Evening star., 1933-11-07
rNsTArLMENT XXI.

"%EN O'CLOCK IN the morning. sue
was so stu, so white and hfeless
against the pillow that Mathilda
became uneasy.
susie" Mathilda leaned over
the bed, gently shook Sues shoulder.
which twitched spasmodically under her
touch. wake up. It's getting on
toward noon"
The slim figure in the bed flung it
self over and emitted low moan.
Mathilda nodded her head. :.
IAN in" she murmured. Cant
blame her" She continued TO shake
the twitching shoulder.
'Matty." Sue started up in bed, her
ewes wide and haunted. "Matty, where's
Jen?" Mathilda thought Sues face
against the pillow could not be whittier,
but now she knew she had been mis-
taken. >,
"Jeffreys gene About an hour ago." "
"You mean hes he's - not coming
back?" Lips could be paler than cheeks.
Pale and blush.
HE didn't say"
But, Matty. He can't go-not this
wavi" Sue imploring.
What do you mean, he cant9 You
want him to go, don't you? The way
YOU carried on last night you'd think he
was trying 10 kidnap you or something
His own wife, Mathilda snorted dis
you don't know. Can't you see I
was being forced on him, here in these
rooms, closed in together. 1t was
shameful. 1 couldn't bear it"
You don't have to bear it. Hes gone,
I tell you. He left word about your
mother. Said you'd probably want 70
see her today. You're to take a car, II
you like. Conner is to drive. Conner Is
Jeffrey's man and won't talk. the
drawing account in your name Is in the
National States Bank. You're to draw
what you want"
VERY we'll" Sue wriggled out of bed.
Her body was sore AS though it had
been rolled roughly, and pounded. I'll
be ready in few minutes. But I'm
not taking a Randall car. I'm going
by train"
THAT will be best Mathilda agreed.
"Then you can stay as long as you
want and you won't have chauffeur TO
worry about. While you're gone I'll
attend to q few of my own affairs that
need wedding out"
Twenty minutes later, when Sue
emerged into the living room, Mathilda
put down her paper to exclain, Whats
the idea of the old rose sports wear
I hung up the new gewgaws. They're
in those two closets off the bed room. >"
"I prefer this" The beige coat, with
the white stars from the parsons gar
den guttering the ashes in the fur, was
across her arm.
"Well, your folks will certainly be
glad to see you, all rumpled and for
iorn," Mathilda said
Beatrice Randall was Just outside the
elevator, consulting with Persons, the
butler, when Sue and Mathilda stepped
out.
"Oh, my dear!" Beatrice was a fiutter
Of concern Then you are quite all
right. We've been terribly distressed.
It was foul of Grizzly, falling on you
that way. Our guests were so disap-
pointed I've told them all about you
and the unfortunate accident"
It had rather restless night" Sue
answered cloaking the antagonism she
felt for this dark insinuating cousin of
Jeffrey's under a show of WEAKNESS.
"I'm sorry to have disappointed your
guests"
"oh, its quite all right. Quite. They
perfectly understood Only I can't see
how that bust-it's weird, isn't it?"
Pearsons stood rigid, with the pro-
priety of position. And yet his eyes
behind the inscrutable mask-his
eyes we're trying to convey a message.
Sue CROPPED for the message. No, she
could not catch it. 1t eluded her.
You'll be in for lunch?" Beatrice
assumed an affirmative Wen have
lunch in time There are so many
things for us to chatter about-Ive
scarcely had time to say more than
Welcome home Something within
her-an awareness of danger?-must
have tinged a warning
Persons, you may 60" How quickly
Beatrice RandalPs voice could slide
from a tropical huskiness into the thin
edge Of ice The butler disappeared
in the din1ness of the hall.
"You have an engagement to lunch
with Mr.. Randall" Mathilda made a
gesture Of reminding Sue.
'Why-yes. Then / can't be here,
can l? That Is, If I'm meeting JEFF"
Love birds?" Beatrice was being
arch. The archness Of a wasp, sting
ing.
Love birdsI" Mathilda swatted the
wasp. Come, Mrs. Randall, we're
late as usual"
Persons was waiting beside car
under the porte-cochere. Again Sue
had the feeling he wanted to convey
something to her, message, but that
he was constrained by circumstances
over which he had no control.
4
The train stopped at 125th street
Soon it would be drawing into Grand
Central Station. Sue Santry Randall
peered through the double-paned car
window. Life goes on. That buxom
housewife leaning out of the window,
her plump elbows and cushiony mid
rim on pillow, was watching for her
man.
He'd be coming home from work She
would feed him out Of the pots simmer
ing on the gas range behind her. A