Coulee City dispatch. [volume] (Coulee City, Wash.) 19??-19??, 1935-11-28
CHAPTER IX-Continued


NO." said Hal, pretending GOODNESS.
mot bit But you don't expect me
to be an authority, do you? Or
do you think I'm such fool that l
make one of myself consciously"
II spose you have to get red-head-
ed" said Kerrigan evenly, "but I'm
giving you credit for sense enough not
to think your own ideas are the only
ones worth anything"
"Thanks," said Hal without grace.
"T don't like butting into other peo-
pies business" Kerrigan went on. "The
curse of the world is people trying to
run other people. And I'm not asking
you this for fun, or because I like to
hear myself talk"
Hal looked at Kerrigan's complete,
quiet gravity and felt the disrespect
of being stretched on the bed while
his senior sat solicitously forward. He
raised himself from the pillows and
swung his feet to the floor. I'm sorry,
Colonel. don't see why you should
give curse about my business. I'm
thankful that you do He'd tell Ker-
rigan all about it-everything. That
might be good to do: perhaps, telling
him, his blood and his brain would
rouse out of their coma.
Kerrigan began soberly. eff you
don't want to tell me what's happened,
say so. But if you want to break
it out, 1 want to hear it. And I said
want to- not willing to-"
Colonel, 1 want to tell you," said
Hal, a gentleness on his mind as we'll
as on his voice. IL just wanted to
wait, that was all. Here-if you'll lis
ten-here's the whole thing: start to
to finish"
Hal told him a story so orderly and
simple that he surprised himself-from
the first hour in New York, when
Larsen had been so sure Barry and
Crack were together, from his first
sense of something wrong that rode
with them in the car through to watch
ing Barry go up the walk to the hotel
in Hollywood. And all the while he
spoke, Barry sat in shining green
satin, holding herself hard on that bed
four hundred and more hot miles
away, staring darkly into the shabby
corner.
"That's it," said Hal in quiet con-
clusion. "And l can't tell you-can't
tell myself-what it was when l saw
Crack standing in her room and knew
why he could be there. Since then
it's been like coming out of fever: you
know something's happened inside you
but you don't know what. loved her.
| guess-must've. 1 don't hate her
now-don't seem to be able to feel
about her at all. l only hate him; and
I'd hate him even if he'd done nothing
to me, even if he didn't hate me, too"
$50 what?" said Kerrigan.
Hal gave single, flat laugh. "Noth-
ing" he said: except I'm going to
keep my father out of the dirty mess
if | have to-if it kills me-"
Kerrigan sat down casually and said,
"Out of what dirty mess?"
Hal looked at him sharply for a
hint of the joke but there was no
joke in Kerrigan's gravely commanding
eyes.
81 mean why is it suddenly dirty
after Crack comes into it," Kerrigan
explained in patient, scholastic man.
ner. you knew she was married. Who
did you expect her husband to be-"
81 didn't expect him to be stealthy,
pale louise of man, watching us,
eight there making his dirty plans
while his--his girl got a prospect
ready"
Kerrigan said, "Oh," lifting his head
in slight, ironic comprehension. "She
made you come to her room last night"
NO. said Hal defensively.
"As matter of fact, she asked you
not to-"
Yes, but"
But when you came, she didn't
keep you out When you were inside,
she didn't do the perfectly natural
thing-throw you through the window
or scream for help. That it,"
"When that-that lazy spider came
In and locked the door," said Hal /;
when he stood there as if he owned
her. as if he had me backed into tt
Shiny corner where he wanted me, 81
never said word, never made
sound. She went over and sat on IL
bed and stared into the corner, al
| don't believe she even listened. An
- Cd, Kerrigan, d'you think l war
ed to believe it,"
Believe what" said Kerrigan, st
gravely waiting. Mind telling
what's this it you didn't want to
lieve!"
Hal curbed his miserable exasper
ton. Il didn't want to believe what
had to believe-that she didn't mi
her rotten little husbands catchi
me; l didn't want to believe that
meant more to her to keep her pro
Use, her rotten bargain with Crack
much more-than Toto"