Evening star., 1927-05-15


mitted that although he still had {
remote hope. his Investigations had re
| vealed nothing. lie advised the ac
ceptance of Arline's terms. Mrs. Jones
had all but yielded, and then had come
those two anonymous letters about
clifford.
I'm do what / can for you. but il
must BE upon the understanding that
| am to handle the affair entirely ac'
cordjng TO my own judgment" said
| Clifford.
"Yes-yes," agreed young Jones.
/ Then Id like to meet your wife OF
10 days"
That will be easy. I'm to see her
| in an hour and a half. A friend of
Arline's has asked US to lunch at her
apartment and. since she is the only
| outsider who knows of our marriage.
| / am sure that she will have no OBJ
| lection TO your coming along"
X * * !;
FIRST Clifford went to Mrs, Jones
lawyers, who explained that le-
gally they were helplesa Several
courses might have been possible
were it not for Mrs. Jones' insistence
that there he no publicity. That in
sistence prohibited all open-court ac-
ton. Considering Mrs. Jones" atti-
tude, her best course, in their estima-
ton, seemed TO be to accept the pro-
posal submitted her and take her
chances with the outcome.
Half an hour later in fashiona bic
! hotel Clifford was acknowledging
young Jones Introduction to his
mother.
You've heard Roberts story" she
breathed. Can YOU do anything?"
Il may do something if you do not
mess things up any further" he said
in hard voice.
He realized that he could do nothing
with this domineering woman unless
he Immediately took the upper hand.
What" she gasped.
'You are directly responsible for
this present mess" he went on. IF
YOU were the only person concerned.
I'd be glad to have you forced to give
up million, and I'd be glad to have
this scandal on every first page. You
deserve all the loss and the shame
and the suffering that might come
out of this situation"
" | won't stand-I won't stand"
'Oh, YES. you will" Clifford inter.
rupted. Your lawyers haven't helped
you. Mr.. Bradley hasn't helped you.
There's a chance that | may help YOU.
Remember. you are about to lose a
million. I'll try to help you only on
the basis of your behaving yourself
and your doing exactly what l tell
you TO do"
She gIared But a million is some
thing worth keeping ones temper for.
What do you want me to do?"
"At present just one thing. We
must delay settlement. You must say
that you are having difficulty in rails
Ing a million in cash. That's a plausi-
BILE reason. The richest person may
find it hard TO raise a million in real
money in a short time. Well, how
about it?"
"Tll-Ill do as you say" she choked
out.
Thank you. For the rest. keep
out of this affair"
Bowling formally Clifford left her.
X y x
A l o'clock Clifford and young
Jones were in the apartment of
their hostess. where Clifford was in
troduced to the two women.
Clifford's heart throbbed with bit
terness at sight OF Arline's friend,
but he controlled his expression.
Mary Regain. for it was she. gave
him cool look. Young Mrs. Jones
was apparently delighted to meet him.
She was soft. sight. little blonde,
undeniably pretty. l"@1deniabiy appeal
ing, undeniably disa9ning in her chat
ter. She looked a naive 20. Clifford
guessed her to be wise %. At .
o'clock Mrs. Jones-she still called
herself Airline Carlisle--excused her
self and drew young Jones to one
side. Clifford gazed at Mary Regain
at this mysterious. battling wife of his.
You know what this game Is as
we'll as I do he said abruptly, his
voice vibrant with accusation.
$50 you really think this present
affair is such a game?" she returned
cooIly.
II don't think it know it, Young
Jones is a victim Of frame-up-oni,
he doesn't know 1t yet. And you-you
are in it! Airline didn't work this out.
are behind this. Shall / tell YOU
whose the brains are? Bradley's"'
And you are going to try to catch
Mr.. Bradley in his own trap"
I'm going to do my BEST" he de-
clared harshly.
Thanks for your warning to me-"
she returned. LAS for your warning
to Mr.. Bradley, if you wish, you may
deliver it TO him in person, for he was
to await me In the lounge at half-past
two
Young Jones and his wife drew near
again: and the former suggested that
Clifford and himself accompany Airline
to her matinee performance.
''Mr. Clifford is remaining with me
for 4 few moments" said Mary.
Excusing themselves, the two young
people left.
Mary and Clifford went downstairs.
Bradley was waiting in the lounge.
80. Mary, we have with us our
Clifford he remarked. Happened to
meet Jones and his young wife on
their way out. Clifford. l gather that
you are going to help me help him
out of the little trouble he's fallen
into
THE trouble you drew him into"'
Clifford flung back.
You do me great wrong. Clifford"
Bradley mourned. with his mocking
smile. 1.-The elder Mrs. Jones had paid
me a retainer of $4,000. and I am to
have $4,000. If I handle her case so
that she is saved from the extortionate
demand made upon her, and also save
her from publicity"
You're welcome to your fees, but
you II not get that million Clifford
declared grimly.
With careless nod at Clifford.
Bradley moved away with Mary. Cliff
ford gazed at Mary with rage. To
think that Mary should choose to
affiliate herself with a man she knew
to be q great and ruthless rogue,
rather than with himself-and, at the
same time. bind him to secrecy con-
cerninE their marriage.
" X
CLIFFOrD tried to figure out the
N~ working conditions Of the scheme.
Bradley was playing for a million.
That million would go first into the
hands Of Airline. If the marriage were
merely an impetuous and unpremedi
tated affair. Airline could and would
keep the million for herself But
Bradley never went into a scheme In
which a person could so easily double