Worcester Democrat and the ledger-enterprise., 1937-12-03
CHAPTER 10


geant. Kay stood beside the cot,
straight, strangely wan.
Sergeant" she said in thin voice,
"you have the right of justice?"
eyes, in some things.".
"Marriage?"
EYES,"
She spoke slowly.
"Will you marry Bruce Kenning and
me?"
The sergeant appeared puzzled.
"Does he-that is"
"Ask him. He can answer with his
eyes. He moves them for yes, clos
es them for no. Confirm it-and
ask him. Only please hurry!"
Eyes, of course" The sergeant
bent close with his queries.
Bruce Kenning slowly moved his
eyes.
Hurry, Sergeant" the girl pleaded.
A frontier nurse was passing. The
sergeant caught her by the arm.
"Wait a minute, please" he COM
manded, and with gesture indicated
that Jack was also to remain as a
witness. Then, brokenly, from men,
ory, he began to repeat the passages
of the wedding ceremony:
EDO you, Bruce Kenning, take this
woman for your lawful wife,"
The eyes, more CLASSY, rolled slow
ly in answer.
"And do you-?"
At last it was over. Jack Ham,
mond walked duly away. A few
months before, he had waded hipdeep
in the water of Lake Sapphire, to well
come this girl as his fiancee. Now,
in a gambling house, he had stood as
a witness while she married another
man. His eyes fell on the roulette
wheel. Life and roulette, a turn of
the wheel, bet placed at random, a
call of the croupier announcing the
loser.
Behind him, Kay Joyce was sobbing
and the frontier nurse beside her as
she knelt against Bruce Kenning's
cot. There was little need for gentle
ness; Kenning was all but beyond
pain. Hammond raised hand to his
throat. He left the room.
After time, Around the World
Annie came out into the entrance
where Jack stood talking at random
with the sergeant.
well, the guys kicked over" she
said. Funny she'd want to marry
him, amt it? And him dying"
That night, Hammond saw Kay
Joyce again, in the hallway of An
nie's pavilion. Some of the dullness
was gone from her features, giving
way to the flare of her always easily
aroused anger. Around the World
Annie stood at the window, watching
the flecking of snow furry against
the pane.
"And I don't care what you say !
about it," Annie spurted; "the thing
was mine and I did what I pleased
with it." ]
Hammond halted an instant, then
started on toward the gambling room
in search of Jeanne. Annie called
him back.
you're mixed up in this. What
about them claims you signed over to
Bruce Kenning?"
Hammond looked at her.
"Well, what about them?"
"Were they any good?"
"Why ask?"
Around the World Annie breathed
deeply, bulging her ponderous bosom.
"Me m Kay Joyce have got an ar
gument on about them. She says
they're hers"
Hammond pressed his lips.
81 guess they are" came finally.
"She married Kenning for them"
Annie stared.
"Did you?" she asked the girl.
"Why marry guy for bunch of no
good claims?"
Kay Joyce only glared.
Hammond said duly, "But they
were worth millions, Annie"
Millions? 2" she put a hand to her
head. "Did you say millions?"
"That's the indication"
"My GawdI" the woman gasped.
"And L" she poked her finger at
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS me telling
about a check or note or something
he signed over? It was them claims.
He must have been willing to hook
anything to get out of here that
night"
Hammond gestured futilely. This
was becoming involved.