Part 60 (2/2)
Horace shot a glance of inquiry at his sister.
”We prayed every morning, Dear,” she said simply, ”that our little girl might be protected from harm.”
”She shall be protected, and I will protect her! Where's the deputy?”
”They called him away the morning Fledra left.”
”May I read your letter, Floyd?”
”Sure!” replied the boy wearily.
Sh.e.l.lington's eyes sought the paper in his hand:
”_Floyd love_.--
”I'm going away, but I will love you every day I live. Floyd, could you ask Sister Ann to pray for everyone--me, too? Forgive me for taking s.n.a.t.c.het--I wanted him awfully. You be good to Sister Ann and always love Brother Horace and mind every word he says. I'm going away because I want to. Remember that, Floyd dear, goodby.
”FLEDRA.”
After finis.h.i.+ng the letter, Horace said to Ann, ”I must see Brimbecomb at once.” And he turned abruptly and went out. Ann followed him hurriedly.
”Horace, dear, you won't quarrel with him, for my sake.”
”Not unless he had a hand in taking her away. G.o.d! I'm so troubled I can't think.”
Ann watched him go to the telephone; then, with a premonition of even greater coming evil, she crept back to Floyd.
CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO
When Horace ushered Brimbecomb into his home, so firm was his belief that the young lawyer had been instrumental in removing Fledra that he restrained himself with difficulty from wringing a confession from the man by violence. For many moments he could not bring himself to broach the subject of which his mind was so full. Everett, however, soon led to the disappearance of the girl.
”I'm glad you telephoned me so soon after your arrival,” said Brimbecomb. ”I was just starting for the station. If you hadn't, I shouldn't have seen you. I had something to say to you.”
”And I have something to say to you,” said Horace, his eyes steadily leveled at the man before him. ”Where is Fledra Cronk?”
Everett's confidence gave him a power that was not to be daunted by this direct question.
”My dear fellow,” he replied calmly, ”I don't exactly know where she is; but I can say that I've had a note from her father, telling me that she was with him in New York, and safe. I suppose it won't be necessary to tell you that she was not compelled to go?”
Horace whitened with suppressed rage. He was now convinced that the suavity of his colleague concealed a craftiness he had never suspected, and he felt sure that Everett had taken advantage of his absence to strike an underhanded blow. Banis.h.i.+ng a desire to fell the other to the floor and then choke the secret from him, he decided to ply all the craft of his profession, and draw the knowledge from Brimbecomb by a series of pertinent queries.
”May I see the communication you have received from Cronk?”
Everett seemed to have expected the question; for he made a brave pretense of looking through his wallet for the fict.i.tious letter. He took up the s.p.a.ce of several minutes, arranging and rearranging the doc.u.ments. Then, as he looked at Horace, a paper fluttered to the floor, un.o.bserved by him.
”On second thought,” said he, ”I think it wouldn't be quite right to show you a private letter from one of my clients. I have told you enough already. I'm sorry, but it's impossible for me to let you see it.”
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