The Wilmington morning star., 1947-09-27
u.pTER THIRTY : FOUR

a. the car rolled down the
,.', e Norah turned fiercely on
a. S .srles and Kate and said pas
VIIastelv, 81 suppose you're
sH.h furious with me, but after
gu ~ Uncle Charles, how could
w., every marry a woman like
4ls Tste breathed a small, shock
u gasp, but Charles grinned
s E.,iy and answered Norah
'.ontlv. 81 was pretty young,
Torah-and she was even love-
iisr than Gail"
Ne looked at Kate and put
~, his hand and drew her to
S;m. his arm about her Shout
isrs, and held her close.
S"Besides," he added, and his
.one was tender and deep, 81
hadn't met Kate then"
And they smiled at each 9TH
=, in such warm affection and
.',ch complete understanding
hat Norah, feeling the sting of
+ears in her eyes, turned and
,I;nped into the house and up
n bed. knowing that they were
unaware Of her departure.
II was we'll after midnight
when q car again came up the
drive. and fists beat on the clos
a door. Charles, his hair
tmusled, drew on his battered
MD robe, and with his feet in
clippers, went down the stairs
while the others hung over the
railing, puzzled n d apprehen-
sive.
Charles opened the door and
LISA came in, followed by Mar
tin.
"Where is she? What have
YOU done with Gail?" she pant
ed frantically. give talked to
the Dillinghasts, and they
haven't heard a word from her
since they saw her here early
in the summer. And from the
way Mrs. Dillinghast talked,
she looked like a field hand.
Charles, if anything's happened
to her"
She was hysterical, babbling.
The others came swiftly down
the stairs, alarmed and Devil
dered.
Calm yourself, Lissa," or
dered Martin sharply.
Calm myself - when some
thing has happened to my
child?" LISA cried out, and
turned back to Greg, who was
watching her with cold con-
tempt. what do you know
about all this, young man? The
poor baby thought she was in
love with you; her letter to me
about it was utterly idiotic -
and now she's gone and you're
all lying to me"
BE quiet!" ordered Greg, in
tone that had probably never
been used toward LISA before.
she ran away because it was
impossible for her to lay her
hands on the money to pay
tAose silly little bills you sent
l-..'
,harles stared at him, shock
This is all news to. me,
Greg. What the blazes are you
talking about?" he demanded
sternly.
Greg said bitterly, "This -
lady here wrote Gail asking
her to pass on to you some
bills totaling close to a thou
sand dollars. I saw through the
whole thing at once, of course.
You had let Gail know that
there was a bit of money tuck
ed away in the bank for i'm
provements and expenses; she
promptly wrote her mother,
and Immediately her mother
demanded it. 1t was a pretty
little scheme. Fortunately, ]
happened to find the letter and
the bills where Gail had drop
ped them"
Round-eyed, incredulous, Lis
sd cried, "You read a letter not
meant for your"
Greg met her outraged eyes
directly.
II did," he said quietly. "And
I'm very glad that I did. For
if | hadn't, Gail would have
managed in some way to worm
the money out of Uncle Charles
money that we've all worked
for like dogs, and that is to be
used to make life a little more
Gvable for Uncle Charles anc
Kate. | saw no reason why II
should be thrown away on some
more of your foolishness."
Charles said slowly, his eyes
hurt and a little sick, $50 that
was Wv you and Gail quar-
relied"
Greg nodded. "From the mo
ment she arrived, I was sus
plcious of her. I told her Sc
quite frankly. But gradually -
we'll, she was clever, as she
would be, having been trained
by Mrs. Prentice - sorry, Mrs
Alncaid. I let down my guaro
and next thing I knew, I was
crazy about her. I'd have sworr
She was on the level-until !
saw the letter."
But, you crazy young idiot
didn't know that Charles hao
any money! mean, she hadn'1
told me that he did mean,
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