The Western news. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1933-current, 1933-09-14
Pctronella
By DREW SHERRARD
G. by Mcclure Newspaper Syndicate.
WNU Service
DETRoNELLA slipped nolselessI

IL y
l out through the street door. A
moment she stood, every sense alert,
listening. Voices inside; they had not
missed her. escape was possible.
There had been brief April shower
an hour before, and as she hurried
across the lawn and through a gap In
the hedge. her slim, silky legs were
spattered and her velvet-shod feet
soaked through. How she hated wet
feet ALL manner of discomfort for
that matter-but she hurried on, trust
ing to an innate sense OF direction to
guide her out of this strange neighbor-
hood. She had come here In CAB,
with Roger Maybury. but that was out
of the question now. She must go
alone, and by devious ways and unfre-
quented streets. She could not risk
the brilliant streets downtown, con-
splcuous In her dewdrenched lowell
ness.
From the first she had known she
could never be happy at Mrs. Warley's.
Roger, whose mother had befriended
Mrs. Marley during her lifetime, and
who had himself with characteristic
kindness financed her when she set up
her select little boarding establish
ment. had thought 1t just the place for
Petronella. But Mrs. Marley, though
the soul OF kindness, was incapable
of understanding how Petronella felt
about the whole thing. She never sus-
pected that Petronella had spent her
three days at Pleasant Cottage rest
lessly trying to evolve some plan to
get away to Roger. And then, at the
last, there had been no plan at all,
simply overwhelming impulse. Pc
tronella was going to Roger to stake
everything on the attempt to make
him see things as she did.
Roger Maybury was perhaps
strange person to have Influenced her
so. "A bachelor, no longer very young,
wealthy enough, socially desirable,
lust what was his attraction for Pc
tronella? Probably she was first drawn
to him because OF the way he spoke
TO her, indulgently, whimsically, as
she had been child. She waited no
time In reasoning why, she had quite
simply known that he WAS her man,
that she belonged to him.
One night when she had been out
with her young companions she had
seen him, and slipping away from
them, she had followed him home He
had been kind, but firm. He had not
let her In. Instead, he had invented
some excuse for going out himself.
and then he had taken her back to her
friends and left her.
She exulted voicelessly as she pat
tered along the wet pavement. Strange,
sinister nurlieus. bedraggled woman
holding out OBTAINING hand, man,
starting up out of shadows; saying
words. A clock doomed twelve, and
suddenly she felt a little stabbing
thrill at Its familiar tone. The clock
on Rogers street!
A policeman came around corner
toward her. She shrank back into the
protecting shadow between two houses
A wooden gate marked "Tradesman,"
Welded to her slight push, and she
darted inside to crouch breathlessly
till the heavy tread passed by.
She dared not face the street again.
She stole around back OF the house
and crossed back yards till she reached
the place she sought. She looked up
at the house, dark, solid, respectable,
at the third-story window OF Rogers
room. at Ivy on the walls. She put
a foot upon It's twisted trunk, and In
another moment her 1.-the body was
| drawing itself up the leafy ladder, up
to Roger.
The ledge gained, she looked down
and. In the instant Of that downward
glance, almost lost her hold. She cried
ont inyoluntarily. Inside the dimly
moonllt room. she saw Roger rise from
| he'd. reach for bathrobe and come
| cautiously toward the window.
"petronella |"
Dlsregarding his outstretched hand
she crept over the sill and jumped
| lightly down to the floor. He pressed
a light switch. She curled up In
cushioned chair and regarded him
through half-closed lids.
apetronella, Is this the way to act
/ Don't you know you are making II
ID difficult for me?"
what were words? She knew better
WAYS than words for working her will
with this man. Slipping down she
crossed the room with delicate, almost
mincing steps. Going up close TO hin
she leaned herself against him, max
Ing little soft sounds OF happiness ant
love He stood 1t for minute fher
caught her up to him, pressing hel
slender body against his breast Pe
tronella laid q velvet cheek agains
the satisfying roughness Of his bath
robe. and breathed little happy sigh
apetronella, you win," he said. "Yo'
internal little black-and-white allie,
cat. you're mine for keeps Let thi
whole club howl their heads off. III
be eternally blistered If ! let any hous
committee make me send you back t
old Marley and her cat boarding
houseI Til resign first!'
@nI n