Evening star., 1934-11-23
CHAPTER XLIII.
STRAIGHT TALK.
ON had asked her to understand
~ he did things that seemed

r ON had asked her to understand
If he did things that seemed
queer at the moment, Marian
IL remembered. Well, this Ger
tainly seeemd queer, but why
wasn't she accorded the same trust?
TOO bad you couldn't join US at
dinner" Silver said. I'VE had grand
time, didn't we Lonny?"
"Umph," grunted Lon.
Indian for yes" Silver chuckled.
1--WE went over to San Francisco,
drove around by the peninsula, then
came back across the ferry"
Marian thought she must say some
thing. She couldn't let Silver see how
deeply wounded she felt.
"One of these little see-America-
first trips" she suggested. And added
silently, then Lon hasn't been home,
he must have telephoned the house
and May told him where to find me.
What was all that rubbish he had
talked about a business conference
with McSwain? Mentally she tabu-
lated the time it would have taken
for such a trip, with dinner included.
There's nothing clandestine about
us, is there Mr.. Casad?" continued
Silver.
There's no reason for anything
clandestine," Lon barked.
Marian felt her scalp tingle, fore
runner of anger. and she mustn't al
low her anger to control her.
Think III suggest to Max that we
try that" she said, and was rewarded
by feeling the car swerve dangerously
as Lon jerked the wheel.
"Oh, don't take Max seriously"
Silver countered, "he falls for every
girl he sees. I had him on my hands
for a while"
"And, of course, you couldn't af-
ford to waste your time on a man
without money" Marian flashed
back. TOO bad you didn't realize he
was to make a fortune on Silver
Slave Hollywood paid him an
amazing price for his picture rights"
"Oh. really?" Silver forgot her
pique in her interest in Hamlins
finances. "How much?"
Marian conquered desire to say,
"The last tint you asked that queS-
ton, it was about Lon" Instead she
said as though she had lost all in
terest in everything, II don't remem-
ber that he named the actual amount;
] read about it."
AS they neared Lonian Lodge Ma
rian leaned across Silver and spoke
to her husband.
Mind dropping me here?" she
asked. I'm sure the Walks want to
get home"
Lon turned into the driveway.
Don't bother about coming up, I
can walk from here" she said.
The car stopped with savage
grinding of brakes. Marian stepped
out and looked back.
might, Silver" she said, and to
Lon, don't hurry home on my ac-
count"
Good night Marian" Silver an
swered, then, SAY, by the way, where
is Hamlin stopping?"
Marian looked at her and laughed
Silver" she chided. haven't you
had enough experience with men to
know you should concentrate on one
at time" and she scurried of into
the darkness.
AS she mounted the hill her anger
mounted with her until by the time
she reached the house, she wished
she had turned on the two of them
and told them what she thought of
them. Trust Lon? Shed trust no
man with Silver.
And Hamlin. that was the second
time Ions jealousy had frustrated
her attempt to help him through the
man he seemed to hate.
She dispatched May and Waki, let
Hero run to the hilltop and back,
then took him indoors and sat down
to wait for Lon. And as she waited
her anger burned down to gray ashes
of despair.
Silver had seen her talking to
Hamlin. Would she realize the sig
niflcance of that conference? Know
ing that no one but Hamlin knew
what had happened that night in
Reno, would she, with her alertness to
her own danger, know what was in
the air?
VIII did tell Lon not to hurry?"
she asked herself. Il must see him,
we must talk this over If Silver tells
her father but maybe she won't
see him before next week end .
and maybe she's talking to him right
now. He'll know what I'm up to.