The Kennewick courier-reporter. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1914-1938, 1933-11-16
CHAPTER x

IN afternoon. Instead came a
telegram saying that he was catch.
ing q train that night and would
arrive Saturday morning.
That would be the day of the
wedding.
Doris had developed streak of
hopefulness. Rocky would have un-
raveled some clue. and would bring
back the miraculous news that she
was not Diane Merrell. Or he
would have discovered that Howard
Valery had not been killed. or that
he had committed suicide. No. that
would not do. The experts said
that that was impossible. She re.
membered reading that. Besides,
Diane had left a note. But how
stupid she had been to put down
on paper such an intention and
then to carry it out, leaving the
note for the police to find. OF
course she hadn't meant it for the
police.
Friday passed in a stew of spec.
ulation. She woke at dawn next
morning with heavy heart.
After breakfast she waited on the
little porch beside the sitting room
for Rocky. Her feeling Of uncer.
tainty deepened. After all, If she
was Diane Merrell what could
Rocky do for her? Whatever hap.
pened, a long life of loneliness
stretched before her; that, or death.
Mrs. Du Val sees no one" II
was Mary's voice.
The butler answered. Il have
told her that. But she won't lis
ten"
Doris started to her feet. Who
could be wanting to see her? Was
it Rocky? No. it was woman. AS
| she hesitated, she heard Beatrice
come In to the sitting room.
A new voice said loudly. 'But
I'm going to see her."
Where had she heard that voice
before-a strong husky girls voicei
Believe me-" the voice went on
you'd better not try to stop me If
you know what's good for you"
Doris peeked in. The girl was
| someone she had seen before-a
brown-eyed girl in tailored suit
| of green linen. Doris had seen her
before-but where? z
PLENTY of good reasons"
"Whom did you wish to see?"
Beatrice was speaking in a crisp
impersonal tone. .- r--.., .....s
81 want to see the girl calling
herself Mrs. Rockwell Du Val.
Plenty Of good reasons why she
don't want to see me, know"
"Then why do you try"
"Plenty more why she'd better"
Doris recognized her. She was
the girl she had seen at the clam
stand-the friend of the real Doris.
Rocky had called her Molly.
The big brown eyes looked full
Of determination.
there's no use trying to high
hat me. Are you Mrs. Du Val?"
"No," said Beatrice quietly.
! II thought you weren't. I have
an idea who she is. And I intend
to go through every room in this
house to find her il have to-"
The quiet youthful voice of Beat
rice was in marked contrast to Mol.
ly's insistent tones. won't you sit
down and tell what it is you want
to see Mrs. Du Val about?"
That's my business" said Mol
ly sullenly.
"Supposing you tell it to me-"
Like hi I will"
"Then I'm afraid you can't see
her."
Molly's tone held a jeer. "Oh
yeah? Well, supposing / tell you
I'm a friend of the real Mrs. Du
VAL"
Beatrice said nothing. ill.,.
"That gets you, doesn't It? Now
perhaps you'll understand why ]
want to take squint at the girl
who is palming herself off as Doris
Du Val"
I'm afraid 1 DON'T" said Beat.
rice quietly. "How did you find out
about this?"
"Doris saw 1t in the papers. Mrs.
Du Val arrested. And that made
her wonder, as the saying goes.
She sent me a WIRE" r.z
"You are here then as Mrs. Du
Val's agent? Am I to understand
| that?"
Molly sat down and crossed her
/ legs. "Yeah. That's about it."
"Where is Mrs. Du Val?"
.That's my business, too"
Rocky said that Doris had left
him. Do you know where she is?''
"Supposing I dor"
"Does Doris want to get Rocky
to come back to her?"J,
Molly disdainfully inserted her
tongue between opened lips and
blew vigorously. HI no." she
remarked when she had finished
the exercise.