Gilpin observer., 1906-11-08
It will be fierce and a long fight

and fear fearful scandal" Il
My God. my poor mother!" cried
the other, pacing the room. Fool
that was to marry an actress. Well,
go ahead. and help me reap the whirl-
wind"
Ernest" said the lawyer, in a very
different voice than his. the profes.
sional one, he had been using, and
rising and placing his hands on the
younger mans shoulder. "are you
thinking at all of the little girl in
this matter-of Ethelo" and Billman's
voice had that in it which would
have caused great surprise in any
court where he practced. /
Van Dorst looked at him in surprise.
What do you mean?" he asked. Z
THE scandal will hit her harder
than any other person." Billman re-
piled, steadily. And she is such a
sweet and dainty little thing Il tell
you, Van Dorst. before we go ahead
in this matter. you must come and
see the girl And we will do it now"
This latter in a tone so decisive that
Van Dorst found himself carried off
his feet for once in his life, and be-
fore he recovered was in a cab rolling
rapidly toward Billmans home.
Billman conducted Van Dorst di-
rectly into the nursery, without wait
ing on ceremony. Opening the door,
what was his surprise Ito say moth
Ing of the emotions of his guest) to
see Mrs Van Dorst sitting in the
middle of the room holding Ethel in
her arms, the little ones arms
wrapped about her neck with Mrs.
Billman and the nursemaid weeping
silently on different sides of the
room.
AS Billman entered the room and
his wife caught sight of him, she
arose, and with swapping eyes, said:
Mr.. Billman, if it's your business to
steal babies from their mothers, to
satisfy the malice of jealous hus-
bands, you had better quit and go
into some honest business-or else
travel your own road without me- |
can take in washing and earn an hon
est living"
The woman with the child had also
arisen and stood with the little ones
arms still around her neck Her blaz-
ing eyes had caught and held those
of her husband.
Ernest she said, quietly. You
are not going to have her. Before that
can happen, l will kill you or her or
all three of us. Make no mistake
about it. Your bitter injustice to me
l will endure. but you shall not part
me from my baby"
Injustice exclaimed Van Dorst.
throwing back his splendid shoul-
ders. Injustice. When l saw you
hand note to that cheap vaudeville
actor. Linn-and you promised you
would cut out the whole actor crowd
when we were married. Explain that
If you can"
Il will never explain anything to
you as long as I live" replied the
woman, in low. tense tones.
Then | WILL snapped Mrs. Bill
man. She was sending some money
to poor. dying old man who had
been her friend and preceptor when
she was child, and her guardian and
friend all the time she was on the
stage. Oh. you men-and then talk
about brains"
At this moment Ethel. who had
been sizing up the situation with the
philosophy of childhood. said. de-
murely:
Papa, come here, 1 want to kiss
you"
Van Dorst looked searchingly at
the child for the first time. and his
quick perception took in her rare
beauty. The defiance faded from his
eyes, and he started toward her.
At this particular psychological mo.
ment Lawyer Billman found himself
being hustled very rapidly and very
certainly out of the room, and once
outside he found his good wife be-
side him somewhat winded and very
indignant at the obtuseness of men in
general. and of Billman In particular
He also observed as a peculiar fact
that the nursemaid seemed to have
beaten them to the door, and was al
ready on her way downstairs. To all
of which circumstances the lawyer
gave great and profound thought that
night, and from which he finally made
deductions which his wife had ar
rived at before she started to get him
out of the room, and which had also
apparently crossed the mind of the
nursemaid at about the same time.
There was no divorce suit