was
dulled now into bewilderment.
Peter, what is the matter? .
You seem to me to talk wildly. /
Your whole manner TO me-you're .
angry. And you hurl the name of
Comstock at me as if it were a
guilty secret of mine. There is
some absurd cross-purpose."
Bewildered herself, she could .
yet see that he was wavering.
"Cross-purpose" ne muttered. |
Yes, perhaps there is. | hope
there is, You deny knowing
Charlie Comstock. Whether YOU
know him or not can be proved
later. Let's think. Are
we at cross-purposes? We can
settle that in two seconds. You've
only to let me see that deed which
SOames mentioned to Comstock as
being connected with your pur.
chase Of Monks Yielding"
But yJu've-yOu say you've
guessed already what is in the
deed -
Owe guessed that It's effect is
70 convey the property you bought .
70 someone else, though what
name he may 90 by now can't .
,yurEs "