The Wilmington morning star., 1941-02-21
SYNOPSIS

WkCll 1NdllIy OCo1lC 141oSSS
the household of Captain Cary Es-
sex II as secretary to the aged
seafarer's grandson, Cary Essex
", she finds herself in a tangle
of animosity apparently ~centerine
on the genealogy being written by
young Cary. Aunt Althea, the cap
tain's eldest daughter, is caught
in an unsuccessful attempt to burn
the contents of a sea chest b.
longing to young Cary's falner,
whose papers the grandson is plan
ming to use in compiling his DOCK.
The project also is opposed by
Horace Rand, an intimate, but not
we1l-liked, friend of the fanny.
Nancy discovers that the notes she
had written on the %genealogy are
missing. Young Cary says that at
least they have learned two things
from the disappearance of IN e
notes.
Kaye asked the. very question
which was trembling on my lips.
1 had listened intently to Cary's
words. He was absolutely right.
If would take notes Ut
no particular value, we must not
leave another bit of writing unpro-
tected. 1t was going to be a null
sance always to be obliged to lock
up every notebook and paper be-
fore leaving the library for per.
haps only a minutes time. Yet
that was what I must do.
Now 1 waited eagerly for his
reply to her What is the other
thing?" I couldn't imagine waat
it could be.
Before speaking Cary's grave
eyes scanned each face in turn.
He seemed to hesitate to express
his thought; but he finally leaned
forward in his chair and, in a
lower, more impressive vote,
said:
Until today Aunt Althea was
the only one who, as far as we
know, objected to my writing a
book about our family. But if she
did not take Nancy's notes-and
there is a possibility that she did
not-then someone else is as in
terested in preventing the books
being written as she is"
There was breathless silence
when he ceased speaking. Again
felt that blood chilling wave flood
V me. For the first time l
wished l never had seen Purple
Beeches. Literally and figurative
ly, l was getting cold feet. Miss
Althea was a terrifying antagonist,
but knowing her we could, to a
certain extent, guard against her
depredations. If a stranger were
interested
The captains voice recalled my
wandering thoughts.
That's ridiculous, Cary! Who
else could possibly be interested
IN u family affairs and why?"
1 could tell them who that one
could be! Horace Rand! I wished
1 dared tell them about the con-
versation between him and Miss
Althea which 1 had overheard. Eut
the captain appeared SO 1oath to
believe that anyone other than his
daughter could be responsible that
felt the best thing I could do was
keep my mouth tightly closed. He
would not very graciously accept
my story that someone else was
working with her.
Il don't know Who'll can't i'm
agine why-but I'm going on and
some day we'll find out what THIS
is all about. If there is someone
else" Cary's voice was the stern
est l had yet heard it.
He might be afraid of the water.
a phobia engendered by what ne
had endured as a child, but l
would hate to be the person who
was discovered playing tricks with
him. Cary Essex " was TALL.
lean and angular; muscle a Il d
bone strung together with piano
wire was the way 1 sized him up.
I had seer fencing foils and box.
ing gloves in the basement room
he and Mark used as a gymnasi.
um. I wouldn't want to take a
beating at his hands, especially if
I we're the pudgy wudgy Rand
type.
Stick to it. boy. You'll win in
the end. It's a skunk's trick, wheth-
er Althea is responsible or not. Il
think I'll 60 out and sit by the
fire for a while before going back
upstairs"
The old captain looked very
weary and worn, and trembled per-
ceptibly as Cary assisted him to
his feet and out to the library fire.
Kaye remained sitting by my desk.
l opened a drawer, took out the
list which I had put, for a possible
need, away underneath all the
other papers, and rose to get my
flrst reference book. Kaye
stretched out her hand and stopped
me.
"Sit down, Nancy" she said i'm.
periously. 81 want to talk to YOU"
But the notes"
'It isn't your fault that thew
were stolen. Cary doesn't expect
you to kill yourself replacing
them"
Kill myself" I retorted. "Have
you forgotten that I've been out
all morning."
ut won't hurt you to talk to
me a little" Her tone was SO
plaintive that I yielded.
Go ahead" My grin restored
her complacency.
Il wish Mark had been here
when we found thoco ~