“THE UNLATCHED DOOR”

Wairarapa Times-Age, 30 January 1941, Page 10

“THE UNLATCHED DOOR”

PUBLISHED BY SPECIAL ARRANGEMENT. COPYRIGHT.

By

FRANK PRICE.

(Author of "Africa Flight," "Outpost in China," etc.)

CHAPTER IV. (Continued'/. "But I don't want you to come.'’ she said as he was turning to descend the steps again. “I can go alone." promised the Wintertons that would look after you," he said. "If ' haven't done it up to now I can at leas 1 see you safely home." He ran down to the counter. Barbara stood for a moment looking after hire with an expression of puzzled alarm Why had he spoken like that? What die he know or suspect? Then she gave herself a shake. Her nerves were all tr pieces, she told herself, and she was finding bogeys in everything! She went to the commissionaire and asked him to find a taxi. As she watched his gorgeously uniformed figure pass out tc

the street she tried to remember if she; had any recollection of passing him: either on her way to Borden's flat or as; she returned. She had no memory of him whatever. Had he seen her? Had he observed her haste and agitation?’ Had he. . .?

She was at it again! Bogeys. Bogeys. Was it going to be like this with her all the time for the future? Roy came as a taxi drew up outside and they went down the steps. Barbara glanced up at the big clock which seemed to have played so important a part in her doings that night. Twenty-live minutes past 11. Surely time had never crawled with such dragging footsteps before! Not more than 40 minutes since she had entered Darnley Mansions. If Borden's servant had been told to deliver that packet personally he might, not have reached Martin Winterton’s house yet. A taxi would have got him there long ago but he would hardly take one. A bus might have done it by now—-but perhaps ho had walked. If so. .

Her speculations broke off. They had entered the taxi and were now passing down Parliament Street on the way to Westminster Bridge. Roy had been silently watching the play of emotion over Barbara's face, at first with an expression of gloomy solemnity. But something he saw seemed to have softened him and still silent, he had laid his right hand gently on her left. She started at the touch and looked at him. Longing and sympathy were in his gaze and she averted her head with a short, half-sobbing gasp. There were tears in her eyes. She felt suddenly lonely and desolate among horrors with which she was totally unabel to cope—and he looked so kind: so understanding. More than she had ever wanted anything, she yearned to cling to him. to feel his arms round her and to ask for help and comfort and support in the troubles '.hat crowded so thickly upon her. But that was impossible! She had to think not only for herself, but for Nancy! "What is it. Barbara?" His fingers had closed on hers and his lips were al her cheek. "I can see you are in trouble. Won’t you tell me what it is and let me help you? I'd do anything for you—any single thing. I love you —"

"Oh. don’t, don't, don't, don't!" she cried. "You mustn't tempt me with kindness!"

She snatched her hand away and shrinking into her corner, burst into a til of passionate weeping. Instantly his arms were round her. gathering her to him with gentle strength, and she was clinging to him convulsed by uncontrollable sobs. He was kissing her eyes, her lips, her hair, murmuring soft loving words, trying with might and main to reassure her and stem the tempest of her emotion; but for a long time her sobs continued as her overstrained nerves found relief in tears, and terror receded before the solace of his embrace. When at last she was quieter he went back to his original demand: "Won’t you tell me what it’s all about and let me help?" "You couldn’t help, and 1 can't tell ,-ou," she said. "H's not my trouble-— at least not all. I'd tell you if it were -—l'd trust you with anything of my own; but this Ohl We are there!" F<>r once that night time had flown for her. They were at Streatham and in a few seconds would be at Martin Wintertmi’s house. Il came in sight as the taxi swung round the corner by the bank of which he was manager, and Barbara gave a little gasp. A man had just come down the steps front the front door and was walking towards them. He passed anti, though she could not see his face, she recognised the checked overcoat and the cap. It was Borden's servant. The cab stopped and she sprang out. her latch-key already m her ham! Roy was beside her. "Wait" he sait! pleadingly, his hand, on her arm. "Not now," she almost panted “I I'm afraid I can’t ask you it ”1 know." he said. But when shall ! see you again'.' Look here, will you lunch with me tomorrow. 1 "I’d love it!’’ .She would have assentci it. anything to be free Ring me upand millions of thanks fm -fm eversthing." She held out her hand There was a brief, firm pre-sore on b-.-tn s.di-s and then she ran tip the steps, opened the door and went into the house. There was a light in the hall by which she ,iv, a large envelope in the lelter-b c-.. Taking it out, she glanced at the address. It was directed to Marlin and die knew the writing. She had seen ;■ inm'f Ilian mice on miles her father had received from Roger Borde;: Shihad retrieved Nancy’s Inter" after all (.’unrealmg trie packet m the wide sleeve o' her 1-venmg real she :*i>le lioisrh- upstairs her own r---m Tile latch clicked ir ■ h>- shut ‘he ; tattling her m the - !<■: ■ ■ ■ <d h. . her bed looking d -■mtfu'ly a', the pack'-: What w;<- she ! -> «l ■ ■■•■■ th ;t .■ ■ - : handle ■ attled - she : the enveh pc ■' ? her j - ,md ’.urm.d a-. Nancy <-.im>- ;jie *i;r» ■- ■ L -’.n * ’n •« !■' nciv - -

I me! He wouldn't believe anything I | said. He rushed out of the house ten : minutes go. vowing that he was going I to get the truth.” ! "Going where?” I "To Roger Borden's flat!” j "Oh. no! He mustn’t go there! He —" I Barbara’s voice died and she slum- } bled back to sit on the bed. staring. ! wild eyed, at the other girl. CHAPTER V. "But 1 tel! you Martin has gone! He j wouldn't listen! He was mad with ! jealousy. I don't know what he will do ' if he and Roger meet and Roger tells I him—"

"Roger Borden will not tell him anything!" It seemed to Barbara that she screamed the words at the top of her voice, but they had no effect on Nancy She was too much concerned with her fears even to notice how strangely Barbara was looking or how queerly her voice sounded. She went on distractedly; "He will tell him! He said he would —and it will be all lies:!" "Lies?" Barbara clutched at the word. "Do you mean about the letters?" "Yes. What else could 1 mean? Everything he threatened to tell Marlin will be all lies!" "But it can't be! The letters are real!" Brbara had been clutching the eiderdown quilt on Iter bod with both hands with a feling that holding on to .iimething physical would help her to retain her grasp on sanity. Now her left hand went out towards the pillow under which the packet lay. "Of course they are real! But they arc not what he will say they are. There is no harm in them. There was never anything wrong between me and Roger!" ’ "Do you mean that. Nancy?"

"Of course I mean it? 1 swear it —1 iwore it to Martin, but he didn't believe me! Do you think —?" "What does it matter what I thought-” Barbara flashed at her sharply. "What did you expect me to think when you spoke of the letters as you did? Why were you so frightened of Martin seeing them if they arc as harmless as you say?"

"I've told you—because of Roger Borden's lies. He said awful things to Martin in the Boldovina tonight—he insinuated that there had been horrible things between him and me, and that he could prove it. If Martin sees my letters he will think they are proof. They're not. They are silly, sloppy, sentimental I hate myself for ever having been such an idiot as to have written them! but they can only be made to seem anything worse by lies!"

Then, if Martin never secs the letters and hears no more lies about them —" "But he will! Don't you understand? I tell you he has gone to Roger's flat. They will quarrel. Roger is angry with Martin over something that has happened in business —I don't know what. .Marlin never talks to me about busi-| ness. And Roger is angry wtih me be-j cause I told him that, and said I couldn't influence Martin in his favour. I And the insinuations he made in the! Boldovina worked Martin into a fury I of jealous rage. Anything may happen ! !f they meet and Roger says what hei threatened to. The last thing Martin 1

said before he rushed off was that he I would have a satisfactory explanation from Borden if he had to choke it out, . f him with his hands!" "Oh, hush! Hush! Hush!" cried Barbara. clapping her hands over her ears. Don’t say that. Never repeat it. Tell yourself you never heard it —that Martin never said it! If it were known —” She broke olf. silenced by the look in I Nancy’s eyes. A note of panic in Bar- i bara’s voice had penetrated through the | other girl's absorption in her own fears. | bringing an expression of doubt and apprehension to her face. Barbara pul ; up h<-r hands to ward off that questioning gaze, shutting out the sight of her companion am! the mom in which they were. Instantly the vision of another room came to her. She was standing again with the revolver in her hand, looking down at the body of Roger Borden. She aw the huddled limbs, the face distorted by rage and terror, and the small| round hole in tile forehead with its ooz- I ng stream of red She recalled how ; she had laid the weapon down and .mien away, remembered the footsteps i which had brought her to a quivering halt at the front door, and the dialogue :o which she hail listened feeling it to be unbearably protracted in its utter irrelevance to the emotions which were wracking her. Then its end midi lier own escape leaving the door im-l latched so that anyone going to the flat j ■ uid walk in unimpeded! And now Maron .. .:;!<-ri i was goim j there- he might be there at. this very ! muineni! If no one had preceded laii’..' v.hat would happen’ He would r.n;> | and howcvei mar.) times he St-lit the; ■.■hriil -arm::-.is . f tin- electric bell tingling through the Hat, there w>>ald b>- u answer. P-.-iim; - h<- would it upj h<- wa.- angry, t xc;t« d. determined tofailing, he would knock and then, . , j Shi :' ■ ■ ■: : pg open tuft' 1 WimH he ,o. ■ ■ tile alarm or ij't! H- i", ■<«<_ itwii.--, i;?; «•> if--*:1;; J ; .'l ‘ ‘ ‘ { It’s ‘M«’• s • ’ ? ‘ ‘ I'; ’‘j i ■ f ’ ' ;* w- uh* --•• ?. •i■ ‘‘iji*. hr it'.i-:! -• i ,«o ; i M . r-'-x-kt - .-. .p. dectro-i: y •;< hwi £. :.e -