Colonel Grand leaned forward to send a
menacing scowl toward the group on the sidewalk. He smiled
sardonically when he saw that Mary Braddock still kept her place in
front of her husband, evidently afraid that he would fire from the
window of the departing cab. Then he called out his instructions to
the driver and settled back in the seat.
The gritting of Tom Braddock's teeth did not escape the tortured ears
of his wife. She looked up quickly. He was glaring after the cab, a
look of appalling ferocity in his face.
"Come into the house, Tom," she said quickly.
He turned on her with a snarl.
"I won't keep you long," he grated. "I've got other business on hand."
It occurred to him to tender David his meed of praise. "That was
pretty sharp in you, David, staving him off like that. I owe you
something for doing that."
"I knew you were unarmed. You would have had no chance."
They were going up the steps, Braddock between the others. Brooks, the
footman, was holding the door open. He had been a politely interested
witness to the startling encounter.
Braddock seemed to be studying each successive slab of stone as he
ascended.
Pages:
477
478
479
480
481
482
483
484
485
486
487
488
489
490
491
492
493
494
495
496
497
498
499
500
501