CHAPTER 8


Terry did not come down for dinner. It was more or less of a calamity,
for the board was quite full of early guests for the next day's
festivities. Aunt Elizabeth shifted the burden of the entertainment onto
the capable shoulders of Vance, who could please these Westerners when he
chose. Tonight he decidedly chose. Elizabeth had never see him in such
high spirits. He could flirt good-humoredly and openly across the table
at Nelly, or else turn and draw an anecdote from Nelly's father. He kept
the reins in his hands and drove the talk along so smoothly that
Elizabeth could sit in gloomy silence, unnoticed, at the farther end of
the table. Her mind was up yonder in the room of Terry.

Something had happened, and it had come through that long business
envelope with the typewritten address that seemed so harmless. One
reading of the contents had brought Terry out of his chair with an
exclamation. Then, without explanation of any sort, he had gone to his
room and stayed there. She would have followed to find out what was the
matter, but the requirements of dinner and her guests kept her
downstairs.

Immediately after dinner Vance, at a signal from her, dexterously herded
everyone into the living room and distributed them in comfort around the
big fireplace; Elizabeth Cornish bolted straight for the room of Terence.
She knocked and tried the door. To her astonishment, the knob turned, but
the door did not open. She heard the click and felt the jar of the bolt.
Terry had locked his door!