The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1909-08-19
CHAPTER ".
AT THE CARD PARTY.

xsTARED in wiId-eyed awe at my
wife.
DO You realize what this-this
hideous mistake in bringingthewro
girl from Ellis Island means?' I de-
manded hoarsely.
Standing in the doorway, staring back
at ME. she hooded.
But do you?'' 1 insisted. do you
understand-can you comprehend the
wretehsd possibilities of trouble I am
laid open TO through my-my unfor-
tunate desire to do something for your
Perhaps / could understand any
thing less, she answered eoOlly, than
your perfectly natural shifting Of the
blame 10 me-
'.Tutr' I snapped impatiently. There
is no time now 10 waste in trying to
fasten the blame on either of Us. You
wanted the girl-you begged me to
send for her-you would not have been
satisfied unless I had"
Il agree with you that there Is no
need In wasting time in discussing that
mart of the matter interrupted my
wife. Suppose you tell me what we
the mistaken
Do / cried "Do-what IS there
TO do?
II am tied down. hard and fast, under
oath, to be responsible for the girl 1
took away from the immigration o1ice
when the boat that brought her into
this country landed. ] thought was IN
curing that responsibility for the Lizzie
kneW-the Lizzie I was confident Of
And now I find that / signed a bond Tor
the good behavior Of a girl know abso-
lutely nothing about-Who may, for All
know. be a-a-
Then We must get rid of herr de-
cided my quick-thinking, practical better
half. she must goat once
@She can't. " told her simply.
But why nOt2 You don't want to be
sTe=zzonsible for her
you bet I don'tr' I broke In en-
phstiCaliy.
Then we must send her away"
''Wait a minute" I stepped forward
.impressively. You can't send her
away" I said.
we can't?'' She looked blankly into
nv face why not?"
Because she is IN my eharge-under
the law. She must stay in my charge
/ must be responsible for her; till she IS
sixteen years old. And that Is more
than year and q quarter on.
Good gracious" exclaimed my wife
Exactly" I commented. You begin
10 see now what we're up against What
do 7 know about this girl How do
know whether she is person for whom
i should ordinarily be willing 10 as
sumo any responsibility? How r. do
know
How do you know whether she is
even sane asked my wife, darkly
recOlIecting the subject Of our mornings
II don't known I cried. desperately.
Il don't know anything at all about
her II I had
Henry"
wheeled at her cry
DO you suppose she swallowed hard
do you suppose those things she had
ia her trunk-the bedding and radiator
fixtures and the rest-do you suppose
YOU could be held responsible for them
if she stole"
Held responsible9' I shouted. ~
guess I woodland pretty quick, too.
why, If that girl stole anything be-
tween now and the time she comes OF
age. I'd have TO I'LL her place in the
center of a cell in pris0n!"
oh Henry. why did you ger send
for her-the real EliZabeth-in The first
placer"
Ny wife began sobbing heartily.
I gnawed my lip. STOPPING, / picked
up the cablegTam from the floor Of the
riazza and smoOthed il out iD my hands
tor a second reading. Brother sick.
Cant come for month. 7 nnuttered- The
MESA ge was dated ''Kohlburg -Urgher;' 80
there was no doubt Of its coming from
the real Lizzie
well" I cleared my throat Its
done-tne damage. Well have TO put
I'd with IL.
but think OF the Children sobbed
nv wife You don't seem to think any
thing at all about them. You're too