The Western news. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1933-current, 1933-08-24
CHAPTER III-Continued

Doris found herself on the Inside of
4 dark closet with the door firmly
closed.
What could be the meaning of
this? She CROPPED. The hard cylinder
OF a broom handle was beside her.
and this other shapeless thing was
probably vacuum cleaner. Could 1t
be that she was dreaming7 The
fantasy Of girl coming toward her.
almost calling her by name. Miss |
mean Mrs-Val-s she surely had said
.VaT'-then the crazy push Into the
closet. 1t was very like dream.
Or possibly the salesgirl was mad.
Or was Doris mad7 She remembered
that Insane people sometimes thought
every one In the world was crazy.
She felt the darkness of the closet
around her throbbing, throbbing. Why
was she shut away In closet. a poor
child" hidden from some unknown
periI7 Instead OF leaving. her fright
was increasing. As always In her mo-
ments of depression the vision of the
man In the cab came to torment her.
Now his face fioated before her, very
real, very menacIng. Her magma
tion, unbidden. brought out a dozen
suggestions: supposing he were out
there? supposing he wanted to kid
nap herr supposing he were a Grim
inal, and she was his helpless tool-a
criminal herself7
Her hand tightly clutching the
broom handle, her reason telling her
that this was all nonsense, she still
felt wave after wave OF terror plunge
over her like great pillows knocking
her common sense over, choking down
her efforts to be calm and rational.
The salesglrl had recognized her, had
called her Val. Outside Mrs. Du Val
was waiting for her In the car. Every
thing was all right. What was she
scared about?
Everything was not all right What
was the meaning OF the salesgirl's ter
ror? And why was she In this closet?
Doris called herself fool. Fate
had taken her kindly into safe
haven where she could rest and be
well treated until her memory re-
turned. But she had not been salts
fed. She had wanted to return to this
alarming life she had once led. Why
hadn't she been content with Mrs Du
Val In the country? She tried to
think back to the impulse that had
led her to this place where girls
looked at her with stricken plying
eyes and pushed her into dark closets.
She felt that IL she ever got back to
the country, she would never make
any effort to leave again.
After what seemed very long time
she turned the handle of the door and
looked out. The small reception room
was empty. Evidently the salesgirl
had left 1t SO, that she might get
away.
And outside sitting placidly In her
Limousine was Mrs. Du Val.
Doris stood In the center of the
room hesitating. Try as she would
she could not summon her resolution
to go on. Out In the car lay sanity.
, rest, peace IL she went In again and
looked up that salesgirl she did not
know what would happen. but she
could feel the terror the girl had
spread like a contagion.
Doris knew that she was being cow
ardly but she could not help herself.
Then she remembered that the sales
girl had used the word Du Val-or at
least she had said 1t so quickly that
Val something was all Doris heard.
But 1t must be Du Val. What else
could 1t be2 And after all that was
all she had come to find. Some proof
that she belonged to the Du Vals And
that one word OF the salesgirls should
be enough.
She ducked out Of the door and
raced breathlessly to the curb. She
did not wait for Louis to get down
and open the door, but got Inside
quickly and sank down on the soft
snringy cushions.
Il was beginning to worry" said
Mrs. Du Val Il did promise Rocky
not to let you get out Of my sight"
Az the car rolled up the avenue
Doris pondered this. Did Rocky know