Evening star., 1935-05-30
CHAPTER XI.

II take it back You are at least
"a. ruthless, hard-bltten female.
You remind me of a nurse l knew
once. who lost all her patients because
the mere sight of her made them ex-
pire. BY the way are you married.
Alison met his twinkling eyes, that
had two dancing blue imps in them.
and said hauehtilv; "Of course. l am.
To my fourth husba nd.
ANY family?'
Ten
Not bad!"
They both laughed toeether.
Are you married." she asked
Me? A burglars life is too unset
tied"
And an architects?"
''Too badly paid"
"Then you've only YOU and Gaffe?"
That's all. And you?'
"Only father and myself. Until
now" Alison added with little twlnge
of sadness,
"Oh. YES. You told me. Your faith
er's getting remarked. Do you like
her?"
Il haven't met her yet.
He said nothing. yet she could feel
that he understood. When he spoke
seain it was tn ask: You said your
fsther'd retired What is he? In
business
No He is ma lor in the Roans." "
"Roans?" He repeated it with a
slightly puzzled air.
: Yes. He didn't want To 60 on IN
II after my mother died. l suppose he
wanted 10 break with everything;
ANYWAY. he retired And as he'd
enough money he just travelled about
with me in the holidays, and alone
when l was at school
Il see He turned to her suddenly.
"You know, it is funny about his
sending YOU that wire and then not
turning up II must have been the
wrong house"
I'm sure il must You'd think it
fer more weird If you knew him, said
Alison. Fathers a darling. an abSo-
lutte pet but he's awfully fuSsy over
me. This is the first time he's ever
let me come home alone AS rule
he's come to fetch me. And when ne
rouldn't, because he was i'll, he GOT
some one 10 meet me At Dover. He's
got the most obsolete ideas on chap
erons and things"
You don't think Guy began.
mo-" Alison answered the un-
spoken words L don't see what else
We could DO do you? / mean if we d
gone into Wsrley it'd have made II
much worse, really turning up in the
middle of the night together, wouldn't
it,"
Il thought so ANYWAY"
This wav no one neeo know"
Except your father
"M-m-n1. Yes. of course. | sup
pose I ought 10 tell him
Il must" he corrected quickly.
why? II ones going 10, lis me-"
I'D rather do il myself. if you don't
Why Puzzled. she asked point
blank
Because il he objects. he can start
kicking me
She said uenderingly. Was that
WHY you wanted TO drive me back?"
One Of the reasons"
Alison did not ask for the others:
she could guess Al least one. She said
instead: DO you think We need tell
him."
Il do"
II know. Bur--vell, he's fright
fully funny and old fashioned over
some things. He won't even let me go
about alone when we're abroad"
You think he'd be angry?"
No. it's not that said Alison
Quickly. It's the other way I'm
afraid he'd worry and be upset about
me, quite unnecesSs rly. He wouldn't
realize that I wasn't nervous and felt
perfectly safe and happy with"
she stopped short.
"With?"
Thank YOU" He said that rather
eravely and as though he meant it.
And they we're both silent, each very
occupied with their own thoughts.
oh, look" Alison pointed. A
shiny yellow uniform had appeared
over the brow of the next hill an A A
man on bicycle. Guy braked and
slid up beside the man.
Il saw, where's the nearest tele-
phone box"
The man stared at them in sur
prise
Why, you mustve Just passed one,
SIR"
Far baCk?"
oh. no. sir. About half mile.
And il that's not working there's
another two miles back At the cross
Ids
Thanks
They swung the car and turned
hack. Guy did not look At Alison and
they said nothing. Half a mile hack
along the wav that they had come