'Cannot have a brown-eyed child,' finished Johnny, in almost a shout. 'Of course, it's true!'
Dick Baitee said, still with that air of distaste, ''What are you trying to do, now?'
'I am only trying to show Nan,' Johnny turned to her. 'See what this means? What is Clinton McCauley to you?
An uncle you never knew. I am setting you free of the whole
ancient history. It wasn't your mother.'
'You mean I'm not . . .? You mean . . .?'
'Clinton McCauley never mentioned to you which girl was his daughter?' asked Dick scornfully.
'Chnton McCauley used her right name,' snapped Johnny,
'Mary,' he used.'
'Miss McCauley? In the hospital? On her death bed?'
'Kept up her deep defense, yes. But she didn't know she was on her death bed. Emily didn't expect to die.'
Johnny thought the gray eyes reacted. (He had already noted the easy use of the right name for Emily.) Dick said, a trifle stiffly, 'And why didn't you think of this before?'
'Because I'm stupid,' said Johnny promptly. 'Because I first saw Christy's picture under conditions of stress.'
'This means you are willing, now, to concede that I never killed anybody?' Dick's voice was loud and a Httle angry. 'How is that?'
'Perhaps I was reaching,' Johnny said. 'I had a reason.''
'Tou sure had,' said Dick angrily.
'I don't know what to think,' gasped Blanche. 'How could—?'
Bart's handj^ightened on her arm and she was still. '
'Yes, hold on a minute,' Dick said. 'You mean to tell me the lawyer who handled the money? Come oflF it, Sims,' Dick smiled. But he wasn't easy. The big animal was wary.
Johnny said, 'Look, / don't legislate the laws of nature. But I teach this stuiS, I know what they are.'
(It wasn't going to work. Yes, it must. Johnny had a desperate idea.)
'Listen, please, all be quiet. Try an experiment. Be quiet, everyone.' He still held them. Nan's face was puzzled. Dorothy looked dazed. Dick was listening, watching, taut as an animal in the woods. Johnny looked at no one person, said into the silence, softly, 'Polly? Polly McCauley?'
Nan stared at him as if he had surely lost his mind. But Dorothy lifted her face. Her blue eyes softened. 'Polly McCauley,' she repeated, just as softly.
'You've heard that before?'
'Yes.' She looked at him, trustfully.
'Who was it,' Johnny said, in the deepening hush, 'used to call you 'Polly McCauley'?'
''My—my father?' Then Dorothy looked around as if she woke, and burst into tears.
Johimy reached out to hold her. He blessed her in his heart. He held her tightly.
Bart said, 'T remember that. He did call the baby 'Polly McCauley.' You remember that, Dick.'
'Yes, I do,' said Dick Bartee in a colorless voice. He had gone within, remembering.
(He had things to remember. Emily, on her death bed, crying, 'You'U never many Clinton's child!' Damn the womanl He'd gone too fast. He ought to have made sure what she meant.)
Nan said, 'But don't cry, Dotty? Why should she cry?'' Dorotliy's head was pressed to Johnny's shoulder. Bart said aloud and clearly, 'But then, the money must belong to Miss Dorothy?'
Deep silence enclosed the sound of Dorothy's small sobbing. Nan said, 'I guess—Does it, Johnny?'
Johnny said impatiently, 'The point is. Nan, you are clear of it. So there's my wedding gift. And I hope we are friends.' 'Oh yesl' said Nan radiantly. 'And everything is better 1 Dickr
Dick said in a warm thrilling voice, 'Darling!' Bart said, 'I can't help it. I am somewhat concerned— what about the money?'
'No doubt about the money. At least one letter exists,' said Johnny confidently, 'to show that your father meant the money for McCauley s child.'
Dick was Hstening; he was alert; he said nothing. 'And we can piove that Nan is not McCauley's child,' Johnny went on. 'In court. Any time.'
'You and Dorothy can prove it?' said Dick, in mahcious innuendo.
'That's right—' said Johnny. His grin was triumph. Antagonism was raw.
'I begin to understand your reasons better,' Dick purred. 'Fancy? I thought they were sentimental.'
'That's that,' said Bart, with finahty, as if he punctuated thoughts of his own about the money.
'But what shall we do?' quavered Blanche. 'The people
