“TO-MORROW'S CHILD”

Manawatu Times, Volume 64, Issue 126, 31 May 1939, Page 10

“TO-MORROW'S CHILD”

By Julie Anne Moore

Instalment 14.

Synopsis of Preceding Instalments: Val Clarke, engaged to Robert Greeley, goes to New York from New Manchester to shop with Mrs. Warren, her Aunt Mahala’s housekeeper. Yal’s cousin, Kate Hollister, fashion magazine editor, gives a party where Val meets Hugh Malcolm, playwright; Bret Gallishaw, New Manchester boy, who while on a New York newspaper, wrote a best seller; Leslie Crawford, Bret’s halfbrother, and Winifred Sperry, who aro starring in Hugh’s “End of Tears,’ and Guy Williams, who inherited millions and has a small part in the play. Bret, engaged to Kate, married wealthy Evelyn Garlield. He hates Leslie after a losing a will contest and Leslie resents Hugh’s interest in Winifred. Guy takes Val to Pete Gaboriau’s luxurious place near Philadelphia. Louise (Leoze) Cameron, who is wj.th Crandall Scott, greets Guy with kisses and later strikes Val who defends herself so well that Guy has to assist Leeze out. Pete’s gambling rooms are raided and Cran drives Val back. During a stage storm scene Leslie drops dead, shot through the heart. Hurrying from the theatre, Val sees Hugh who says he’s just come from the corner cigar store. Bret had left earlier to catch a train. Leeze goes with Cran to see Val and Val’s aunt orders her out for smoking. Val goes along. Returning she finds a wire from Kate, goes to New York and clears Hugh by saying he was just leaving the cigar store when she saw him. Aunt Mahala sends her trunks to Kate’s apartment. When Hugh first saw Val she inspired a play and he offered her a salary while he studied her personality.

Val was standing by a front window of the living room Ashen Kate came in. She saw the slim figure silhouetted against the thin draperies and Val, turning, cousin a sad little smile that announced she was in trouble. “Val, what is it?” Kate saw that her eyes were red from crying. Val walked to the sofa. A slim finger raked the rough surface of the yellow upholstery. Obviously she was trying to hold her feelings in check, to answer casually a question for which she had been preparing for half-an-hour or more. She said at last, ‘ ‘ Did Hugh tell you he offered me a job?” 4 ‘ Why, yes. Not a job exactly, but a salary to stay in New York and . . . Val, you’re upset about something.” ‘‘ Do you suppose he really meant it?”

‘‘ Of course he did. But why this sudden interest, darling? Your Robert hasn’t run off with another girl, I hope ...” Grinning, trying to break through this deadly, forced imperturbability.

After a moment Val said, ‘ l l shouldn’t mind, Kate. Anything is better than going on the "way I was—but—” She bit her lips, fought to hold her voice steady: “There’s only *ne way to say it—Aunt Mahala has kicked me out . . .” “Aunt—!” Kate stared at her, the* suddenly moved forward to take the girl in her arms—stopped short. You couldn’t do that to Val. Even when you were as big as Kate, you. couldn’t tako Val in your arms and expect her to weep on your shoulder. Val pointed: “There’s the letter; it was on top in onp of the trunks.”

•‘She sent your flunks here, without even asking you ’ ’ Kato disregarded the letter. Abruptly she stepped forward and gripped Val’s arms. “Listen to me, Val—l know how you feel. It isn’t that you mind so much leaving New Manchester—you weren’t happy there. I knew that long ago. It’s the way she went about it. But try to understand this, honey; you’ve be,en kicked right smack into the one placo in the world where you’re wanted so terribly it hurts. Val, I’m so happy I could shout. I’d never wanted to share a place with anyone until you came here a few weeks ago—then I knew if I could have you with me, I’d never ask anything else. You don’t know how 1 prayed that you’d agree to Hugh’s plan. I say ‘prayed’ and that’s what I mean. Hard-boiled me down on my knees. That’s how much I wanted you, hohey ...” Val didn’t say anything. .She didn’t dare try. A little later Kate asked Val what she meant to do about Robert and after a thoughtful silence Val said, “I’ll write and teli him what has happened, I suppose—though he probably knows all about it now. ’ ’ Kate said, bluntly, “It’s a grand chance to break, Val, unless you’re in love with him—which you aren’t.” Val shook her head firmly. “It’s his chance, not mine. And he will, you can be sure of that. I won’t say Robert hadn’t any affection for me, but he made it entirely too evident that ho had a great deal of affection for Aunt Mahala’s money as well. If you’ll read her letter there, you’ll see that she is making a new will leaving me, as she puts it, as penniless as I was when she was fooling enough to take pie in . . . No I’ll write and make it as easy for him as possible, but I won’t do the breaking. I told him I’d marry him and if he wants me without Aunt Mahala’s money, I will. ’ ’ “That’s all right with me, darling,” Kate said, shrugging. “You're going to live your own life here—even if it means marrying a certain stuffed shirt back in New Manchester.” Val wrote two letters that night, the first to Robert. “Dear Robert: As you must have learned from Aunt Mahala, I am no longer living in New Manchester. The circumstances under which I left Aunt Mahala’s could hardly be explained in a letter, but if you find it possible to come to New York I will be glad to tell you exactly what occurred to cause Aunt Mahala 1o send my trunks here with* a

note explaining that I was never to enter her home again ... It is only fair to tell you that Aunt Mahala is having her will revised so that I will not be among the beneficiaries—l am living with my cousin, Kate Hollister, at the address given at tho top of this letter. Y"ou will be able to reach me here, but I suggest that you come to New York this week if at all jmssible. Naturally, I am very sorry this has happened, but there is nothing I can do about it. As ever, Val. ”

She spent a long while chewing the end of the pen before she could begin the letter to Aunt Mahala. At first she thought she ought to try to offer some defence of her actions. In the end she wrote simply:—

“My Dear Aunt Mahala: This is to thank you for all you have done for me since my father’s death two years ago. You have been very generous and I will never cease to be grateful . . . My trunks arrived to-day and with them your note explaining that you were having a new will made. However deep your feeling against me at this moment, I think you realise that I have never been interested in your money. As yog say, I came to you penniless and I have come away penniless ... If my conduct has angered you, I 4m sincerely sorry; but iu all honesty I must tell you that I have done ouly what I thought was right and decent to do under the circumstances. Affectionately yours, Val.”

A week passed and there an us no word from Robert. On Friday she sent him a three-line note by registered mail and requested a receipt, signed in Robert’s peculiar scrawl, Avas returned to her on Monday. She Avaited another Aveek; the mails brought her-nothing. On Saturday morning she told Kate at breakfast:

“I’ve sponged on you long enough, Kate. If Hugh still thinks it’s worth paying a salary just to havo me on tap afternoons and evenings, I'm ready to go to Avork.”

‘ ‘ Goodl ’ ’ Kate said, looking up from her grapefruit. “I’ve been dodging Hugh for two weeks. He’ll Avant to take me apart Avkeu he learns you ’\e never gone back to New Manchester.” She ate in silence for a time, then: “As for sponging—if you ever get off Hugh’s payroll, you’re going uu mine. I 'll pay you a salary and a good one just to be hero Avheu I come nights, the ay ay you have been these past tAvo weeks.” Her hands Avere suddenly still as she bent forward: “I haven’t been so happy iu yejars, Val. 1 mean that.” And Val knew she did mean it.

Hugh came Sunday afternoon. Kate had ’phoned him to come up about three but had said nothing about Val, and then after dinner Avheu Val had proposed a Avalk, she had sent her off alone, asking her to come back not later than three-thirty. ‘ ‘ Long and painful experience has taught me,” Hugh said Avheu he had lighted a cigarette and slumped down in a chair, “that I am never summoned into the presence unless one of us is iu trouble. Has someone been taking advantage of our Katie?”

Kate laughed. “We’ll come to that later. What’s the latest on the murder probe?”

“Nothing of importance, I believe. I told Walter Kellogg about the child’s picture Leslie was looking at Avhen Val surprised him—not mentioning Val’s name, need I say . . . Tell me, Kate, what was the first thought that popped in your mind when Val told us?”

Head shaking, Kate replied, “You don’t trap me as easy as that, Oldtimer. ’ ’

‘ ‘ Trap you! Since Avhen have you and I been beating around the bush Avith each other ... .1 ’ll tell you AA'hat you thought—Leslie and Winifred. There was not a little talk about their being secretly married two or three years ago.

Am I right?” ‘‘ Of course. There was nothing else to think.”

“Then my pretty Winifred may find herself iu the kettle Val so deftly yanked me out of two Aveeks ago.” “And liaAe you to thank for it.” “See here, Kate, if Winifred had anything had anything to do with Leslie's death, you don’t think I’d want to shield her, do you ” “That Avould depend,” said Kate, smiling, “on Avhether you are in love with her.” She exhaled a cloud of blue smoke, watching his face through the bide haze. “Are you, Hugh?” He turned his head away. “I wish I knew. She is- certainly one of the most fascinating Avomeu I've ever known. Clever, also, ami too darned beautiful for any man’s good.” Suddenly he sat up. ‘ ‘ But you didn’t get ipe up here to deliver a eulogy on Winifred. "What's the mystery?” Kate said, “It’s about Val, Hugh. First 1 Avant to tell you Avliat has happened to her; and then I Avant you to understand that if for any reason you’ve ejianged your mind about Xit, you you had iu mind, I’ve a job waiting for her at the office.” “You don’t mean she’s coming back to New York?” Eager, so eager that Kate laughed aloud. “Yes, for the an inter, as you proposed. But don’t rush me. You must understand why first ...” They, were still talking when Val returned. She had not bothered to take off her little suede jacket and the knockabout brown hat and to Hugh she seemed younger and lovelier than ever. “Oh, hello,” she greeted Hugh. “It’s simply marvellous outside. Just sharp enough to stir your blood.” “Those pink cheeks support that,” Hugh said. “I hear you’re ready to go under the microscope for the sake of art. ’ ’ ‘ ‘ That’s a nice way to put it, anyway. I’m ready to earn my living is more to the point. Is the offer still good?” She swung around with her back to the fire. Kate said, “Not so fast. The sooner you start Avith Hugh, the sooner will I come home to a lonely apartment. ’ ’ But Hugh replied, “You start tonight. They’re having a cosy little party at a club made up of stage people and I’ve jiromised to put in. an appearance.” Val nodded. “Yes, boss. I’ll be ready.” She wondered if he liad forgotten that kiss in the hall as completely as he had wanted her to forget it. “Incidentally,” Hugh added, “I am taking Winifred. If I had known you Avere here ...” “But why drag me along?” ‘ Hugh said with feigned gruffness, 4 4 You ’re Avorking for me now, miss, and you’re going.” “Winifred will like that.” “If sho doesn’t,” Hugh replied, “I don’t know Avhat she can do about it.” (To be Continued.)