The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1914-09-01

"Why-you en- do lot Of things, can't
you?" Point won, her blond head snuggled
to his shoulder. " Anything you want to
only tell me about it first I didn't
know what kept you to-night-an' a girls apt
to think
So Martin Breen went back to the Gut
MAINS happier man than he deserved to be,
he felt, with the matter still in the air. And
when that day week found it still in no fair
way to being arranged he-lied to her. It
wasn't that he hadn't tried, and faithfully, in
such time as he managed to get from his
work; but those he sounded for advice and
assistance took his inquiries as joke. 'Nfiah
Mullins "place" would be coming to him
some day-what in the name of Prosperity
could young chap ask more2 And as Mar
tin himself fully appreciated the sense of that
attitude, he found nothing to say-grinned,
and let it go as they took it. Such oppOrtunl-
ties as he found in a private capacity stag
gered him with the neagrenesS of return they
offered. He couldn't tell Ellen Joyce that
that was the best money his inches and
breadth and muscle and boast could bring
her. So he fell back on the consolation that
Eddie Nelligan's superior intelligence would
straighten things as soon as he was free to
hear how they. were-and that would be be
fore long, for the young Eddie was getting
well in spite of the scare. Meantime, then,
Ellen heard highly encouraging accounts of
interviews that never took place and expert
ments that never were tried. He found him
self developing an imagination. She was
proud Of him. Not proud of his strength or
his nerve-but his Cleverness! 1t intoxicated
him.
twas an encounter (in his role at NIullin's)
with certain successful Real Estate man that
gave him, at critical time, bis inspiration.
He got much business color from the gentle
man (Hho under the iron hands veered from
the pugnaCious to the confidential stage of
his cOndition), and Ellen Joyce was trans
ported by the modest announcement OF a
secured position that exceeded her utmost
ambition. That night he got his Eyes"
Ellen left the department store where, for
five years, she had sold ladies' garments, and
began the getting together of garments of her
OWn-a proceeding that somehow trans
formed her to such lovable, new, yielding,
shyly speculative Ellen, that Martin Breen
felt himself alternately a ConquerOr of all
earth and a felon. Now and then he had
wild notions of keeping up the lie; but knew
that for a dozen reasons he wouldn't be able.
Just one day after Eddie's boy came home
from the hospital, he went to make confes-
sion. But Rose, hysterical with happiness,
was living the black time through again to a
pair of calculating women in the kitchen
where Eddie was taking his supper-the
babies were much in evidence; and there was
no opportunity for such condolences as he had
come to make. Moreover, Eddie didn't seem
himself. He hunched over his meal on the
table-corner, scowling and dabbing at his
plate, speaking grutfly when he was spoken
to; and actually snapped at the boy for max
ing noise, That brought Rose at him,
volubly. A noise, indeed,-when but for a
merciful God they'd be praying, that minute,
only to hear a sound of him
Eddie caught up his cap and left, slanming
the door on her tears. Martin went after
him. 1t did not seem an suspicious moment,
but his own trouble demanded utterance.
On the corner he blurted it out
"Say, listen, Eddie. ] wanta talk t'yuh.
Y'see, I got girl"
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