The Waterbury Democrat., 1941-04-08
WAITING FOR TROUBLE
CHAPTER xxv


 Beatrice undre@ed slowly and mechanically, while Toby and Vera still discussed the mysterious kidnapping of the Davenport heir as. Toby even switched on the tadio in the forlorn hope of catch- Ag news broadcast. There was hothing but the Milkman's mat lnee, and she turned 1t off unsatis- Red.
 Clarence must have gone to Mr. Weeming's office. He must have behaved like hysterical eool," Beatrice thought. MT. Weeming would never have done anything to result in headlines. He'd have handled 1t quietly, even If he found a ransome note on his deskp
 She wished savagely that she could throttle Clarence. His hot black eyes, the quick, expressive hands came back to her. She thought, "Temperamental jack asst"
 Now, now of all times, when she wanted so desperately to be left in the obscurity she had found for herself Oh, 1t was too much!
 As she got into bed, she realized that Clarence must have been hor- ribly worried. He really loves me. It was the money at first. But now he does care"
 A twinge of pity softened her anger. But the boredom that had driven her to him, the emptiness that had caused her to find ex- citement in being with him, was gone. She had never loved him. Now ne was only a nuisance Of a man who had ruined something precious.
 She couldn't sleep. There'd be q news broadcast at 6 a. m. Only three hours She watched the clock, lay down again, closed her eyes tossed, sat up once more, watched the clock
 At five minutes to 6, she turned the radio on very low.
 She thought she heard Toby. stirring. She switched the radio off, listened intently. It was only the milkman In the hall. She turned the radio on again.
 And that's the news up to this moment in Europe" she heard. sHere at home the F'BI has been asked to investigate the disappear Ance of a girl who was supposed )o be touring South America. Beatrice Huntington Davenport, heircss to the Huntington Depart ment Store millions, never boarded liner for South America. Her f!ance, Fernando de Grandezzi, be- lives she may have been the vic- tim of kidnapers."
 Yes, 1t had been Clarence. She got out of bed, paced miserably up and down. What field day the tab- loids would have this morning! She thought of the black headlines which had screamed to the world the fact that classmate of hers at Miss Spence's had eloped with the riding master and she shud- dered.
 Almost, she could see the head lines that would grace the morn- Ing papers. G-MEN HUNT DEB.
 They'd be sure to have other pictures Of her. There'd be q pie ttire of her at the 50000 debut Toby had resented so much: and perhaps pictures of the Miami Beach house the Newport place, the Long Island estate Grand- father had donated as a haven for homeless children.
 She dressed swiftly. "This Is Judgment Day. I might as well face those papers right now"
 She bought four Last nights sarly edition, the one she'd seen Aa the subway, was mild by com. sarison. Here she was, on the front sage, in q bathing suit at Nassau, Aquinting into the sun. Another, aiding her face behind her hand hag as she raced with MT. Weem- sng to the car from the courthouse sThere Grandfather's famous will laad been probated. And here, with the inevitable striped background, she sat at a table with Clarence,
 In the dignifled columns of the newspaper Grandfather used to read, there were no pictures. She reads the cautious story in the apartment, q cup of bitter black brew beside her.
 Miss Beatrice Huntington Day. enport, granddaughter of the late Michael Kingan Huntington and daughter of the late Arthur Arm strong Davenport and his wife, Elinor Huntington, had not booked passage on any liner to South America, 1t was reliably learned from officials of the Inter-American Line yesterday. Miss Davenport, who made her home at 1440 Park ave- Yue and who maintained a residence at Miami Beach and a cottage in Maine, could not be located by her guardian, MT. Curtis Weeming, at the homes of any of her friends.
 Mfr Weeming said, Miss Day.