Coulee City dispatch. [volume] (Coulee City, Wash.) 19??-19??, 1936-10-15
by FRANCES shelley WEES
Copyright by Frances Shelley Wees
WNU Service
CHAPTER X-Continued


exactly what you have been to Bryn,
just how little you have really meant
to him. These others know, too; Sally
and Simon and Madeline. Here and
now, before them, ask you to repeat
to Deborah the statement you have
just made, and if you will repeat 1t,
we will take the matter up with Bryn
when he returns, all Of us together,
Pillar"
Pillar started at him. She stamped
her foot furiously "You are impossi-
BILE /" she stormed and then turned and
ran through the door and up the stairs
like one followed by demons.
''I'm terribly proud of you, Tubby,"
Sally said with a catch in her breath.
"But don't know whether it was wise
or not. You may discover some bright
morning that Pillar has put ground
glass in Madeline's coffee"
"In my coffee?" Madeline inquired.
us it permissible to ask why mine,
particularly?'
Sally looked at Tubby helplessly.
Tubby fidgeted. He stood first on one
foot and then on the other. "WelI,"
he said.
"Well?" Madeline repeated.
Look here, Sally" Tubby expostu-
lated. "That wasn't fair. That wasn't
bit fair. didn't :. don't
that is, l can't ="
Sally took Madelines hand. Listen"
she said. 81 suppose I'll have to step
in. He'll go on like that for hours,
just Numbering. Tubby is very good
at taking care Of other peoples love
affairs, but he's terrible at his own.
Madeline, l may as well tell you :.
he came into our room last night
didn't he. Simon-and he sat on the
edge of the bed x. didn't he, Simon?
. and talked about you for hours.
And he ended up by practically asking
Simon for your hand, although any
body but Tubby would know it isn't
done any more. There. That's what's
the matter with him. And that's why
Pillar will want to put ground glass in
your coffee. Pillar always wanted
Tubby If she couldn't have Bryn."
Tubby stepped forward and lifted
Madeine's hand. lie tucked 1t under
his arm. Come on, Madeline" he
said. after all, this things got to
stage where an audience is practi-
cally unnecessary"
Sally dropped down in the step be-
side Deborah, exhausted. There" she
said family. That's done. Aren't men
idiots?'
1t was long time before Grand
mother and Bryn came back, nearly
two hours. Graham pounded and tried
to make himself heard few times, but
after while he apparently decided it
was useless and all was quiet.
They came In at last, chatting COM
fortably. Grandmother kissed Deborah
goodnight and went directly upstairs
on Bryn's arm. He came flying down
in minute or two. where's Tub?
And Madeline, and Pilar?" he inquired.
"Pilar's in bed" Sally answered,
"and Madeline and Tubby went off in
fhe general direction of Heaven To-
ward the orchard. 1 imagine that's
where they still are"
"Oho," Bryn said. $50 at last It's
come to this Well, If you will excuse
me, must about my own business"
Deborah rose swiftly and laid her
hand on his arm. "You won't 20
alone"
why not? 1t isn't going to be a
war We're just going to have quiet
little talk, Graham and I. | think he
will see reason before we're through"
He left.
A little later the door opened. 1t
was Tubby and Madeline. He grinned
sheepishIy. His dimple fickered in
and out. The yellow lock on his crown
stood straight up. Madeline put her
fingers up and tweaked it.
"The first improvement we make"
she decided, will be to have the roots
Of that piece Of hair dug completely
out. Think Of all the hours and hours
1t will save me and the children"
Bryn came in, quietly. He shut the
door behind him. He stood for mo-
ment lost in thought.
"What'd he say?" Simon asked
Nothing" Bryn replied Gle didn't
say anything. He's gone. and his cars
gone too"
"Gone!" Tubby- echoed.
what l want to know" Sally said
ominously, "is, how did he get out?
Three bolts, and a six inch thick door.
and bar of iron on the bottom. You
said he couldn't. How did he?"
Nobody answered her.
Deborah rose early, brushed her hair
with swift nervous fingers, bathed In
cool water, and went out into the thin
fresh morning sunshine. She had not
slept well. She walked quickly up the
path between the garden and the or
chard. She went on, but few yards
inside the stone wall that separated
the orchard from the forest, she turned
and raced back down the path as If
she were pursued; for it had occurred
to her suddenly that he Graham
-. might be hiding on the other side
of the wall. Looking back over her
shoulder, she was brought up short by
colliding with a tall solid person who
seized her hands and swI1no tbon, In