Part 34 (2/2)
”I will wait for you at the Broadway corner. Bring my bag, please.”
Willa had scarcely reached the appointed place, however, when Dan came chugging up behind her and in a moment they were speeding away from the vicinity of the garage.
”I have decided to leave home, Dan,” she announced without preamble. ”I want to live quietly under cover until we have found Tia Juana and Jose.
It is important that none of the family nor their friends shall know where I have gone. Do you know of any place where I can arrange to board for a time? The more simple it is, the better.”
”Well,” Dan remarked, reflectively, ”you wouldn't be wanting a plain, poor kind of a home after all the grandeur you're used to, or I could take you to my sister, Miss. She's married to a s.h.i.+pping clerk and lives in a little two-family house up on Was.h.i.+ngton Heights. It's quiet and clean and n.o.body'd think of looking for you there, but I guess maybe you'd want something a bit more high-toned.”
”No, it sounds splendid! Just what I am looking for.” Willa paused.
”But do you think she will take me in? You see, I can't explain very well.”
”Explain nothin'!” Dan reddened swiftly. ”Excuse me, Miss. Delia's no more of a hand at askin' questions than me, and she's a good judge of people. She can tell you're a lady in a minute, and she'll make you more than welcome if you can put up with the plainness of everything. I'll have you there in ten minutes.”
Dan was as good as his word, and Willa found that he had spoken truly.
His sister proved to be a thin, pleasant-faced woman with a humorous curve to her lips and alert twinkling brown eyes. She was ready and willing to take Dan's employer as a lodger and the terms were quickly arranged.
Willa gave Dan his instructions, and then shut herself in the clean, sunny room which had been allotted to her and looked the situation collectedly in the face.
The more she thought of the astounding tale of the previous night and strove in vain to find the slightest corroboration of it in her memory, the more deep sank the roots of her conviction of its fallacy. She had not realized how desperate Wiley's determination was to oust her from his path, nor dreamed that he would risk forged testimony, but now at length she had measured the strength of her adversary and her own courage rose in a dauntless tide to meet his challenge.
In the beginning the Murdaugh name had meant nothing to her and the inheritance merely a means to an end, but now with Angie's scornful words heard through the closed door ringing in her ears, she made up her mind to fight! Not for the sake of position or name or wealth, but for the ”common” brave-hearted mother whose child she felt herself to be beyond peradventure of a doubt, and about whose memory all unconsciously a wors.h.i.+ping love had sprung in her heart.
Meanwhile, pursuant to instructions, Dan had presented himself at the imposing offices of North, Manning and Gilchrist, armed with the note which Willa had written hastily in his sister's home.
Mason North looked up after perusing it, and favored the messenger with a keen scrutiny.
”H'm! This letter calls for the delivery to you of certain rather important doc.u.ments, young man. I should like to be sure of your identification before placing them in your hands.”
”Well, Sir, I've my bank-book here, and some letters----”
The attorney waved them aside.
”I don't mean quite that. You have been long in Miss Murdaugh's employ?”
Dan was conscious of a movement in the corner behind him and turned to find a mild, round-faced young man rising from the safe he had been in the act of closing and regarding him with vast interest. Dan returned the compliment respectfully.
”How long have you worked for Miss Murdaugh?”
The question was reiterated with a touch of asperity.
”For some time, Sir. Ever since she caught the French maid trying to spy on her under the orders of Mrs. Halstead.” Dan repeated carefully but with evident satisfaction the message which had been given him. ”Miss Murdaugh told me to tell you, Sir, that I was one of the investments she had made with Gentleman Geoff's money. She said you would understand.”
Mason North nipped at his mustache reflectively and turned to the younger man. ”Winthrop, I wish you'd go and attend to that Erskine matter for me!”
Winnie departed in obvious reluctance and only when the door had closed behind him did his father resume:
”In what capacity are you employed by Miss Murdaugh?”
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