The Witness by Grace Livingston Hill Lutz (mobi reader android TXT) 📕

     Evening.

                                                         Court.

It Was Dark When He Reached Elm Tree Inn. The Ocean Rolled,  A Long Black

Line Flecked With Faint Foam,  Along The Shore,  And Luminous With A

Coming Moon. Two Dim Figures,  Like Moving Shadows,  Went Down The Sand

Picked Out Against The Path Of The Moon. Save For Those All Was Lonely,

Up And Down. Courtland Shivered Slightly And Almost Wished He Had

Selected Some More Cheerful Spot For The Meeting. He Had Not Realized

How Desolate A Sea Can Be When It Is Growing Cold. Nevertheless,  It Was

Majestic. It Seemed Like Eternity In Its Limitless Stretch. The Lights

In Far Harbors Glinted Out In The Distance Down The Coast. Somehow The

Vast Emptiness Filled Him With Sadness. He Felt As If He Were Entering

Upon Anything But A Pleasant Reunion,  And Half Wished He Had Not Come.

Courtland Ran His Car Up To The Entrance And Sprang Out. He Was Glad To

Get Inside,  Where A Log Fire Was Crackling. The Warmth And The Light

Dispelled His Sadness. Things Began To Take On A Cheerful Aspect Again.

"I Suppose You Haven't Many Guests Left," He Said,  Pleasantly,  As He

Registered.

"Only Him,  Sir!" Said The Clerk,  Pointing To The Entry Just Above

Courtland's.

"James T. Aquilar And Wife,  Seattle,  Washington," Courtland Read,  Idly,

And Turned Away.

"They Been Here Two Days. Come In A Nerroplane!" Went On The Clerk,

Communicatively.

"Fly All The Way From Seattle?" Asked Courtland,  Idly. He Was Looking

At His Watch And Wondering If He Should Order Supper Or Wait Until

Tennelly Arrived.

"Well,  I Can't Say For Sure. He's Mighty Uncommunicative,  But He's Given

Out He Flies 'Most Anywhere The Notion Takes Him. He's Got His Machine

Out In The Lot Back O' The Inn. You Oughtta See It. It's A Bird!"

"H'm!" Said Courtland. "I Must Have A Look At It In Daylight. I'm

Looking For A Friend Up From The City Pretty Soon. Guess It Would Be

More Convenient For You If We Dined Together. I'll Wait A Bit. Meantime,

Let Me See What Rooms You Have."

When Courtland Came Back To The Office And Sat Down Before The Fire To

Wait,  The Spell Of Sadness Seemed To Have Vanished.

He Sat For Half An Hour,  With His Head Thrown Back In The Easy-Chair,

Watching The Flames,  Thinking Back Over Old College Memories That The

Thought Of Tennelly Made Vivid Again. In The Midst Of It He Heard Steps

On The Veranda. Some One From Outside Unlatched The Door And Flung It

Open. A Wild,  Careless Laugh Floated In On The Cold Breath Of The Sea.

Courtland Came To His Feet As If He Had Been Called! That Laugh Had Gone

Through His Heart Like A Knife,  With Its Heartless Baby-Like Mirth. It

Was Gila! Had Tennelly Played Him False,  After All,  And Brought Her

Along? Was This Some Kind Of A Ruse To Get Them Together? For He Knew

That Tennelly Was Distressed Over Their Alienation,  And That He

Understood To Some Extent That It Was On Account Of Gila That He Always

Avoided Accepting The Many Invitations Which Were Continually Pressed

Upon Him To Come Down To The City And Be With His Friends Once More.

The Door Swung Wide On Its Hinges And Gila Entered,  Trig And Chic As

Usual,  In A Stylish Little Coat-Suit Of Homespun,  Leather-Trimmed And

Short-Skirted,  High Boots,  Leather Leggings,  And A Jaunty Little

Leather Cap With A Bridle Under Her Chin. Only Her Petite Figure And Her

Baby Face Saved Her From Being Taken For A Tough Young Sport. She

Swaggered In,  Chewing Gum,  Her Gauntleted Hands In Her Pockets,  Her

Young Voice Flung Almost Coarsely Into The Room By The Wind; The

Innocent Look Gone From Her Face; The Eyes Wide And Bold; The Exquisite

Mouth In A Sensuous Curve.

Behind Her Lounged A Man Older Than Herself By Many Years,  With Silver

At His Temples,  Daredevil Eyes,  And A Handsome,  Voluptuous Face. He

Kicked The Door Shut Behind Him And Lolled Against It While He Lit A

Cigarette.

Gila's Laugh Rang Harshly In The Room Again,  Following Some Low-Toned

Remark,  And The Man Laughed Coarsely In Reply. Then,  Suddenly,  She

Looked Up And Saw Courtland Standing Sternly There With Folded Arms,

Regarding Her Steadily,  And Her Eyes Grew Wide With Horror.

It Was Courtland's Great Disillusionment.

Never Had He Seen Such Fear In Human Face.

Gila's Skin Grew Gray Beneath Its Pearly Tint,  Her Whole Body Shrank And

Cringed,  Her Eyes Were Fixed Upon Him With Terror In Their Gaze.

"Papers Haven't Come In Yet,  Mr. Aquilar," Called The Clerk,  Affably.

"Train's Late To-Night. Be In Pretty Soon,  I Reckon!"

The Man Growled Out An Imprecation On A Place Where The Papers Didn't

Come Till That Hour In The Evening,  And Lounged On Toward The Elevator.

Gila Slid Along By His Side,  Her Eyes On Courtland,  With The Air Of

Hiding Behind Her Companion. Her Face Was Drooped,  And When She Turned

Toward The Elevator She Drooped Her Eyes Also,  And A Wave Of Shame

Rolled Up And Covered Her Face And Neck And Ears With A Dull Red

Beneath The Pearl. Her Last Glance At Courtland Was The Look That Eve

Must Have Had As She Walked Past The Flaming Swords,  With Adam,  Out Of

Eden. Her Eyes,  As She Stood Waiting For The Boy To Come To The

Elevator,  Seemed Fairly To Grovel On The Floor.

Was This The Sweet,  Wild,  Innocent Flower That Had Held Him In Its

Thrall All The Sorrowful Months,  And Separated Him From His Dearest

Friend?

Tennelly! Courtland Had Forgotten Until That Instant That Tennelly Would

Be There In A Few Minutes! Perhaps Was Even Then At The Door!

He Strode Forward,  And Gila Quivered As She Saw Him Coming; Quivered And

Looked Up In Terror,  Putting Out A Fearful Hand To The Arm Of Her

Companion.

The Elevator-Boy Had Arrived And Was Slamming Back The Steel Grating.

The Man Stood Back To Let Gila Enter,  And She Slunk Past Him,  Her Gaze

Still Held In Horror On Courtland.

"Will You Do Me The Favor To Step Into The Little Reception-Room To The

Right For A Moment?" Said Courtland,  Addressing The Man,  But Looking At

Gila.

"The Devil We Will!" Said The Man,  Glaring At Him. "What Right Have You

To Ask A Favor Like That?"

But Courtland Was Looking At Gila,  And There Was Command In His Eyes. As

If She Dared Not Disobey She Stepped Forth Again From The Elevator,  Her

Eyes Still Upon Him,  Her Face Gray With Apprehension. Without Further

Word From Him She Walked Before Him,  Slowly,  Into The Little Room At The

Right That He Indicated.

"You're A Fool!" Said Aquilar,  Regarding Her Contemptuously,  But She

Went As If She Did Not Hear Him. She Entered The Room,  Walked Half-Way

Across,  And Turned About,  Facing The Two Who Had Followed. Courtland Was

Within The Room,  Aquilar Lounging Idly In The Door,  As If The Matter

Handsome Lips.

Courtland's Manner Was Grave And Sad. He Had The Commanding Presence And

Beauty Of An Avenging Angel.

"Gila,  Are You Married To This Man?" He Asked,  Looking Sternly At Her,

As Though He Would Search Her Very Soul.

Gila Kept Her Dark,  Horrified Gaze On His Face. She Was Beyond Trying To

Deceive Now. She Slowly Gave One Shake To Her Head,  And Her White Lips

Formed The Syllable,  "No!" Though It Was Almost Inaudible.

"And Yet You Are Registered Here In This Hotel As His Wife?"

Her Eyes Suddenly Flamed With Shame. She Drooped Them Before His Gaze

And Seemed To Try To Assent,  But Her Head Was Drooped Too Low To Bow.

She Lifted Miserable Pleading Looks To His Face Twice,  But Could Not

Stand The Clear Rebuke Of His Gaze. It Was Like The Whiteness Of The

Reproach Of God,  And Her Little Sinful Soul Could Not Bear It. She

Lifted A Handkerchief And Uttered Something Like A Sob. It Was As One

Might Think Would Be The Sound Of A Lost Soul Looking Back At What Might

Have Been.

"What The Devil Have You Got To Say About It? Who The Devil _Are_ You,

Anyway?" Roared The Man From The Doorway.

The Elevator-Boy And Clerk Were All Agog. The Latter Had Come Out Of His

Pen And Was Standing Behind The Boy,  On Tiptoe,  Where They Could Get A

Good View Of The Scene. The Room Was Tense With Stillness.

Aquilar's Voice Was Not One To Pass Unnoticed When He Spoke In Anger,

But Courtland Did Not Even Lift An Eyelid Toward Him.

Perhaps Aquilar's Words Had Given Gila Courage,  For She Suddenly Lifted

Her Eyes To Courtland's Face Again,  A Flash Of Vengeance In Them:

"I Suppose You Are Going To Tell Lew All About It?" She Flung Out,

Bitterly. "I Suppose You Will Make Up A Great Story To Go And Tell Lew.

But You Don't Suppose He Will Believe _You_ Against _Me_,  Do You?"

Her Eyes Were Flashing Fire Now. Her Old Imperious Manner Was Upon Her.

She Had Driven Him From Her Once! She Would Defeat Him Again!

He Watched Her Without A Change Of Countenance. "No,  I Shall Not Tell

Him," He Said,  Quietly; "But _You Will_!"

"I?" Gila Turned A Glance Of Contemptuous Amusement Upon Him. "Some

Chance! And I Warn You That If You Attempt To Tattle Anything About It I

Will Turn,  The Tables Against You In A Way You Little Suspect."

"Gila,  You Will Tell Lew Tennelly _Everything_,  Or You Will Never Marry

Him! It Is His Right To Know! And Now,  Sir"--Courtland Turned To

Aquilar,  Lounging Amusedly Against The Doorway--"If You Will Step

Outside I Will _Settle With You_!"

But Suddenly Gila Gave A Scream And Covered Her Face With Her Hands,  For

There,  Just Behind Aquilar,  Stood Tennelly,  Looking Like A Ghost. He Had

Heard It All!

Tennelly Stepped Within The Room,  Gave One Keen,  Questioning Look At

Aquilar As He Passed Him,  Searching Straight Into The Depths Of His

Startled,  Shifty Eyes,  And Came And Stood Before The Crouching Girl. She

Had Dropped Into A Chair And Was Sobbing As If Her Heart Would Break.

"What Does This Mean,  Gila?"

Tennelly's Voice Was Cold And Stern.

Courtland Looked At His Shocked Face And Turned Away From The Pain Of

It. But When He Looked For The Man Who Had Wrought This Havoc He Had

Suddenly Melted From The Room! The Front Door Was Blowing Back And Forth

In The Wind,  And The Clerk And Bell-Boy Stood,  Open-Mouthed,  Staring.

Courtland Closed