Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1917-09-14

ping forward. The captain interrupted.
Hold on, Jim p he said. Just a min
ute now. You've learned somethin'.
you say, Stevie. The Dunns told you.
l s'pose."
'Never mind who told mep'
81 don't-much. But | guess we'd
better have a clear understanding, all of
us. Caroline, will you come in here,
please?"
He stepped toward the door. Ste
phen sprang in front of him.
MY sister doesn't intend to cheaper
herself by entering that mans pres
ence," he declared hotly. "I1l deal
with him myself"
"All right. But | rIess she'd better
be here just the same. Caroline, l
want you"
"She shan't come"
Yes: she shall. Caroline!"
The boy would have detained him,
but he pushed him firmly aside and
walked toward the door. Before he
reached it. however. his niece appeared.
well" she said coldly, what is it
you want of meY
II want you to hear Mr.. Pearson's
Bide of this businessman mine before
you do anything you'll be sorry for"
81 think I've heard quite enough Of
Mr.. Pearson already. Nothing he can
say OF do will make me more sorry
than l am OIL humiliate me more than
the fact that | have treated him as a
friend"
The icy contempt in her tone was
cutting. Parsons face was white,
but he spoke clearly and with deliber-
alton.
miss Warren" he said, 81 must In
sist hat you listen for another mo-
ment. l owe you an apology for
Apology" broke in Stephen, with a
s~cornful laugh. Apology Well, by
CAD, just hear that, Carol"
The girls lip curled. II do not wish
to heal your apology" she said.
"But l wish you to hear 1t not for
my attitude in the trolley matter nor
for what l published in the Planet nor
for my part In the disagreement with
your father. | wrote the truth and
nothing more. / considered 1t right
then-I told your father so-and l
have not changed my mind. l should
act exactly the same under similar cir
c~umstances."
You blackguardr' shouted Stephen.
Pearson ignored him utterly.
81 do W you an apology" he contin-
ued, "for coming here as | have done
knowing that you were ignorant of the
affair. l believe now that you are mis-
informed as to the facts, but that is
immaterial. You should have been told
of my trouble with Mr.. Warren. 1
should have insisted upon 1t. That
did not do sc is my fault, and l apollo
gize, but for that only. Good evening""
He shook himself free from the cap
tain's grasp, bowed to the trio and left
the room. An instant later the outer
door closed behind him.
Caroline turned to her brother.
Come, Steve,' she said.
Stay right where y9s areilv Captain
Elisha did not request now, he com
manded. "Stevie, stand still. Caroline.
l want to talk to you"
The girl hesitated. She had eve
been spoken to In that tone before.
Her pride had been already deeply
wounded by what she had learned that
afternoon; she was fiercely %resentful,
angry and rebellious. She was sure
she never hated any one as she did this
man who ordered her to stay and listen
to him. But-she stayed.
Caroline" said Captain Elisha, aft
er q moment of silence, 81 presume
hkely-of course l don't know for sar-
tin, but I presume likely it's Mrs. Dunn
and that son of hers who've told you
what you think you know"
at doesn't concern you who told usl'
clustered Stephen, pushing forward.
He might have been a fly buzzing Oh
the wall for all the attention his uncle
paid to him.
81 presume likely the Dunns told
you, Caroline" he repeated calmly.
His niece met his gaze stubbornly.
"Well,' she answered. land if they
did? Wasn't it necessary we should
know it? Oh,"-with d shudder of dis
gust-"I wish could make you under
stand how ashamed l feel-how wicked
and ashamed feel that II should
have disgraced my fathers memory
by Oh, but there! l can't! Yes; Mrs.
Dunn and Malcolm did tell us-many
things. Thank God that W. have
friends to tell us the TRUTH
"Amen!" quietly. I'm say amen to
that, Caroline. any time. Only l want
you to be sure those you call friends
are real ones and that the truths they
tell amt like a bait IN a ishhook, put
on for bait and just thick enough to
cover the barb"
do you mean to insinuate"-
screamed the irrepressible nephew,
wild at being so completely ignored.
His uncle again paid not the slightest
attention.
"But that amt neither here MOI there
now" he went on. Caroline, Mr.. Pear