The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1931-11-12
Gems Of Peril 4 e 2: e.
'@E4 By M7 &la1l Inc

GlGd b MA SHlce lnc
"a murderer" Mary supplied
gently.
Even a murderer" Dirk agreed
hctly. Il won't have him around
you'll BY George, 1 thought old
Jupiter had some sense, but"
you talk" she interrupted, as If
I we're going to be the only one on
the boat. There1l be Bruce, and
the Countess, besides Mr.. Jupiter
and the crew"
THE Countess? Who's she?"
my chaperon, darling. And if you
don't think that's funny, you should
know her. She's friend of Bruce's.
Il mustn't tell you all 1 surmise
about her or you'll think I'm as bad
as that Town Tattle chap i
gossiping away without anything to
prove it. But 1 do think she's the
reason Bruce has stayed in Europe
one of the reasons.
"She hates New York and Amer
leans. She came over only to pro-
tect her property-to see that no
smart young debutante grabbed up
her Brucey-boy and ran off with
him to the altar. So far he's had
sense enough not to marry her. But
how she hates mel"
Mary made a wry face.
Good Lord" said Dirk, in dis
taste, "why should she hate you?"
"She thinks I'm after the Jupiter
money. Worse-She thinks I've al
ready bagged it. j. j. worked him
self into such a fury at Bruce that,
out Of spite as much as anything
else, he made new will :"
DIRK stared. $50 that's what the
81 old boy was doing in the office
bright and early Saturday morn
ing!"
Eyes. Didn't your father tell
you?"
mo" He seemed strangely dis
comfited. But then - I haven't
seen him alone since. I left while
Jupiter was there"
Eyes, know. Your father said
you'd gone away - for the week
end" She felt again the stab of
jealousy that had gone through her
at the sight of Bruce, on Cornelia
Tabor'S tennis court.
Dirk looked at her cautiously. but
said nothing. Mary tried to keep
her manner casual, her tone light.
Did you have a good time? I'm
terribly jealous, of course. You
know that" she said banteringly.
Dirk f1shed for cigaret, leaned
back. "You needn't be-" he re-
turned indifferently ct wasn't a
pleasure trip. 1t was stern duty"
"Duty?" Indignation got the bet
ter of her. "It was your duty to
play tennis with Cornelia Tabor?"
Apparently it did not surprise
him much that she knew where he
had been.
Not that, exactly. But the rest
of it was. PolitenesS sentenced me
to two days at hard labor, nothing
less.
Con called me-she was desper-
ate and I pretty we'll had to 90.
Some flame of Ethel'S had disap-
pointed her at the last minute and
she had to have another man."
MARY was coldly furious.
Ava That's a likely story of Cons
4 don't believe word of it," she
exclaimed angrily. "She just want
ed to get you there"
you're crazy" Dirk rejoined
mildly. mo, it was true enough.
1t was that count chap Ethel met
in the speakeasy. She's been chaS-
ing him ragged. Finally she got
him to say he'd come for the week.
end.
"He made Connie tell him who
the guests were to be. She had to
read the list to him before he'd
say he'd come. Rotten little Snob.
Can you beat it?"
well, why didn't he come, then?
Did the Vanderbilts steal him or
what?" She wasn't really inter-
eSted, but she wanted to believe
well of both Dirk and Connie if she
could.
This crazy jealousy that famed
up whenever she saw the two to-
gether or heard Dirk speak Con-
MES name was like a painful sick
ness. She wanted to be inocuIated
against it if possible. And perhaps
1t was true capricious house
guest like Ethel a manleSS
emergency and Connie always
depended on Dirk like a brother
perhaps there was no guile
there.
"She should have asked me, too,
though" she was thinking rebel
liously.
"Oh, he's out of little Ethel's life
for good" Dirk explained. Called
home to Argentina to settle his
estate or something. She'll never
see him again, and a darn good
thing.
Cons mother was worried sick
for fear Ethel would elope with
him."
LIE was holding her hand and
IL stroking it gently with the
other, just as he always did. Was
1t Observation-Disclosures, or had his
stiffness melted for good?
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