Evening star., 1936-08-05

strained his eyes across space and
thought of Patsy For here was in
formation that could give the girl he
loved to the man she loved. He re-
allied, too. that if he tore up the
paper-told Ted that it was nothing
important-that later on, when the
shock of this day was over Patsy
would marry him. Might even come,
with the passing of the years, to really
love him.
A trown furrowed his forehead and
a damp perspiration broke out on his
temples. There in his hand, he kept
telling himself, lay Lees happiness
or his oWn--his own!
In the next moment Richards
square chin grew squarer. He cursed
lightly and told himself that man
ought to have more Self-respect than
TO let his thoughts betray him like
that! There was only one thing he
could-or Would-do!
He started off down the narrow,
eobbled street, made his way to State
circle and headed for Carvel Hall.
Patsy didn't know it, but Lee had
been in bed at the hotel ever since
the night of the fire. His arms had
been badly burned and one had be-
come dangerously infected. On the
street yesterday afternoon when Rich
ard had run across Dr. Cartwright, he
had learned of Lees illness and had
gone promptly to see him. Lee was
lIp for the first time in two weeks
when he got there and for a long
while they had sat on the shaded ver-
anda talking Neither had men
toned Patsy, but he had known that
she was invisibly there between them,
keeping the conversation strained and
a little inimicable, each sensing the
others envy; Lee, because Richard was
to have Patsy as his wife; Dick be-
cause Lee was the man Patsy loved.
And so, when the sunset had famed
brilliantly over the quaint little viii
lage, Richard had left with feeling
of heavy depression and doubt. The
only consolation had been that Lee
was married and that Kitty Mitchell
made no effort to hide the fact that
she would never divorce him or permit
him TO divorce her. The people OF
Annapolis were whispering that ever
since Kitty had been struck on the
head she hadn't been quite sane. She
talked wildly at times, did strange
things, was the victim of absurd OBJ
sessions.
At Carvel Hall, Richard ran up the
little flight of wooden steps two at a
time, and hurried into the lobby. He
founud Lee at the front Office, obvi-
ously checking out. He went up to
him, drew him aside and told him
briefly what had happened at noon
at the church. Then he handed him
the letter and stood, silently waiting
Lee read the page through, his face
slowly paling. Richard could see that
his shoulders had tensed and that the
knuckles on his hands showed bone
white. Then he looked up, met Rich
ards grave brown eyes.
DO you suppose-it'S truce"
of course" said Richard. why
would a man who knew he was going
to be killed, write it If it were not?"
For moment Lee didn't speak
Then he shook his blond head for
lornly and looked straight into Rich
ards face. I'm afraid you're q bet
ter man than I, Dick. If I had this
in my possession-if I knew that only
this sheet of paper lay between get
ting the one thing in the world I
wanted-I wonder what I would have
donew
Richard said. evenly: Precisely as
I'm doing. I know that. Or else I
shouldn't be here" And then Richard
jabbed his hands down deep in his
pockets in a Semblance of ease and
went on, speaking slowly: "Patsy's out
at my house now She's pretty upset.
think she'd rather see you than any
one in the world. And you're the one
to tell her the news"
And you-?"
I've an experiment I've been want
Ing to work on for two years. I think
1 told you about it one night at the
base camp. You know, there's never
been any interest in my life but my
work-and Patsy. And now-In have
great deal more time for re-
search" his voice broke and he
smiled in that slow, pleasant way of
his. He had lied, but it was the kind
of lie that comes from the lips of q
gallant gentleman.
The two young men shook hands
with mute understanding. And then,
when Lee left in a cab, Richard stood
on the steps of Carvel Hall, his dark
face very grave. He watched the car
out of sight, turned at last and went
inside to a telephone booth in the rear
lobby.
He called Kitty's number on State
circle, heard her dangerous voice an
swering and told her what had hap
pened to her husband. He talked
quickly, warning her that she was to
do nothing to disturb the happiness
Of Lee and Patsy. But all at once
he was conscious that there was no
one on the other end of the wire. He
1erked the receiver hook up and down
several times and the operator came
in on the line and in a nasal voice
assured him that he was still con-
nected with his number. He waited
something and when she did not he
hung up, called Admiral Benson, who
was in Annapolis to attend the we'd
ding, and told him about the note
that had been found in Victor's
pocket.
Richard said: "It seems to me,
Admiral Benson, that that reinstate-
ment that we were discussing recently
could be put across rather quickly
now that we know Lee was never
really married. That he was court
martialed from the Navy for some
thing that didn't exist. What do you
think?"
The admiral chuckled with pleas
ure. He said: "I don't think there's
the slightest doubt about it now''
After Richard hung up, he wan
dered aimlessly around the lobby won
dering how he could kill time. He
couldn't 60 home now and infiict his
presence on Lees and Patsy's happi-