The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1917-06-21
CHAPTER v.


3
II humor as radiant as that of
child presented with a long-coveted
plaything, Craven returned to find his
daughter MS he had left her, alone
Lydia My dear, dear girl"
She yielded without struggle to his
embrace, instantly supple TO the spell
of that blind and unquestlonlng deyo-
tion which never before that night had
wavered from his image. In those
arms the old enchantment regalned
full power, doubts and misglvings were
all forgotten. Craven became TO her
once more the most splendid OF men.
and the handsomest, dearest of fa-
thers.
And then he was holding her by the
Shoulders at arms length looking her
fondly up and down, wagging an indul-
gent head. "The saints preserve us!
But you've blossomed out into n wom-
an, Llddy, my dear, to turn the heads
of half the worldl AS tall as your
old dad, as sweet as cherry blossoms,
as lovely as the break Of a day in
June It's like seeing your mother
again, the way she was the day we
were married-though she was only
eighteen then, and now you're more
than twenty! God forgive 'em, but
the years have magicked me into an
old man before my timel The father
of woman like yourself-I can't be-
lleve itw
"You haven't aged a day, daddy
dear"
Craven would have none of that.
"It's of grandchildren must be think
ing now. Don't hang your pretty
head: let me look my fill of my girl !!
But you might be so good as to tell
me how It comes you're here. II you
dropped from the skies"
"Surely you know, daddy" the girl
protested. II ran away-I had to.
You know why"
"Devil fly away with me II dol"
''But / wrote you about 1t, every
thing, from the very beginning and
when you didn't answer, / thought
there was nothing left for me but to
run away"
II tell you, Liddy, I've not heard a
word from you for months"
His manner carried conviction
credt!ous thrall that she was to the
magic of that dear cnrneying tongue !
'You didn't get my letters?"
"Never one. If hadn't been the
busiest man alive these last three
months, I'd have written TO ask what
was the matter. Not that / worried
Mrs. Hicks-Lorrimer's letters were reg
ular and reassuring."
An omlnous CLEAN Informed the eyes
of the girl. "Then she stole them!"
"Who stole what?"
"My letters to you-Mrs. Hicks-Lorri-
mer must have stolen themp'
"My dear girl be fair to her!"
"If my letters didn't reach you,
someone must have intercepted them.
| One might have gone astray by itself,
yes; but it isn't likely five would"
Lydia, don't get this at ALL"
"You knew that woman wanted me
to marry man / didn't loye?"
"She wrote me you were about TO
become engaged to young-what's-his
name-Keyes gave good account Of
him. ! wrote to you at the time"
THAT was three months ago. l
haven't heard from you since. Her
later letters must have told You had
refused him."
"They didn't. She said the thing
was hanging flre-young Keyes a bit
backward about coming forward. He
must have been blind! You don't
mean to tell me it's fallen through"
II mean TO tell you," the girl cried,
passionately, 81 didn't like him One
of Mrs. Hicks-Lorriner' tame cats
He may have money and family, as
she claimed-I don't know-but he's
abominable, and l loathe him! And
she wouldn't let me alone. l stood her
incessant nagging till thought I'd go
mad. Worst Of all. my letters to you
got no answers, save indirectly