Quest for the King Read Free Page A

wife protested.
    Wesley's voice was indignant. "Look, Dad, she was crying her heart
out last night! She could hardly talk to me, she was so scared!"
    He snorted "It's utterly, totally..."
    But at that point the waiter brought their orders on a trolley to the
table, and for a few moments the regular conversation gave place to
a discussion as to who had ordered what. The children had little
interest in eating. The issue of Anthropos drove normal things from
their minds entirely. Mary glanced at her cousins gratefully, feeling
that the ground under her feet was becoming a little more solid.
    Wesley began to relax. "Danger over-I hope," he thought.
    Lisa stared at Mary, wondering whether she had anything up her sleeve. In her mind she was saying, "You can never tell with that girl.
One minute she's crying, and the next she's into a witch's coven. I
don't trust her."

    Once their various dishes had been sorted out they addressed themselves to the food. Mr. Friesen said, in a rather genial tone, "You children must not mind our not spending much time with you over the next
day or so. We have to trace John and Eleanor, and that may take time.
You haven't any suggestions where we start, have you, darling? I'll call
all the hotels, of course, and interview the drivers of both vehicles."
    "They could be on one of the islands," his wife said. "Chung Chau
could be a lovely place for a honeymoon."
    Mary said, "You won't find them. They're in Anthropos. I just know.
They got into the limousine but they didn't get out. It'll be a waste of
time to search for them-they've gone where we can't get at them."
    Wesley drew in his breath sharply. "Here it comes," he thought.
Silence fell on the table as everyone paused in their eating and
looked either at Mary or her uncle. The only sound was the hum of
conversation from neighboring tables and muted traffic sounds from
outside the restaurant windows. Uncle Fred finally broke the silence.
"Mary, our children know that they are not to talk about this-this
Anthropos. I believe they have gotten over the-hm-well, rather
childish ideas they used to have. I'd rather you didn't encourage them.
There is no such place as Anthropos."
    Though his voice was quiet, there was a hard edge to it that his own
children recognized at once. But Mary had never been easily intimidated by grown-ups, and though she was a good deal more polite
than when the Friesen children had first known her, she still didn't
seem to make a distinction between children and grown-ups.
    "Oh, but there is! I've been there, Uncle Fred! I was there with
them last time and-"
    "There will be no further talk about Anthropos, Mary." Mr. Fries.
en's face was red, and his voice louder. "I have already arranged to
interview both limousine chauffeurs this afternoon. I am not satisfied
with their stories. People do not simply disappear." He paused, and when he continued, his voice was gentler. "I'm sorry I asked you
whether you were holding something back. I don't believe you are.
I realize what a terrible shock this whole thing has been to you, Mary,
but there must be no more talk about Anthropos."

    "Uncle Fred, I know what I'm talking about. I don't care whether
you believe me or not. I-"
    "Mary-I warn you-"
    Mary rose to her feet, red-faced. "You're not my father!" Her voice
was loud and shaky. People from the next two tables turned round to
see who was shouting.
    Mrs. Friesen, who was seated between them, laid a hand on her
husband's arm. "Darling, she's just been through such a lot." Then
to Mary, "It's all right dear. He doesn't really mean it."
    She placed her other arm around Mary's waist, pulling her close.
To the rest she said, "Let's get on with lunch. Mary'll be all right in
a minute. She's quite a girl, aren't you, Mary?"
    Mary bit her lip, grateful to lean for a moment against Aunt Jane.
She was still angry, but the anger began to subside. The comfort of
a motherly arm began to melt it. Kurt watched