Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-07-10

1
| away and have o look at the stores"
! Montys face fell. Her curiosity ha
| been reused to the highest pitch, and nov
| just when she was getting at the hear
| OF all this mystery, she was to be turne
| out Of the room.
"rd rather stay here" she answers
stubbornly.
The tall, melancholy-faced man ros
and, without a word, placed his hand
on her shoulders. you amt known M
SO long that you've forgotten I'm you
father, I guess. Take a run round, lik
a good little girl, and dare say I'll tel
you all about II when I've had cha
with Bustace."
"But, pop" protested the girl. H'
placed his long, thin hand gently before
her mouth and led her to the door
Opening Il, he pushed her outside. Nov
don't rile mel" was his parting injunc'
tlon.
He closed the door behind him, locked
II, and turned to his brother, who had
been silent witness OF this exercise OF
parental authority "I brought the Kid,
about this other giri-that skunk Pies
sey's daughter"
He sat down, spread out his legs, and
looking thoughtfully before him, Joined
his hands. His brother wheeled round in
his chair to face him, lit a cigar, and
waited expectantly.
TITS all happened kind Of awlswardly,"
began Sydney land the story commences
a long way back. You remember when
the old home in Liverpool was broken
UP and you went to try your luck In
South American"
why. sure"
well, you never saw Aline again,
reckon"
Certainly I did not. She was about
Monty's age at that time. She died when
I was in the Argentine"
"Well, II WAS understood that I should
ook after her. as you know"
1T was" Eustace interrupted. regard
ng his brother grimly. II parted with
ny share in the governors property on
hat precise understanding"
Sydney shifted uneaslly and dropped his
,yes. II guess 1 did my best. But
couldn't do anything in the Old Country,
10 just made tracks for America"
you took the girl with your
"Sure. took her to New York and we
lved there together a spell. She cottoned
o New York did poor little Aline. But 1
wrote you about that at the time"
TITS possible" admitted the elder
rother laconically. II was prospecting
n Patagonia about that time, 1 guess,
nd the mail service in those parts is
ubJect to frequent and serious disloca-
Ions"
Sydney smiled dryly. He seemed glad
o hear It, ITS a pity. because 1 ex-
lained very particularly how stood. ]
yell tried my hand at various things |
4 New York city and somehow didn't
You wouldn't"
"well. it weren't for fault of trying. So
'hen 1 heard of a good thing in Mexico |
did my best for Aline and went out to |
onora."
His brother looked at him from between |
alf-closed lids. How old was Aline |
len7"
"Just turning 20, guess"
"And you left her alone in New York;
Sydney hdgeted "Well, what else could
do? l couldn't take her with me
D Mexico. / left her in very respect
BILE boarding house. She was quite
ontent to stay. intended TO send her
ioney every week"
You intended to. eh? And what about
er own money?-the old man left her
bout 500 pounds. What had become of
lat?"
sydney's face frightened. "oh. she
ad that, of course"
His brother rose from his chair and
alked about the room. "I don't believe
;" he said 3avagely You're lying, Sgd
ou had taken her money and blown 1t
these rotten. wildcat businesses of
ours" He looked piercingly at the
her Tell me the truth, man, If you
ant me to believe the rest of your
am
II can't lie," declared Sydney sullenly
lis brother smiled derislvely). you've
t 1t the first time. She had sunk her
Lpltal in a business we ran under our
int names"
And lost it of course. Well, get on. I
mt want to hear about the business"
Well, got out to Sonora, and I worked
lightly hard, Eustace, l tell you. But
Q mine wasn't what 1t was represented
be. l saw I'd struck a bad streak of
luck. But 1 stuck to it. I went with
t food and slept out at nights to save
o few dollars for the little sister in
wv York. And then. just when I was
st-not red cent TO my name-comes
letter from Allne telling me that she
d got tired of doing nothing and had
ned touring company at a salary of
teen dollars n week. 1 felt good, l can
/ you. when I read thatg'
"A touring company! H-ml" grunted
lstace. '"rhere are one or two different
ads. Well, so far believe you, though
'st probably Aline didn't do this till YOU =
d stopped remittances altogether. 1t
esnI matter! The engineer raised q |
rning forefinger. Get on with It. What
opened them"
I heard from her from time to time
ring the next six months. She enjoyed
! life fine-she was a pretty girl Allne-
d liked travelling about She said her
npany was working west and might
ike me out in Mexico. Then I lost
hit Of her"
Lost sight OF her" exclaimed the en-
eer with terrible bitterness. "Ie blows
his sisters money-every cent of IT.
AXIS his promise to his elder brother.
hearing that she. pretty girl Of 20.
touring the Western States with
rd-rate company OF transformers, he
ows himself to lose sight of her.
nder don't shake the life out OF YOU.
l skunk"' =
ydney Dereve went a shade paler.
ou're unjust, Eustace," he protested \
on amt heard, That was the time !
8 captured by the rebels. There was a
OF serum on the frontier and
He'd rife for Old Man Diaz. Those
ky rebels caught me and held me FOR
IT year. They thought 1 was an
ieriean subject and that my capture