Evening star., 1934-10-28
CHAPTER XVII.
SILVER'S RETURN.
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the contents, L1lcIl OdL DhSA
overwhelmed at what she had done to
Cliff Hondon, In tricking him into o
fight for life.
After reading his letter to Silver
she had realized he was on the verge
OF bankruptcy, but she had not real
ized how deeply he was involved. The
newspaper account gave this in de-
tail, and the inference was that his
suicide had been an attempt to evade
his creditors, rather than any thwart-
ed love for his former wife. Criminal
conspiracy to cheat these creditors
was indicated, as it was proved large
sums of cash had been withdrawn and
had vanished.
While he was lying at the hospital
fighting for his life, the sheriff was
conducting a sale of the remains of
his once valuable estate. Everything
save the property he had given Silver
as settlement was being liquidated.
Cliff Hondon would live. He would
come back from the border of death,
weak, broken, to face destitution or
worse, q criminal charge with it ac-
companying penitentiary sentence.
This was what she had done by inter-
fering in some ones else business.
Eyes wide with apprehension, she
sat staring at a bowl of tulips. Five
tulips, and one a mottled cup of red
and yellow. She didn't see them.
When Cliff Hondon had chosen his
way out, preferring suicide to an
expose of his father-in-law's crooked
method Of conducting his business
and the subsequent crushing of Sill
vers life, she, a total stranger, had
made him believe Silver was really the
woman he had idealized, made him
believe he might come back, face the
odds and win.
Marian Gordon, what in the name
of goodness is wrong with you?"
Ann@ pushing a tea cart before
her, had stopped to look down at the
girl in the chair.
Nothing" Marian answered.
Nothing !. and you look like
that" She stepped close, shook the
other girl Snap out of it; tell me
what's wrong"
II don't dare tell any one" mur-
INJURED Marian, then but I've got to
tell some one. Anne, promise me If
I tell you this you'll never breathe it
to a living soul?"
That's an insult" snapped Anne,
you know I don't talk, Ian. What
is the matter?"
There are only four persons In the
world who know this now. Silver Hon.
don, a man named Max Hamlin,
Bowen and myself. Anne, Silver
didn't send that message to Cliff. I
did. I made it up and got 1t across
the wire to Bowen before she could
tear loose from Hamlin's hold and
grab the telephone"
"whewr' breathed Anne and sat
down in the nearest chair. Then
sturdily, having recovered her breath,
you saved his life. What are you
getting all het up about now?"
But, Anne, what good is that life
to him? He'll learn Silver doesn't
care for MIN. He'll face the charges
the newspapers mention and I know
he won't tell the truth and clear him
self. He'll come back broken in spirit,
in hope, in belief in anything, and
for what?"
Anne didn't answer. She bent her
sleek head over the silver urn, poured
q cup of coffee and thrust it at Mar
ian. Drink that and see If you can
swallow what I'm going to tell you
at the same time.
Ian, I've spent six years holding
the hands of impulsive men who
thought they wanted to die, while they
tried their darnedest not to do it
I'm willing to bet anything OWL
that If you were to tell Cliff every
thing right now, he'd still fight to
| live.
"As far as Silver's concerned he's
lived with her long enough to know
her. AS soon as he gets over the
maudlin stage he'll admit she's a
naturalborn washout.
About his financial condition. Youl
friend Cliff is an ostrich. He stuck
his head in a hole and didn't know
the desert was full of friends. BY the
time yesterdays paper was on the
street we had run Of visitors at the
hospital that nearly put us out oi
1 puSAACSS. bAOOAACAog SACN
| brothers, yacht club brothers. And
they came bearing gifts. Blank checks
with signatures signed, business offers
One brought note that the yacht
club had bid in on the island home
and if it got it, Cliff had permanent
honorary residence at the club.
1--WE got all of those messages
through to Cliff. So don't you worry
about Cliff and his future. You've
given him a chance to live, clean up
the mess he left and when he does
check out, he'll have left his life in
order"
She refilled the cup. when you get
through drinking that, to bed with
you"
Relieved, Marian took Anne's ad-
vice and when she again opened her
eyes she lay staring at the twilight
outside her window. Should call the
Office" she thought, then heard the
whirr of the telephone and Anne call
ing that Bowen was on the phone.
well, where in Hades have you
been?" was Bowen's reception. Listen,
grab cab and beat it to the airport. u
Il won't go to Reno again., pro-
tested Marian sleepily.
Wait til you're asked. Your friend
Silver is due in from there, en- route
to Meredith. Get in on the reunion
and give us a yarn for the early edi-
ton. And say, Ian, good work on your
Reno story; you've got a raise COM
ing"
Don't want it, said Marian feebly
And "What?" came the incredulous
reply.
From the mirrored cubicle where
she was dressing, Marian heard the
sound of the hall door buzzer, heard
Anne answer and a moment. later
heard a voice that sent her heart
beating double time
Ions here" said Anne, unneceS-
sarily, as she entered. tHe apollo
gized for waking you, and when
told him you were already awake,
dressing to go on an assignment, he
nearly threw a fit, began waving q
talanrop, uyoit TIL hn0k that