Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1919-08-12
~vY s
a MANS HEARlH
By ELEANOR M. INGRAM, Author of 1.-THE Twice American, NV
compo,ure of bearing before fo os..

! composure of bearing before Solns
! u He recalled that he must pass
inspection by the elevator boy anu
footnan; must meet their wonder' nv
less obvious because dumo. at Mo oo
parture before the dinner.
Tho heavy Darkness Of his waiting
was broken by the gayest SOUND II tne
world. The gurgling laughter Oh
happy child rippled through me
silence like a brook, cascadtng down
in . cadence Of chuckles. As Il 70
confirm the recognition to whicn
Adriance started, a girls clear lausn
Joined the baby merriment. .Opposi.s
him. light showed in . mn ine
through a curtained doorway: W." nf
out the slightest remembrance VI
prophecies or conventions, he sprans
that way and swung the door open.
He was on the threshold Of q nur-
sery: a room pink as the inside of1
rosebud, gay with all the adorable
paraphernaiiia babyhood demands:
fragrant with violet-powder ana
warm as a nest. At tho foot OF a snln.
ing little bed, clutching the brass rail
for support while executing a stamp
ing dance, was the lord Of n
domain; his stlk-fine. frankly red hair
rumpled into glinting ringlets about
orink de shut By mirth. The SRI
knelt opposite. steadyinE the chubby
figure and serenely Indifferent to the
small, mischievous fingers that a
.loosened her dark hair from It's
braids. Without her hat. M was
younger, even more wholesome q
good than he had thought. She LOOK
' ed as fresh and candid a. the damp:
open-lipped kisses the baby lavisheo
upon her.
Perhaps the intruder moved. per-
haps she felt his aze for as ne
watched the girl broke up he pic.
ture. She rose abruptly. turned, ana
saw him standing there.
At first her startled face told only
Of surprise: indeed his mere presence
there gave her no reason to feel more.
But in his dismay and bewuderment
and complete obsession Tony Adrt-
ance betrayed himself.
II didn't know" he stammered:
graspins blindly at justification and
apology. IT didn't know who Holly
was-or that you lived here. I am
sorry; 1 should not have spoken.
He stopped short. He had forgot
ten the fiction Of a third person with
| "4llCE u0 llAO AlAShCu uA0
in the park: forgotten that the girl
knew neither his name nor his pur'
pose in this house. Quite without ne
cessity he had enlightened her.
For the girl was swift Of percep-
ton. Perhaps his expression alone
would have told her the truth, II he
had been silent. Mechanically she
had put one arm around he baby
now she drew 1t closer, as if in pro-
lection. Her rain-gray eyes grieved,
reproached. rebuked him. Possessed
Of Lucille Masterson's plans, holding
her son, she faced him in judgment.
OF course he had known Lucille
had a child, somewhat as he knew his
father owned the factory behind the
electric sign. He never had seer
either. of them, except distantly; they
meant nothing actual to him. But
now, there seemed nothing in the
world SO important. The girl had not
spoken, yet she had abruptly brought
him face to face with new things.
you know, ! would have taken
him, too,' he tried to nswer all she
left unsaid, hating himself for the un-
steady humility he could not keep
from his voice. II always meant to
I meant to do everything for the boy
l could am Anthony Adriance."
She spoke, then, her smooth voice
all roughened.
you can buy him everything? 70.
nothing viii make up for that"
She struck down the weak protest
II know. I have a good father
And Holly the infinite compassion o.
her, glance embraced the baby, "'he
has not eve a real mother to do her
halt. It is not right; you cannot
But ! have! am soing-"
plain to her the scene that had just
been. enacted? Was it decent to Lu.
ellie?
1--WE done my best" he stammered
II told you: o know I've not liked
this"
The exclamation blended denanc.
and appeal; 1t was almost a cry wrest'
ed from him. His position had beer
hard enough before the introduction
Of this g element The girl under
stood. for the niger died from he,
eyes like a blowout fame.
There must be a way" she sale
quite gently. There is always a RICH
way, II one can only find 1t. I thinl
you had better not stay here, now
Mr.. Masterson always comes at thi,
time: 1t Is even late for him."
The warning had been delayed to<
long. Almost with the last word,
mans step sounded in the foyer, tn
curtains rustled apart and the dool
swung.
what, Tony in . nursery" ex
claimed the master Of the house, Will
an oddly tired gayety. He came for
ward and gave his hand to Adriance
his amused scrutiny wholly cordial
II he wondered how the other MAJ
came here. he was both too indi1eren
and too vell-bred to betray the fact
You have caught me: here 10 tho on
ly place I am behind the times," b.
added. Hello, SOM"
Adriance was spared the necessity
Of replying. The baby. who had stoot
staring round-eyed at the visitor, ex
ploded into a very madness o
chuckles and shouts, twisting out o
the girls hold and plunginE towar.
the newcomer with fat arms insistent
~ spread. With an apologize half.
difhdent glance at his guest, Master
son caught and swung Holly into tn,
game of romps demanded.
It was a good game, evidently tn,
result Of practice. The pink room