The Waterbury Democrat., 1931-08-05
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Ayp m &Aa0 O le8VG New York when her mother receives an Of- fer to play summer stock at WiI- low Stream, l.. I. SHANE McDER- MID, young police officer, comes to tell Ldane that the man who had been shot fin 6 speaIx-easy brawl at which she was an in. nocent witness will recover. At q party given by MURIEL LADD, debutAnte, IAane meets VAN RO- BARD, whom she had encountered 0uco before. CASS BARRETT begs Nane never to sec him again. One night Van asks Ldane to ac- company him on . search for Muricl and CHUCK DESMOND, reporter, believed to have eloped. ELSIE MINTER, the company in- genue, tells Liane that there is gossip about Robard and MRS LADD. The girl is heart broken.
 IAane is invited to spend the autumn with rich MRS CLEES- PAUGH. Ehc finds CLIVE CLEES- PAUGH friendly and companion able. News comes of Muriel's efA. gagement to Robard. Lianc hears that her mother is seriously i'll and rushes to her in Philadelphia. Cass almost dies, babbling in her delirium of her dead sister, Luisa. Mrs CleeGpaugh takes Cass to her home to convalescc.
 Olive asks Liane to marry him. . marriage in name only-in or- der to fulfill tho terms of his fathers win. At first she is of- tended, but later accepts for her mothers sake. FANNY ABERTON and her sister, TRESSA LORD, como to visit Mrs Cleespaugh. Tressa is rude to Liane. Robard Aane. She tells him she is to
 CHAPTER xx
 "There's just ono thing I'd like to ask you." Liane said sud. denly. The car was running along smoothly under the wet elrns. The damp. autumnal wind blew hsr bronze hair in little ringlets acroos her checks. In the fitful light of the road lamps her young face looked strained. somber.
 ''What's that?" Give Cleespaugh wanted to know. He took . packet of cigarets from his pocket with his free hand, reached for the pat ent lighter which, among other ornaments and gadgets, bestrode tho instrument board. In the flare hane's eyes sought his face az he drew in a draught of fragrant smoke and expelled it gratefully.
 ''It's about Elsie Minter," Liane explained. T thought somehow last summer got the impress sion---" She was embarrassed. She could not formulate tho words.
 Give turned toward her, his teeth flashing whitely in his still tanned face.
 ''That Elsie and I had a case on each other?" he finished for her, with a note of amused incredulity.
 "Yes. That was it." Now that the thing was said Liane felt small and schooi-girlish. After all, 1t was none of. her business. Just that she didn't'want anyone hurt. Nlsie, least of all. She was brusque, but she was above all, kind.
 ooh, she must have been string. inR you!" Give said, still amused. havo!---that she and Vernon ara to be married as soon as he gets his decree?" He reached over and patted her hand. T was the old smoke screen. suppose" he added dryly. "Vernon's wife was snoop- ing around for evidence. Elsie thought 1t smart to pretend a flir- tation with me-"
 "Oh!" Liane felt suddenly an imMense distaste for all this in- trigue. She wanted to go some, place where people lived simply and frankly. where there were no plots or underhand affairs.
 Give turned the car into a little lane. Stopped the engine.
 Look, child." he said. "letS talk this thing out. You find tho world rather a rotten place. don't your"
 ''sometimes." agreed the young girl, faintly.
 "Well. 1t is and 1t isn't. Your sense of balance has been upset little because you were thrown suddenly among sophisticated peo- pie before you'd actually grown up. I could see that, first off"
 "You saw-what?" murmured Liane, astonished at the young mans perception. "I never thought you noticed me-"
 His short laugh sounded rather offended. I noticed" he said grimly. 'T saw more than you thought. This may sound foolish and all that but l sort of wanted to protect you. You're too pretty to be running around loose. 0ob- lins'N get you. That's why this engagement of ours would be shield, 6 protection"
 Tho girl at his side was silent.
 Don't you agree?"