The San Francisco call., 1904-07-10

Bishop. He was blushing like a boy. I
flushed, too. Yes, did, Tom Dorgan,
but It was because was bursting with
laughter.
"Oh, dear" exclaimed in sudden
dismay. You're not my father
Mono, my dear, I'm not" he
stammered, his face purple now with
embarrassment. Il was just trying to
tell you. you poor little girl, of your
mistake and planning a way to help
you, when"
He made a gesture OF despair toward
the side where the coupe had-been.
covered my face with my hands.
and shrinking over into the corner, I
cried:
Let me out. let me outi You're not
my father. Oh. let me out!"
why. certainly, child. But I'm old
enough surely to be, and wish-I wish
Il wish I were"
You do"
The dignity and tenderness and cour-
tesy in his voice sort of sobered me.
But all at once 1 remembered the face
Of Mrs. Dowaser Diamonds. and I un-
derstood.
"Oh, because Of her" I said. smiling
coupe had been.
NY. but II was a rotten bad novel
ought 10 have been strapped for it.
Oh. Tom, Tom, II takes more'n a red
coat with chinchilla TO make a black
hearted thing like me into the girl he
though I was.
He stiffened and sat UP like a prim
little school-boy. his soft eyes hurt
like q dogs that's been wounded.
I won't tell you what did then. No,
I won't. And you won't understand.
but just that minute l cared more for
what he thought of me than whether I
got TO the Correction or anywhere else.
II made us friends in a minute. and
when he stopped the carriage TO let me
out, my hand was still in his. But I
wouldn't go. I'd made up my mind to
see him out Of his part Of the scrape,
and first thing you know we were
driving up toward the square, if you
please, TO Mrs. Dowager Diamonds
house.
he thought il was his scheme. the
poor lamb, 20 put me in her charge till
my lost daddy could send for me. He'd
no more idea that ] was steering him
toward her that he was doing the only
thing possible, the only square thing
by his reputation. than he had that
Nance Olden had been raised by the
Cruelty, and then flung herself away
on the first handsome Irish boy she
met.
Thatn do. Tom.
Girls. If you could have seen Mrs.
Dowager Diamonds face when she
came down the stairs. the Bishops
card in her hand. and into the gor-
geous parlor, it'd have been as good as
a front seat at the show.
She was mad and she was curious,
and she was amazed, and she was dis
armed: for the very nerve Of his bring
ing me TO her staggered her so that
she could hardly believe she'd seen
what she had.
Ny dear Mrs. Ramsay" he began,
confused a bit by his remembrance of
how her face had looked fifteen min
utes before, 7 bring to you an unfor-
tunate child. who mistook my carriage
for her fathers this afternoon at the
station. She is a college girl.
stranger in town, and till her father
claims her"
Oh, the baby, the baby, She was
stF ing like a rod before his very
How did his words explain his
his arm round the unfortunate
His conscience was so clean
e dear little man actually over
0keu-the fact that it wasn't my pres
ence in the carriage, but his conduct
there that had excited Mrs. Dowager
Diamonds.
And didn't the story sound thin? 1
tell you. Tom, when it comes TO lying
10 a woman you've got TO think up
something stronger than it takes TO
make z man believe IN you-if you
happen 10 be a female yourself.
I didn't wait for him to finish. but
waltzed right in. danced straight up
TO that side OF beef with the diamonds
still on il. and flinging my arms about
her. turned a coy eye on the Bishop.
You said your wife was out Of town.
daddy" ] cried gayly. Have you got
another wife besides mummy"
The poor Bishop, Do you think he
tumbled2 Eot z bit-not bit. He sat
there gasDing like a fish, and Mrs
Dowager Diamonds, surprised by my
sudden attack, stood bolt upright,
about as pleasant TO hug as-as you
are, Tom. when you're jealous.
The trouble with the Bishops set is
that it's deadly slow. Now. if L had
really been TIE Bishops daughter
al right I'll go on.
"Oh, mummy" 1 went on quickly
You know how I said it, Tom-the way
] told you after that last row that
Dan Christensen wasn't near so good
looking as yOu-rememDer? "Oh.
mummy, you don't know how good it
feels to get home Out there at that
awful college, studying and studying
and studying, something I thought I'd
lose my senses. There's a girl out there
now suffering from nervous prostra-
ton. She worked so hard preparing
for the midyears. What's her name?
I can't thirk-I can't think. my heads
so tired But il sounds like mine. a lot
like mine. Once-I think it was yes
terday-I thought it was mine. and
made up my mind suddenly to come
right home and bring il with me. But
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