Clearwater Republican. [volume] (Orofino, Idaho) 1912-1922, 1914-12-04
CHAPTER XIV.
Journeys End.

Journeys End.
Harrigan dined alone. He was in
disgrace; he was sore, mentally as
we'll az physically; and he ate his din
ner without relish, In simple obedi-
ence to those well-regulated periods
Of hunger that assailed him three
times q day, In spring, summer, au-
tumn and winter. BY the time the
waiter had cleared away the dishes,
Harrigan had q perfecto between his
teeth (along with a certain matrimo-
NAL bit), and smoked as II he had
wagered to finish the cigar In half the
usual stretch. He then began to walk
the floor, much after the fashion of a
man who has the toothache, or the
earache. which would be more to the
point To his direct mind no diplo-
macy was needed; all that was neces-
sary was few blunt questions. Nora
could answer them as she chose.
Nora, his baby, his little girl that used
% run around barefooted and laugh
when he applied the needed birch!
How children grew up! And they
never grew too old for the birch; they
certainly never did.
They heard him from the drawing
room; tramp, tramp. tramp.
Let him be, Nora" said Mrs. Harri-
gan, wisely. "He is in a rage about
something. And your father IL not
the easiest man to approach when he's
mad. II he fought Mr.. Courtlandt, he
believed he had some good reason for
doing So"
Mother, there are times when l
believe you are afraid Of father"
Il am always afraid Of him. It II
only because make believe I'm not
that can get him to do anything. It
was dreadful. And Mr.. Courtlandt
was such q gentleman. could cry.
But let your father be until tomor-
row."
"And have him wandering about
with that black eye? Something must
be done for it. I'm not afraid Of him."
Sometimes / wish you were."
80 Nora entered the lions den fear
lsssly. "Is there anything I can do
for you. dad?"
you can get the witch hazel and
battle this lamp of mine." grimly.
She ran into her own room and re-
turned with the simpler devices for
notice, or pretended that she didn't,
that he locked the door and put the
key in his pocket. He sat down in
a chair, under the light; and she went
to work deftly.
I've got some makeup, and tomor-
row morning I'll paint 1t for YOU"
you don't ask any questions" he
said. with grimness.
Would 1t relieve your eye any,"
lightly.
He laughed mo; but 1t might re-
lieve my mind"
well, then, why did you do SO
foolish thing? At your age! Don't
you know that you can't go on whip
ping every man you take a dislike
TOT"
II haven't taken any dislike to
Courtlandt. But l saw him kiss YOU"
Il can take care of myself"
Perhaps. ! asked him to explain.
He refused. One thing puzzled me,
though | didn't know what 1t was at
the time. Now, when a fellow steals
kiss from a beautiful woman like
you, Nora. don't see why he should
feel mad about it. When he had all
but knocked your daddy to by-by, he
said that you could explain. !.
Don't press SO hard" warningly.
well, can your"
Since you saw what he did, l do
not see where explanations on my
part are necessary"
Mora. I've never caught you in q
Ne. ! never want to. When you were
little you were the truthfulleet thing
I sver saw. No matter what kind of
. licking was in store for you, you
weren't afraid; you told the truth.
There, that'll do. Put some
cotton over It and bind It with
handkerchief. It'll be black all right,
but the swelling will go down. I can
tell en- q tennis ball hit mo. 1t was
more Ike cannon ball, though. Say,
Nora, you know I've always pooh.
poohed these amateurs. People used
TO say that there were dozens of men
In New York In my prime who could
have laid me cold. l used to laugh.
Well, guess they were right. Court
landt's got the stiffest kick l ever ran
into. A pile driver, and II he had landed
on my jaw, 1t would have been dormi
bsne AZ you say when you bid me good
night IN dago. That's all right now
until tomorrow. l want to talk to
you. Draw up chair. There! As l
said. i've never caught you in q lie
but and that you've been living a lie
Tor two years. You haven't been
sQuare to me. nor to your mother, nor
- he chaps that came around and
0A6s 1--we TO you. You probably