South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1918-02-17

ddQ tul5 Blfl utter Abandonment 10
whatever grief or terror was hers
irritated me. But I tried not 70
show my feelings. / merely patted
her head and said;
Come, Katie. you must stop this
and listen TO Mr.. Graham"
Katie obediently wiped her eyes
and sat up very straight.
II am all right now" she said
quaveringly. He can come. 1 tell
him everything"
/ kATIE'S STORY or HER MYS-
FERROUS DEPARTURE.
Still very nervous but calmer than
she had been. Katie remained quiet
when / raised my voice 10 reach
Dicky waiting in the adjoining room.
oh Dicky," / called, you may
come now"
Dicky drew a low chair in front
/ Of the couch where we sat
Tell me first, Katie" he said
kindly. why do you think / want TO
put you in prison? Because of the
money? Never mind that want
I 20 talk 20 you of something else"
/ But Katie was Historically tugging
at the neck OF her gown. From
inside her bodice she took a tiny
chamOis skin bag. and ripping it
open took out a carefully folded bill
and handed il 10 Dicky
q never spend that money" she
said Il never mean TO steal il.
+ But / had TO go away queeck from
your fiat. and / never, never dare
.
/ After two month, send my cousin TO
the fiat. but he say you move. no
know where There ! always keep
the money here. 1 think maybe
some time 1 find out where you live
and write a lette~ to you. send the
money"
Dicky took the bill and unfolded
il curiously. A brown stain ran ir-
regularly across One-half of it,
Wei, I'll be eternally blessed"
he calculated If il isn't the identi-
cal bill 1 gave her. Ten-dollar bills
were so plentiful three years ago,
and I remember this one so distinct
~ because OF the stain. The boys
used 20 say 1 must have murdered
somebody 10 get it. and that it was
stained with blood"
He turned 10 Katie again.
The money is nothing, Katie.
Why did YOU run away that day?
never have been able to finish that
picture since"
Katie's eyes dropped. Her cheeks
flushed.
u 'shamed to tell" she muir
INJURED.
Dicky muttered an oath beneath
his breath. II thought So" he said
slowly, then he spoke sternly:
Never mind being ashamed to
tell, Katie. I want the truth 1
worked at your portrait that morn
ing. and then ] had 10 go TO the
studio. When / came back you had
gone. bag and baggage. and with the
money gave you to pay the tailor.
/ never could finish that picture, and
it would have brought me a nice lit
tie sum-"
Ny brain was whirling by this
time. Dicky in a fiat with this
ignorant Polish girl paying his tailor
bills. and posing for portraits. What
did it all mean?
Where did you go?" Dicl<y per-
sisted
Katie lifted her head and looked
at him proudly.
You know when you left that
morning. Mr.. Lestaire, he was paint
ing, too? Well, Mr. Graham, I al
ways good girl in old country and
here. I go TO confession. I always
keep good. Mr. Lestaire he kiss
me. say bad tings TO me. He scare
me. ] afraid if 1 stay I no be good
girl. So / run queeck away I
never dare come back That Mr.
Lestaire he one bad man. one devil"
Dicky whistled softly
so that was ito" he said. We'll.
that was Just about what that pup
would do. That was one reason got
out of our housekeeping arrange
ments. He set too swift pace for
me, and that was going some in
those days"
lie turned TO Katie. smiling.
You see you don't have to be
afraid any more I'm a respectable
married man now. and it's perfectly
safe for YOU 10 work here. Mrs.
Graham viii take care Of you. Run
along about your work now. that's a
good girl"
Katie giggled approximately Her
mercurial temperament had already
sent her from the depths TO the
heights.
The dinner all spoiled while l
cry like a fool" she said You
/. ready pretty soon, 1 serve"
She fastened 10 the kitchen. and
I turned 10 Dicky inquirinGly.
i suppose YOU think you have
; gotten into lunatic asylum, NIadge.
OF all the queer things that Katie
. should apply for a job here and that
r YOU should take her"
Il didn't know you ever kept
house in a fat before. Dicky."
1T was a very short experience. "
. he returned. only three months.
. -Four IF us Lester. Atwood. Bates
, and myself pooled our rather sranty
funds and rented a small apart
! ment. We advertised for a general
housekeeper and Katie answered
r the advertisements. She had beer