The Wilmington morning star., 1940-02-14
CHAPTER

OllfA1 LIN
The last Sunday in February was
like an early April day. The sun,
long obscured during a rainy, cold
month, shone brightly, drying the
sidewalks and bringing an illusion OF
spring. Its shafts came through the
window of Fabienne's bedroom, sum-
moning her from sleep to awake
with a sense of anticipation.
She looked at the clock on her
bedside table, saw that it was al
most half past eight, and sprung
from her bed. She went Ito the
kitchen and plugged in the cord OF
the electric percolator. Then she
went to the door Of Ellen's room.
"Get up, lazy bones. It's almost
half past eight. The boys are COM
ing at nine,' she called.
Ellen said, "1ll be ready in a
fifty"
Don't be late, darling. I don't
want to miss a minute of this
glorious day."
Bill was taking them up to the
country. Another chap and I have
a small house-its really a shack
up in Connecticut, a few miles from
Danbury. We bought it for a song
and hope some day to use 1t Tor d
laboratory. Up to now, we've only
used it as sort of a camping out
place on are summer vacations.
Some nice Sunday we'll drive up
there and rough it for the day." Bill
had said the night they played bridge
at his apartment.
Immediately Fabienne and Nicky
said they wanted to do it at once.
"Okay," Bill had given in. And SO
now the day had come.
Promptly at nine Bill pulled up
in back of Nicky's sleek roadster
in his own battered sedan OF ven
cradle years.
Nicky had summoned the girls n
now Fabienne had a new picture
of Bill to add to the gallery of memo
ries-Bill in riding breeches with a
leather windbreaker buttoned up to
his throat beneath a firm chin.
He eyed her ski suit costume
with paternal consideration. you
going to be warm enough in that
outfit? We're not going to a real
country house, you know"
ct will,' she said, embarrassed by
his attention. What in the world
have you got in that huge box?"
"Wai until you see. It's fodder"
Looks like enough for an army.
What time will we get there?"
Its only a three-hour drive
when the roads are open. Wen have
to take a road that I don't know
because the pass to our place is snow.
ed under, I'm told. I've got a road
map somewhere here" he said, fish
ing in the seat pocket. Who's good
at this sort of thing?"
II am" Fabienne said, getting in
the back seat beside Nicky. LAS a
back seat driver, I'm probably the
best there is. Also, once I see a
map, I never forget the route"
She little dreamed how true -
and how important that statement
was to prove in the events that came
about all because she learned the
backwoods route that day.
Once clear of the maze of the city
traffic and on the open parkway,
Bills nondescript car ate UP the miles
between New York and Stamford
and, with Fabienne's help, they found
the back road, open and clear be.
tween fields that were still white
from the last SHOWS, that led to
Stepney, NeWtown and Danbury.
"Mallory's Folly is just off the main
road about five miles between Step
ney and Newtown. Danbury is the
next big town." Bill told them.
The information fell on Fa-
bienne's ears and was tucked away
in her memory to use on a later
occasion that was to make front
page news in every paper in the
country.
"Mallory's Folly" was a very
small, very old house tucked away
between two Connecticut hills,
miles from any other house and
forlorn indeed to the eye of the be.
holder.
"There it is" Bill said. Next
time We'll come in the summer. It
isn't quite SC bleak then"
It'll bet it's nice inside" Ellen
told him loyalty. "It looks as if ii
might be nice and cosy"
'tIt is as long as the wood holds
out I'd hate to pass any time here
in winter when the wood supply. is
low" Bill turned a rusty knob.
Don't you lock it up?" Fabienne
asked.
mo. Not eve a tramp would
stop here" He opened the door and
stood aside while the girls went in.
Fabienne and Ellen looked and
turned back to him e~nthusiastical
~. tits grand" they both said.
It wasn't really. But the low
ceilinged living room, with its
great stone hearth and CHEEKY
Indian rugs on the walls was attrac.
tive. There were only two chairs;
the twin army cots, covered with
seating arrangements.
Nicky came to the door with the
large cardboard carton in his arms.
"Where does this go?"
Unto the kitchen. The other
o is shut off. We intended to
S it for a lab. Come along, girls,
and see the pride of the Folly"
It was an old-fashioned kitchen
with a big stove in one corner and
a sink in the other. A crude table
stood between the two beneath a
cupboard.
Bill opened the cupboard doors.
xtplantu of stares hora ha cold g.