: The official chaperon by Lincoln Natalie Sumner Frederick Edmund Illustrator McMein Neysa Illustrator - Young women Fiction; Theft Fiction; Mystery fiction; Washington (D.C.) Social life and customs Fiction

@FreeBooksThu 08 Jun, 2023

Posted in: #FreeBooks #FreeBooksIndia #FreeBooksApp #gg

Vote Up Vote Down

. Fordyce?" he asked, passing on the Admiral's question.

"That you gave the unsigned codicil to Miss Langdon who, following instructions, placed it in the safe where the Admiral found it the next morning. Sam knocked the signed paper into the gutter, and it went down the sewer."

"Could you make out any writing on the paper as it fell, Mr. Fordyce?"

"Unfortunately, no; the paper resembled an ordinary letter size typewriting sheet, folded three times. It spread open and fell writing down."

"The codicil was written on ordinary typewriting paper such as you describe," admitted Alvord. "It was the only kind Miss Langdon had here. Still, that's slim proof to back your theory, Mr. Fordyce."

"But it will hold," Duncan's elation could be read in his animated expression and excited manner. "I'm willing to face any court, and I'll win my case...."

"And that scamp, Chichester Barnard, will win his hundred thousand after all," groaned the Admiral.

"TOUJOURS SANS TACHE"

ON leaving Duncan sitting in his roadster before the apartment house, Marjorie had every intention of slipping into the Portland through the drug store. Once safely inside the building she would take refuge in a friend's apartment and there fight out her problems alone. The desire to confide in Duncan, to beg his assistance was overmastering. She dared not trust herself longer in his presence. In her doubt and agony, and longing for his sympathy, she might betray her passionate love for him. A touch of his hand ... one look from his dear eyes.... Marjorie resolutely kept her face turned toward her goal. Duncan's affection for his sister was deep and abiding ... he would never believe evil of Janet.

Marjorie strangled a sob as she stumbled into the drug store, and for a second she struggled gamely for composure, but the close atmosphere of the room combined with her overstrung state, upset her completely. She stepped appealingly toward the clerk to ask him for a glass of water, but he was busy with some drugs and did not observe her half-fainting condition. Swinging dizzily about, she made blindly for the door, her one instinct to get away from Duncan. With her last remaining strength she pulled open the heavy door and stepped outside. The cold fresh air revived her somewhat, but her confusion of mind was added to by discovering she was standing in busy Fourteenth Street instead of the quiet lobby of the apartment-hotel. She had walked out of the wrong door. Before she could retrace her footsteps, Chichester Barnard stepped to her side.

"What good fairy sent you here?" he exclaimed gaily. "I was just going back to my office." His smile was very winning, but Marjorie was too spent to attempt reply. Her silence claimed his attention, and his startled eyes swept her livid face in consternation. "Good Heavens! Marjorie, what are you doing in the street in this condition?" he turned and hailed a livery carriage from which a passenger had just alighted. "Engaged?" he inquired of the negro driver.

"No, suh."

Free books android app tbrJar TBR JAR Read Free books online gutenberg

Login to post a comment!