The Washington times., 1937-03-30
CHAPTER xxx

That telephone call was about
Eustace." He stopped.
She moved one of her long
hands slightly, forward and back,
along the chair arm. The fingers
of that hand tightened, loosened
again. She said, in a shadow OF
her vivid voice:
You want to tell me that Eus-
tace is dead"
Denise said, mo, no, MOI" and
was silent, watching Gilbert's lips
start to frame words.
Yes, Felicia"
He killed himself" Felicia's
voice was shaking then.
TT is not at all certain. 1t is
possible. He and his horse
plunged into a canon from a high
path on the edge" He paused
again.
But Felicia told him: Go on.
Tell me all the rest"
Denise made some small sound
of protest, leaned toward her SIS
ter, who said "Quite all right,
thank you, Denise" in a tone that
stopped any gesture of sympathy
she might have made. She said
again but louder: Tell me the
rest"
He told her. "The job he'd
found was about finished. His
people never communicated with
him as far as any one knows. The
letter 1 wrote him arrived-after-
ward. He had taken that path
very often. and was familiar with
it. On the other hand. there had
been a storm, and the path was
softer and more slippery than
usual" His tone changed sud-
denly. "Denise. pour Felicia some
black coffee. and brandy. if there
is any on the tray"
Like an automaton, Denise
poured coffee. poured a liqueur
glass of cognac.
Keith moved quickly, took the
glass and cup from her, brought
them to Felicia. Felicia drank
the coffee, set the cup down,
drank the brandy, set the glass
down. folded her hands and looked
at Keith.
1T leaves me rather on your
hands, doesn't it?"
His voice matched hers in mat.
ter-of-factneSs. "I don't object" "
Denise spoke furiously, as Gil
bert had never heard her speak,
except on that night months past.
when he had prevented her sailing
to those two.
"Stop pretending that you are
so modern you must be flippant
even about death. Have the grace
Of tears, at least, though they're
pretended too. I have loved you
both. I have loved you, Keith, so
much that remembrance of laugh
ter between us, and dance music
we shared and the feeling of your
arm about my waist, has seemed
more to be cherished than my hus-
band, who's worth ten of you. I've
loved you, Felicia, enough to be-
lieve that you we're sure where I
was uncertain, wise where I was
stupid, daring where I was a COW
ard. Not any more" She caught
her breath.
Felicia said evenly: "You are
being a little hysterical. After
ward you'll feel rather silly. Don't
you think that you'd better go to
your room, or out into the fresh
air?"
But Denise rushed on as if she
had not heard her:
"A man who was named Eustace
Gardiner Dayne is dead. Eustace!
I was maid of honor at your we'd
ding to him, though you thought I
was too young. Eustace said: Let
the child dress up, and march up
the aisle and stand in the receiv-
ing line. She'll enjoy it so.'
He was my brother-in-law, of
whom I was fond. Absurd, vague
word, fond. He was not specially
clever or witty; he was just old
fashioned and simple and honor
able. Now he's dead"
Il can't stand this" Felicia said.
She rose, and caught Keith's arm.
Run away from it, then, both
OF you, as you've been running
away from everything all our lives!
If you stay in this room, you'll
have to listen"
They stood immoble then; and
Gilbert, for an instant, thought of
1nterrupting. Then he did not.
He had been furious with her
that day, had considered that
scene in the garden-triviaI it
seemed now-outrageous in its i'm
plications. Ever since, until the
telephone rang, he had said to
himself furiously: "She might
have the taste to remain loyal to
me in my own establishment, in
sight of my own servants, at
least" But all that suddenly did
not matter.
Nor did he care about the effects
of her words on her sister and
Keith Sheldie. He suddenly judged
them himself. One way or an.
other, they had killed a decent
man between them. And he knew
they would survive even that,
would buttreSs themselves with
light words, with pretense that
nothing had happened.
She was saying now: "Eustace
dead-nothing either Of you two
do will hurt any more. He's free
and I expect he's glad. expect it
was the only thing you left him to
be glad about"