The silver state. [volume] (Winnemucca, Nev.) 1909-1925, 1917-04-24
AUTHOR 1.-THE LONE
WOLF" THE A
BOWL"ETC
COPYRIGHT BT LOUIS Jo5EpH VANCE

you, could make you understand. So
pawned some things-some of your
presents-and got enough money for
my passage. And now
Her voice was breaking. Craven
passed an arm round her and drew her
close to him. There, my dear girl,
therer ~
"And now-Tm In your wayi"
"Lydia" He had lost none of his
old-time trick of quieting her with "a
show of righteous indignation. you've
no right to talk like that to your old
daddy !"
What am I to think2 l surprise
you making love-you are angry with
me"
Not angry, dearie, but so surprised
| vas hardly myself. Do be quiet now
for a time. and let me do the talking.
Listen. and learn never to judge a
man hastily. Has 1t never struck you
how little you really know about our
family history"
How often have / asked you"
"Ah, but that was long ago, when
you were-ah-too young to under
stand. never mean to keep you per-
manently In the dark. In the first
place, you've always believed yourself
the child of American parents
But surely" the girl expostulated.
"Mrs. Grummle told me-"
what she believed, too, no doubt.
The truth is, your mother was an Amer
lean; but I'm British to the narrow of
me. Craven's a good English name.
you know. Not that 1t matters. / cut
away from my people forever when
they tried TO prevent my marrying the
woman l loved, an American girl
who'd taken to the stage and somehow
drifted to London. Well, we defied
the family, and ii disowned me, and
went on the stage with my wife. When
you were bOrn-yes, in Mrs. Grum-
niles, Bloomsbury-our combined pay
didn't run to anything much. Most
of the time one of us was out of q
job. Still, we were happy enough till
We went to America"
He was silent for several minutes
apparently lost in memories.
Lydia, fearing to interrupt, waited
In mute fascination. Something OF
this history she had guessed; much
she might have guessed from words
hints, clues, carelessly sown In the
past but little or nothing had she ever
known definitely.
"You weren't a strong child, and We
feared the effect on you of the Atlantic
voyage. Besides, engagement was
to last eight weeks only. So we left
you in Mrs. Grummle's are Five
weeks after we reached New York
your mother came down with typhoid
A month later she died; and when ]
had paid funeral expenses l was pen
niless in a strange land, our company
had gone back home, and my chance
of ever seeing England again was tC
earn enough money for my return pas
sage | wrote Mrs. Grummle to loof
out for you, and But this isn't g
hard-luck story. Ultimately l left the
stage for employment more attractive
and better paid; but 1t meant perma
nent residence In America. However
nothing called me back to England
since you were in good hands. | thinl
we may say that for Mrs. Grummle.'
"She was always kind" Lydia af
firmed gently.
''When / could afford a trip back Il
England. I found you in the best O.
condition, and it seemed hardly RICH
TO uproot and transplant you to
bachelor establishment In a strang'
country. Moreover. my new work. yol
see. had divorced me wholly from m.
stage associations, and non of m,
new friends knew anything about m
duced, and / was careful not to excit,
their curiosity for reasons that vii
appear. So l never mentioned you
existence. This r%eticence grew into
habit as years went on. And whel
Mrs. Grummle died l had come I
think 1t best for you to attain woman
hood in England, and If possible MARI
some decent Engllshman.
"Well-a substitute had to be foun
for Mrs. Grummle. Mrs. Hicks-Lorr
mer presented the strongest creder
tials. / can only say I'm sorry sh
turned out badly-and surprised. Tha
however, is well over and done will
Henceforward you live with me-"
"Oh, daddy, daddy dearl 70
mean 1t? I'm not in the way?"
: "It would have been better If thi
|, could have been postponed a fe'
! weeks" Craven returned without Ell
thusiasm. "But there Is no helpin
: what mischief has been done"
, "But surely, daddy, you can explai
: to her" Lydia faltered.
: He silenced her with a gesture e
fectlve If a shade theatric, and wake
! with her to a closed hatch, where the
seated themselves.
: "But +"
"Hear me first, If you please, Lydi
Although your father, I'm by no NEAR
an old man. And-lOve is paramount