The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1937-01-20
Chapter As
Accusations

Chapter 40
Accusations
a 5 Sally entered the hall with drag
a ging steps. her father rose from
his armchair stifly.
-SalIyF She ran to him and Rugged
him tightly. He patted her head. "My
Gear. Il you only knew what hours of
suffering you've caused me, you'd
never do this again"
Il promise never to be kidnapped
again." said Sally TREMENDOUSLY. Then,
81 the sight Of his amazed expression.
Sally drew him down in the chair
again and sat on his knee while she
told him her adventures.
Il was nearly daylight when they
went 10 bed. Sally set her alarm for
eight. and fell into the deep sleep of
complete exhaustion. Next morning
she scarcely paused for breakfast,
leaving her father to make the ex-
PLANTATION they had agreed upon to
her stepmother. One thing she did
pause fora look at the morning
paper.
Philip had spread his news in big
type across the front page:
MCDONALD INNOCENT OF AR
SON-CONFESSION OF SAM
WELLS SHOWS MCDONALD VIC
TIN OF FRAME-UP M RRIS
HIRED DETECTIVE WHO FRk-dED
MCDONALD.
There was no mention of the black
mail charge. Sally guessed that Philip
would try to hush that part of the
affair for Mary's sake.
At the ONCE. the Mcdonald case had
TIE spotlight. Telephone calls poured
In all day. Philip Page had one visitor
after another.
Not until she had read the paper
thoroughly. did Sally learn of Mr..
Morris illness. She called Mary inn
mediately. but Dennison said Mary
had given orders not to disturb her.
Mary Pours Out Her Rage
THAT evening. after supper, Mary
4 visited Sally. She came in wearing
q simple dark blue lace frock. There
ufere dark circles under her eyes, and
she wore little makeup.
Mother and Joe, Jr., are getting
In tonight" Mary told Mrs. Warren,
In answer to her inquiries. Dads
worlds better. but he'll have to be
careful-the rest of his life" Mary's
lips quigered. Il want to talk to
sally" she added. do you mind if
re 80 out in the garden-alone?"
When the two girls were estab-
iished under the apple tree. Mary sat
silent q moment. Her face hardened
and her eyes grew hostile.
Il know where you were, Sally,
yesterday when Dad was taken i'll.
know who / have to thank for the
shock that brought on his stroke
and Tor that story spread across the
paper tOday-that story that attacks
Dad when he's Ill and can't defend
himself"
what on earth are you saying.
Nary" cried Sally. didn't do any
Thing 10 your father. Philip Page
wrote the story. but it's all true
every word Of it. Philip doesn't want
10 hurt your father. He only wants
10 clear Mcdonald"
You don't need to defend Philip
10 mel" cried Mary. Phillip and |
understand each other. We have for
. long time-ever since you left our
house. I was a fool not to realize
nat you were standing between
Philip and me-"
-I-stand between Philip and your"
sally was so bewildered at the array
o. accusations Mary had flung at her
mat she could not think clearly
enough 70 defend herself against any
q them.
i can forgive you for that" said
Mary Ia a softer voice. After all,
we've been friends for a long. long
time. 1 understand that you love
Philip ana don't blame you for try
Inc 10 get him. did the same thing.
But 1 can't forgive you for bringing
your wretched Mcdonald case to
Dad. threatening him with telling
what you knew. and making him i'll"
Who told you / did that?" asked
Sally quietly.
Weren't you there just before he
had the stroke7 Didn't you make him
angry. so that the servants heard you
onarrel7"
we did get angry with each other"
said Sally. But not because threat
ened him"
4 don't believe you." said Mary
siubbornly.
1T was Giles Benton who threat
ened him. Sally went on The last
people he saw before he became Ill
were Giles Benton and woman. who
had come to extort money for some
letters Of his she had"
Giles was his friend. Perhaps
Giles did wrong. as Philip says, while
he was working for Dad. But it wasn't
Dads fault And Giles was his
friend"
u heard the whole quarrel between