The Coolidge examiner., 1936-07-31
CHAPTER I

Dlean, bronzed, he stood before
the big crystal mirror hanging over
the stone fireplace and examined
his chin critically. 1t was very
nice chin, but Bryn was not in the
least concerned with it's niceneSS
he was trying to determine whether
Burch had or had not nicked it in
finitesimally. 1t seemed not. Burch
had done his usual perfect job.
Tubby, his eyes round and dis
tracted, dropped into one Of the
deep morocco armchairs and stared
out at the dusk. 1t was pouring
like smoke across the bay, Sitting
through the Golden Gate to blot
out the sunset. The daily fleet of
fishing vessels, their sails row
of tiny dark triangles against the
dimming face of the sun, slipped
out once more to brave the perils of
the vastly deep. Below the house
the waves Tapped idly at the white
cliff, gentle and harmless.
Tubby was not philosopher, and
he had very little imagination. To
Tubby horse was horse, usually
with four legs and a tail. 1t was
not something over which kingdoms
might be lost or with which prin-
cesSeS might be rescued. Waves to
Tubby were waves, always wet and
often chilly. But now, as he stared
down through the wide plate glass
window, there was look of posi-
tive inspiration on his face, as if he
were telling himself that these
waves, at least, might sometimes
wash the shores of China, the far,
far. dangerous shores Of China
that these waves might easily,
small and tender though they now
appeared, might easily puff and
swell and lift themselves to fall
with thunder and fury on one of the
innocent little vessels drifting now
so serenely past the sun. Life was
like that, Tubby was convinced.
Tubby put his head down into his
hands and groaned.
Look here, Bryn," he said in
wOebegone voice, you can't go
through with it. | won't let you.
That's final"
Tut, tut" Bryn responded amia-
bly,. He pressed bell on the man
telpiece. Burch, bland and serene,
opened the door noiselessly.
"Burch, | am being married this
evening""
There was moment of dead
stiffness as if even the waves had
halted in their irresistible course
Then Burch swallowed, and said
nobly, Indeed, sir? Do you wish
me to procure a maidservant, sir?"
Bryn looked up, startled. "A
maid-servant? Do we need a maid
servant?"
II was thinking of your wife, sir"
My wife?" Bryn repeated, his
eyes coming sharply to Burch's
face. Then, "Ah no. She will
not be coming here"
Very good, sir. What shall l
pack?"
Bryn looked down at the gray
suit with which, Tubby had insist
ed, he was desecrating the evening.
lie considered. "Well, shirts and
things. Nothing else, except those
old golf trousers | got so much mud
on at Tahoe"
"Yes, sir. Nothing else? No guns?
No fishing tackle? No golf clubS?"
Nothing. BY the way-I am a
yOung engineer out of work be-
cause of the depression. Anything
a young engineer out Of work be-
cause of the depression wouldn't
have, | wouldn't have. I've pawned
it,"
Burch drew noticeable deep
breath. Very good, sir. Shall you
be here to breakfast?"
Certainly"
"And :"
"NO, | said she wasn't coming"
"Ah yes, sir. Lunch?"
mo lunch. | shall be leaving i'm
mediately after breakfast, and you
needn't prepare dinner until ap-
prOXimately year from tonight.
shall be away during that time"
Yes, sir. And the orders for
Morton?"
Bryn swung round from the glass.
lie regarded Burch thOughtfully.
That's So" he said meditativelv.
81 might have forgotten. Tell Nor
ton to take spanner, will you, and
remove the paint-nOt all of it, but
large, uneven portiOns-from the
BelIaire. Tell him to take a chisel
and give it some nice deem
scratches. Tell him to make it look
like a car | might have bought for
about forty-two dollars and fifty
cents from a bankrupt gangster. He
might bash up the tenders, and if
anything further occurs to him :"
The Bellaire, sir? The new
French motor? The black carr"
"All of those things" Bryn said
calmly.
Tubby stood up. His eyes rested
on Burch's agitated countenance.
de drew a deep breath.
.~Chaf,s all y Rrun said nriSn1u