Red Lodge daily news combined with Carbon County news., 1932-03-10
Chapter I
A MYSTERIOUS STRANGER


wouldn't we be happier if you be-
gan to work ana We started a little
home?' Kitty asked.
.'Oh, that's what's been souring
your He pushed her away, a little
roughly. II don't see why YOU should
complain-you haven't a thing to do
except twirl your thumbs, and that
ought to seem darn soft to you after
the way you've worked"
Car Carl"
He paid no heed to her protest. He
got up, upsetting his undrunk coffee.
He threw off his dressing gown and
began to put on a collar and tie,
scowling as he adjusted his tie.
Trouble with YOU, Kit, is that
you've counted pennies so long that
you think it's all there is to living.
Well, there's a lot more. Ill start
working all right when | get ready,
but I'm not ready yet. The Mothers
satisfied, SO I'm satisfied too. And
that's that" He thrust his arms
~savagely into his coat sleeves. 7
suppose o. think it's a crime TO play
golf. | take 1t you don't care to go
out with me- And with hat he
flung himself out of the room.
Kitty stood quite still. stunned, UNI
believing. When she heard the sound
q Cars q in the driveway under
AttA1s - : &tAAf 80
Pound came in and went away with
the tray. She moved mechanically
about the room putting 1t to rights.
Now and then she went to the win
dow and stared, unseeing. out across
the house-tops.
They had quarreled-or no. it had
MT been a quarrel. She had said
nothing, just her Gar Carl out OF
her horror at his anger. What had
put him in that mood? She remem-
bered his annoyance because he had
| not risen in time to see his mother
| before she went out. Money He
was broke, he had borrowed from
Red the night before. OF course he'd
| hate to borrow from Marge.
Time and again Kitty had wished
| for an afternoon which she might
| devote to putting her clothes in or
| had not let her have one. Now she had
| 1t on her hands and was too dis
| traught to use it. She was lonely too;
| Cars room gave her no sense OF Sc
| curity now.
She had an overwhelming longing
| to talk TO some one, some n who
would understand, who might help
her-maybe laugh away her horror.
| Cars mother-if she could talk to
her. But on the very breath OF that
desire Kitty sighed. Cars mother
would listen to criticism Of Gar;
4 tI1Tf Ildu Ed1u GtlG was GANiCAt1Ar Ahit
ty tho how often Gar was cioseted
with his mother in her office, her
sanctum to which no one ever went,
unlimited. Kitty had not been in 1t.
OFTEN, passing it's shut door, she had
felt a little wistful. on. no-she
could not talk to Cars mother, now.
Or to Cardboard who treated her
civilly enough, but always with O
studied indifference that had made
Gar laugh. That's Carol-dont mind
her"
Cars father was as u~napproach-
able as tho he did not belong 70 TINS
family. Whenever he met Kitty ne
had repeated: II hope you're happy
here, my dear" But his manner OF
SAYING it showed that he took 1t for
granted that she was happy.
Pound-of them Pound was the
only one who was really, friendly,
Pound, the old servant. She missed
her mother and her father-she miss
ed Phil Corey ana Sally. everything
everything that had been so jolly
and so real, sc simple. AND missing
it, she felt more lonely. She threw
herself on the bed. She could CRY
now and not dispel her tears.
AT five o'clock she bathed n dress
ed, p%rolonging the process. Gar must
surely come back for her before din
ner. But six o'clock came, half-pasi
six and brought no Gar. Seven O..
clock-if any of the family We're al
home for dinner they would eat a.
seven o'clock. Kitty shrank from
facing them without Gar. and yet e
stay alone in this room any longer
was intolerable.
She'd tell them that Gar was de
tanned by his golf match. Perhap'
they had been delayed in starting
off. Foursomes took a long tim'
] over eighteen holes. She had learn
ed that much Of golf, learned II b.
patient waiting. Ora new rear
gripped her; Car might have had al
accident, driving home too fast to ge
her. OF course he'd drive fast
she ran down the stairs, thinkinl
OF that, frightened. Below she foun'
Has Mr.. Gar t%elephoned, Pound
I'm waiting-he's been playing. goif.
Gar had not telephoned. Shed bes
eat dinner here ana not wait, Poun
advised. In a few minutes he woul
serve dinner. The family was out
Pound, you don't think he's ha
an accident2'
Pound patted her arm. Now don
worry, Mrs. Gar. That boys jus
forgotten the time, playing c MS gam be
Mrs. Gar when there was no on
Kitty wandered irresolutely int
the drawing-room. But she ala ne
sit down: she stood IN the center !
the room, tense, listening. Pound pa
NOT reassured her; nothing could vi
til Gar appeared. Perhaps led neN
e. err come: right at this very minul
he might be lying somewhere, mann
1t led, unconscious. And she had !
n, him 20 away in anger.
h When she heard the outer 90
3, omen she gave q sharp cry OF rene
n must be Carl She ran out IN
l. the hall. But there h faced
l. stranger, standing a little uncertain
le ly lust within the door.
with lightning swlftness KITTY eot
In his appearance, his sllghtly SIN
le by clothes, his attitude OF uncertai
ID ~ He was no guest: the FAM
,yyaere dining ont. He had come