The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1938-04-22

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all about Gloria being with Rod
ney last night, as if it weren't i'm.
portant in the least. He said, be.
cause to speak of the accident,
casually, would be stemming some
of the flow of gossip:
what narrow escape my wife
and my brother.in-law had. The
next time l send them out with
medicine for one of my country
patients, 1 think 1 shall fill the
gas tank personally"
In Room sos, Peter Kent did
not lie down and take his usual
| cat nap. Instead, he walked over
to the window and stood there look
ing out of the river.
CHAPTER XVIII
AT KENT HILL Gloria paced
the length of the drawing room,
back and forth, up and down, her
hands wrung together to keep
them from trembling. Over and
over she kept going to the win
dow, Straining her blue eyes
against the sunlight-waiting for
Peter.
Last night she had thought
that she would never be able to
make Peter believe what had actu-
ally happened.
But home at last, the nightmare
behind her, she had thought: IF
I can talk with Peter before he
sees the newspapers. I can make
him believe me. 1 know I can!"
But it was neither the newspa.
pers nor what the public thought
that mattered to Gloria-it was
Peter who had to know the real
story.
Gloria heard brakes grind to a
stop on the gravel driveway to the
garage. She swung around on her
slim heel and ran to the west win.
dow hopefully. But it was not
Peter there. 1t was Isabel climb
ing out of her roadster.
ACCUSES GLORIA
Isabel brushed past the maid
at the door: Go back to the
kitchen, Katie. I didn't come to
see you'll"
Then Isabel was in the wide
arch of the drawing-room door.
Her knuckles we're white over her
blue purse, her chin was trem.
bling. She demanded of Gloria
coldly: What we're you doing on
that road with Rodney last
night?"
Gloria answered simply: "It
seems that we were running out
of gas, Isabel"
Look here, Gloria, you're not
going to take Rodney away from
me. Do you understand" Isabel
stormed. IF he goes to Reno, I'll
fight his suit. I'm going to
stay Mrs. Rodney Callman. It's
the thing I've worked for, lived
for"
Gloria answered levelly: I'm
sure that's all right with me-"
you're lying! You're in love
with Rodney and you know it!
You're trying to take him away
from mel" Isabel went on, darkly
But you're not going to do it
without long, bitter fight with
me. Before I'd let you do that I'd
drag your name so deep in dirt
you'd never climb up through the
mire."
IT don't doubt it, Isabel. You
lied and cheated and schemed to
get Rodney. I suppose you'd do as
much to hold him."
Isabel flushed. Then she said:
That's right. Why not be honest
about it?"
You're worrying needlessly.
Isabel" Gloria said little wear
lily. Rodney means nothing to
me-"
Isabel looked at her, first in
credulously and then in wide-eyed
amazement. She said: why, !
really believe you mean that"
BECAUSE OF PETER
"And it's because-of Peter?"
yes"
Isabel didn't say anything. But
she thought: "It's true. 1 should
have known yesterday. She turned
as white as chalk because I was
seeing Peter again but Peter
didn't even see me. He didn't even
know I was there"
Isabel said, and her voice held
rare quality of softness: I'm
grateful to you, Gloria. After all,
you're the only person standing
between Rodney and me. Once he
gets it firmly fixed in his mind
that you're no longer in circula-
ton, things will be different with
u.s."
IT wonder" said third voice
from the hall.
They hadn't seen the girl come
through the front door. They
didn't know she was in the house
lisa bel jerked upright on the sofa,
her dark eyes wide. Gloria
wheeled about in the center of
the room. startled, a little shocked
by the presence of a third person
Gloria had never seen the girl