Page:Glitter (1926).pdf/137

"I don't know wheah he is, Jock," answered Eunice, and her tone was so blank that it was impossible to doubt her. "As I told you, he left heah about six-thirty in my cah. I asked him wheah he was goin' but he wouldn't tell me—just said, 'I'll be back at nine shahp, if not befoah.' I didn't think so much about it then because Brad's been actin' awfully peculiah lately anyhow, but when it got to be one o'clock and he still hadn't come I was afraid and called you."

Jock thought. "That's the truth. And I'll bet I know where he is! But why's he staying? Why did he say he'd be back at nine if he didn't intend to be? Why doesn't he telephone? Four hours—dregs of the world in those places——"

Eunice was continuing. "There isn't anythin' you can do but wait heah with me, Jock. If I knew wheah he is we could take yoah cah and go theah, but I don't even know that much." The hysterical note returned, whether premeditatedly or otherwise Jock could only conjecture. "Oh, Jock, you don't know what I've been goin' through lately—you haven't been around heah to see—but Brad's not the same, I tell you! He acts so funny. He leaves me alone all the time, and when he is heah he hardly speaks to me. Just sits and gazes at nothin'. If he didn't give me so many presents I'd think he must be mad at me or somethin'—why, wheah you goin', Jock?"

Jock had started for the door. "I'm going to borrow a car," he said. "My roadster froze up solid this afternoon, but I'll borrow something and have a look around. I—maybe I can find Brad——"

Eunice followed him in a little rush. "Oh, take me—take me, Jock. Don't leave me heah all alo——"

She stopped, listening. They both listened. Remotely, but coming nearer, they could hear an auto-