The San Francisco call and post., 1913-12-16
Now Read On

like.
Have you asked your father for
that! Think OF the 1s year old girl
you were ONCE. Think of my awful
blow-my blow to the father who
gave me life-a boys fool idea OF
avenging something that's done-and
over! Kitty, we couldn't ask him for
money. I'D RATHER STARvEF'
You've got a swell chance
Kitty decided that she was making
sad bungIe on the job The hard
ness-the crisp dryness went out OF
her voice. She crossed over to where
the boy was sunk in despair and put
her hand gently on his shoulder.
Ken. dear. I'm sorry things are so
had. hut you've rot TO get money
Your mother hasn't answered your
last letter"
mo- ! can't understand IT." ex-
claimed Ken, bitterly
Il can. She's a womani Your father
would come across. she won't-not for
me. not for the girl that Is taking her
son from her. say, Ken"-with an
abrupt change of nlanne--'where do
you think all the motner in law
jokes come from? Your mother hasn't
answered your last letter, You see.
Now. what are you going to DO?
She perched on the arm of his
chair and put ber little hand on his
shoulder. Then quickly her HANDS
strayed over his collar. up to his face.
In moment her cool fingers were
huttering like little snow1akes across
! his throbbing temples But the boy
/, was in no mood for loving ministra-
| tions. Cool fingers on his brow could
not stop the jarring throbbing of his
! brain
! Il don't know what ] am gcing to
| do. I never realized before what a
| miserable weakling I was, Ny father
| spent 100000 on my four years at
| college. and / can't earn SO week
| tried today to get a place in a life
! insurance office. and was beaten out
by hoy just out of high school.
/ Beaten fairly. too. He's done some
thing with his chances I've wasted
| mine
They won't let you starve. Ken.
They're too proud of the family
"Proud7 OF our family. What a
toke. WHAT A JOKE, WHAT A
ROTTEN JOKE THE WHOLE
WORLD IS." cried the boy with the
bitter cynicism of youth that has
eaten too soon and too fully of the
rotten fruit OF the tree OF knowledge
/ Of evil.
"Tt's got the laugh on us. all
right" answered Kitty.
| Perhaps Kenneth had really ex-
pected her to understand. With an
added shade of WEAKNESS, he added
| I've written to Tom Harding,
Kitty. I'll win out yet IL you just
stick to me-"
What else can I do . asked the
girl. Still more wearily.
| Kenneth walked over to where she
stood leaning nonchalantly against
the sun dappled window frame She
was all he had left now-all he had
to lavish affection on-habit, the de-
sire to make reparation and the
charm OF the siren still held the boy
to his weary bondage. But even her
love would be Dead sea fruit-it
would leave in its wake bitter
thirst Of the spirit His loneliness
spoke-his despair--his bitter awak-
ening to his own weakness colored
| his voice.
Its made difference in you. just
the few days since my money has
been all gone. II you were to leave
| me now, I'd give mp. WOULDN'T
WANT TO LIVE. 1 COULDN'T,
WHAT i HAVE DONE DID BE-
| CAUSE THOUGHT OUR LOVE WAS
BIG ENOUGH TO EXCUSE 1T. IF
If HAVE BEEN WRONG ABOUT
THAT, TOO-IF THAT is ROTTEN.
AS SORDID. AS EVERYTHING ELSE
AROUND US, I'D-TD JUST QUITr
| But the spirit of his words fell on
deaf ears as later events would
prove
| Kitty answered with petuiance
Haven't we lived respectable? No
body can say,anything different unless
they liel What's ssordfd' about us
unless it's my clothes? Oh. Ken. I've