The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1943-02-05

He opened a lower desk drawer
revolver
ago from safe deposit, and on Sun
day next I think we must break the
news. I suppose you knew" the
man went on in a changed tone,
"that scamp who has been twice
married before, both times to rich
women, has got Amy into his tolls
now? She is in a delirium OF love
and confidence; she wants to tell us
all about it as long as well listen!"
"Amy?"
ooh, yes. They've known each
other only a few weeks, but 1t is
Count Mario Constantine or nobody
for Amy now"
''Not the man that Sandra Baker
divorced"
''That's the man. He plays polo
like a devil, speaks five or six Ian
guages, uses his own special per-
fume, dances divinely, and Amy is
only anxious for fear he won't want
her."
"Oh, Amy can't be such fooll
Didn't the second wife commit sui
cide?"
ssThe first. The second is paying
him FIVE hundred a month to keep
away from her.
"But you've talked to Any!"
s'We all have. My mothers fran
tic about it. But don't worry. When
she tells him, as she'll have to tell
him, that her fortune belongs to an
other woman-Mother!"
The last word was shocked whis-
per. For old Mrs. Marshbanks, With
a face of chalk and rustic of silks,
had risen from great chair which
faced window, and had come to
the desk. She spoke in the Mortified
silence.
"You don't think for one instant
that you can do this to Amy!" she
Kissed. ''You don't think for one
instant that this fantastic story of
babies being changed will convince
anyone of anything? You and Emma
and this girl here cooking up all
this nonsense!''
"You were listening" the judge
said, dazedly. 'sI'm sorry, Mother"
he went on after moment OF Sc
lence. "But it isn't my doing or
Enma's. It's Fred's-Fred's from
the beginning. And we can't-we
can't stop it now
'sCould we stop it now?" Cherry
demanded, frightened Couldn't we
tell Amy something something that
wouldn't make it SO hard for her?
Couldn't we -"
II can stop it now!" The long
envelope was in the old woman's
hands; before either of the others
could move she had torn it both
ways, was at the fireplace, had scat
tered the instantly flaming pieces Of
paper upon the Goals. ''It's
stopped" she said, coming back
breathless and sinking into chair.
"Your attempt toto rob Amy and
TOTO SANDER your brother have
failed, Jud! Wen hear no more Of
this nonsense!"
Cherry looked fearfully at the
Judge and he looked at his mother,
who sent alternate defiant glances
from one of their faces to the other.
There was no sound in the room
until Arny's voice came, high and
exultant, from the doorway.
Cherry, come on upstairs, we
have to talk! I've just been riding in
the park. It's the divinest after
noon you ever saw, and the sunset
was simply too much!"
go ahead, Cherry" said the
Judge. Cherry left mother and son
together.
Martin appeared at half past eight
with the announcement that there
was gentleman to see Miss Rawl-
ings.
Cherry went to the smaller library
and found Kelly standing, turning
over the leaves of magazine on
the table.
Kelly sensed at once that Cherry
was not happy, and interrupted his
first greeting with disturbed
Whats the trouble, Marchioness?"
$50 you're Amy Marshbanks?
Great Allah"
mo proof, Kelly"
.What good would proof do?
Oh. / see," he said, '.if there were
proof, you'd come in for considera-
BILE property; I forgot that. Well,
there may be some proof some
where"
..No, but there's not. There was.
At least, we think there was" Then
she told him the rest of the story.
Cherry stood up. II just heard
Martin showing someone in, and I
think it's Gogo. Come on in and
meet him. I want to know what you
think Of him!''
Gogo was indeed there, dark,