The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1915-03-22
HIS FRIENDS Wife
By GORDON TOMBSTONE.

| By GORDON TOMBSTONE.
+ (Copyright)
/ barry Malone lifted his eyes from
the carpet and stared at the tousled
head Of the boy reading the newspa-
per.
+ Did hear you right, Denny? he
asked. Did you say Nora Reaganf"
Denny scanned the column and
. found the paragraph.
YES" he answered. Mrs. Nora
Reagan. East Thirty-fourth street"
Malone pressed the hot ashes in his
) clay pipe and rubbed the bowl medi-
tatively with the palm of his big hand.
Read 1t again. lad" he urged soft
, ly, as his gaze returned to the lowered
pattern Of the carpet.
The boy read it with the intonation
of child reciting a memorized lesson
at school.
"A young widow. Has child for
! adoption. Unable to support. Baby
eighteen months old. Irish blue eyes.
Weighs twenty pounds"
Denny laid the paper in his lap and
looked at the big man sitting on the
horsehide chair.
81 "Will you tear that out and give 1t
! to me, Denny?" the man asked. The
boy complied with his request.
Crossing the room, he picked up his
1 hat and opened the door.
Where are you goin, Barry? called
Murphy senior from the kitchen.
! For . bit Of q walk, John" Malone
Z answered.
Reaching the avenue, he turned
down. BY the light In a store win
dow he took out the ragged paper and
: studied the address. Replacing 1t In
his pocket, he took up his walk, re-
peating the number to himself.
: Halfway down the street he found
!, the address, and searched the dimly
lighted hallway for the name. Run
s ming his eyes over the dirty mail
boxes, he found 1t.
He pressed the button. A pause en-
sued. There was no response. Again
: he rang and waited. After what
! seemed an interminable time the latch
: clicked.
Fl Pushing his way in, he climbed the
, stairs covered with oilcloth. On the
{ second landing he backed into q cor
i: ner to let q much.perfumed woman
/ pass.
{ On the floor above Nora Reagan
{ stood in the lighted doorway, q little
{ red head pillowed against her shout
! der Malone paused near the top and
4 looked at her. The woman peered into
s his face.
. Barry" she cried. Barry Ma
= lionel" She staggered back into the
. room. "Is it yourself. or am dream
- ing?"
: Its no dream, Noreen," he an
: swered. IT'S myself"
9 A bright flush crept up from hel
s white throat over her face and lost 1t
S self in the bronze hair. She had no
s heard that old name in ages. To he
g husband she had always been Nora
q No one but her mother and Barry hat
. ever called her Noreen, and that wal
q years ago on the boys round Wexford
9 She reached out her disengaged ham
q to him.
g Come in, Barry" she said, "an'
g bring your happiness with you. It's
q sight you are to cure blind eyes. AM
= it's a girl | am again to see you"
s Malone stepped into the room an
,C l T,,rnfn0 hn vnnkQ
8 at the frail little figure radiating he
q 10y. but showing the signs Of battl
g against odds.
z The face would always be beautiful
y There was the milklike skin. and tn
81 charm of eyes and hair. The girls
g Nora Reagan's coloring were the glor
"a of Ireland. Malone's eyes rested O
81 the little red head pressed against ne
"a shoulder, and the wonder Of a chile
IS less man dreamed in their depths.
IS He dropped into the chair she poin
81 ed out to him.
& Barry" she cried, 1T was my goo
b angel that sent you tonight. Their
b was a woman here just now That wan
q ed to take the baby"
a., Nora's voice fell to . horrine
x whisper:
b "And. Barry. there was paint on he
b cheeks. Think Of 1t! Red paint!
~ Malone remembered the woman
K passed In the hall.
x YES" he said; II met her on tn
r. way"
g The woman shuddered and huge
81 the little bundle closer.
b Malone glanced up at the crayon Q
81 the wall.
Is when did Tim go?" he aske
IA quietly.
e Twelve months this morning Tue
IS day" ..
u i've been down in Panama, b
1@ MISUNDERSTANDING on the canal.
don't know much about what's goin
49, on
'He was killed in the expressman
strike" she explained. He used
speak Of you very often, Barry, an
wonder where you were keeping you
- self"
God never made better man, }
gu murmured. 81 said that when yo
W chose him.
aid "And he was always saying that
a YOU. Barry" she returned.
,ill The baby's chubby hands crept ov'
for the woman's breast Whatever wal
Nora had seen. the child had m
a.. NaIopa uafchad tho lift