Evening star., 1936-07-15
CHAPTER XIV.

off short sentences that told
of Kittys remarkable return
to consciousness. her surprise
that the police should have questioned
any one when nothing more exciting
had happened to her than slipping
on an Oriental scatter rug. which had
caused her head injury. Though she
was still an i'll woman, the doctors
gave her a 80 per cenG chance to pull
through.
The radio announcer then ended
his flash with-"Lieut. Lee Cavendish,
estranged husband of the injured
woman and one of the Navy's ace
flyers, formerly attached to the U. S. S.
Saratoga, was court-martialed from
the Navy this afternoon for having
married eight years ago, while he was
q midshipman at the academy. The
former lieutenant pleaded guilty. And
now, ladies and gentlemen, Barker's
Hawaiian Orchestra, who so kindly
permitted their program to be inter-
rupted that you might have this
flash"
Victor laid his palm over Patsy's
hand. He said: You see? I told
YOU she wouldn't talk"
Heartsick, Patsy stood there in ST.
lence So Lee was out of the Navy.
court-martialed His paradise had
tumbled down around him. He'd have
to pick up the broken stones of his
hopes now and try to build a new life
0f Dt,t Iosl an hI1i11it1p on
quicksand alWays-doing work he
hated in a city he hated-when the
very foundation of his ambition was
the seattle service. Her eyes filled
and she looked up through her tears
at VictorS enigmatical face.
will you take me home now Vic?"
ehe asked him.
His hand tightened over hers. "Of
course, Patsy" His voice was hushed
''But before do there's something
want to tell you. Perhaps ]
shouldn't, yet somehow want you to
know that love you. I'll always
love you. You've helped me more
than you can guess-and I'm more
grateful than you can guess. Those
walks in the woods-the quiet, peace
full days-the nights when you sang
No, don't say anything-please. I'm
not asking you to marry me. I'm not
even asking you to let me see you
again. I'm just telling you that
love you"
Suddenly he broke off and crossed
the hall to the front door. He said,
evenly, just as if he had not disclosed
for one moment the Victor beneath
the cold, hard shell of his body:
Il suppose you've wondered where
this house of mine Is located It's
about 10 miles south of Annapolis.
I'll drive you to the bus stop nova
about 25 minutes. I think it would
be better if you weren't seen with me
Run up and pack your bags and let's
be off. And remember-you we're in
New York looking for a job and-you
didn't find one. I'm taking for
granted that you want to go back to
Annapolis before you go on to New
York
'Yes-yes, Victor. I think I do"
Then she turned away from him and
ran up the stairs, her blue eyes starry
and magnifled with unshed tears.
1t was Saturday of the last week
IN November. Kitty had completely
recovered from her injury and was
enjoying the popularity of being a
generous woman whose husband had
tried to murder her rather than give
her up to another man and whom she
had protected from punishment by
saying she had slipped on rug. That
was the story she had told at cocktail
parties. teas and dinners. And though
the police could not touch Lee, he was,
nevertheless, convicted in mems
minds. 1t was easy for Annapolis to
believe that a man who had been
court-martialed from the Navy could
attempt to murder his wife
Ted and Virginia had flown to Phil
adelphia for the Army Navy game.
Tippy and Grandfather had gone on
the train. Marcia hadn't wanted to
&c, for anything especially Navy re-
minded her of Tom Kane and made
her morbid. And because DR.. Cole
Proctor, the famous neurologist. who
had Marcias case. advised that she
never be left alone for any great
length of time, Patsy had stayed
home with her.
Almost a month had passed now
since Patsy had returned to Tree Tops
with an interesting if somewhat vague
account of her 10 days in New York
haunting theatrical agents offices.
Grandfather had nearly tripped up
her story once when she had said
that she had seen Dmetrieff and had