The circle banner. [volume] (Circle, Mont.) 1914-1939, 1919-04-18

BY
RUPERT HUGHES
II


, Kip" could perform his usual miracl
: and get blood from some Of thos
Cleveland turnips.
He was so sure Of his father that h,
ended his letter with an advance pay
ment of thanks. This was the frs
payment he had made In advance To-
J a long time.
/ He sealed the letter. put specia
delivery stamp on It, and took it tt
the branch post Office so that it would
reach Cleveland without fail the mex
morning.
When he got back to the house
there was telegram from home.
Leaving beaver due tomorrow a
m. don't meet me but be home must
see you important mamma well love.
FATHER"
| The next morning Bayard rose be-
times to meet his father at the train.
And Daphne went to the Grand Cen
| trail station with him. She ran to
her father and flung her arms about
him, and Bayard Rugged him and car
ried his suitcase for him. 1t was no
time to be tipping porter. Nor to be
making use of taxicabs with the lit
ney subway at hand. Bayard logged
his fathers suitcase along Fifty-ninth
street. The hall boy, who had not been
tipped for some days, observed a
strict neutrality. He was feeling the
pinch, too.
When breakfast was ended Wesley
noted that Leila herself carried the
dishes away, with Daphne's help.
When the table was clear she closed
the door on the two men and said:
"We1l leave you two alone to talk
business
The two men regarded each other
askance, as uneasily as two wrestlers
circling for a hold. Wesley was the
first to speak. He said:
"Well, my boy?"
Il wrote you long letter last night
dad" Bayard said.
you did? What about?"
Bayard had guessed the situation
he saw the cruel joke of it. He
thought he could dull the edge with
mockery. He snickered, rather crav-
emily:
II wrote to ask you to lend me some
money. 1 guess wasted the postage"
"And guess wasted the fare over
here. I thought I oughn't have taken |
a berth In the sleeper, but your moth
er insisted-said I'd not been feelin'
any too WELL"
BaYrd laughed outright--a laugh |
wet with vinegar tears.
Wesley sank into chair with the
little whinper of a sick old man.
Bayard went to his father and put
mis- arm about him and regretted his
Wall street disaster with a ferocious
'emorse. He could not speak, and
here was long dumbness before
Wesley sighed:
81 guess we got to lose the home,
hen"
That "then" was a history in a
word.
Bayard bent his head in shame at
lis helplessness. AS usual, it was
Wesley who found q shabby comfort
q the situation-found it for his son.
"Don't you think anything more
bout 1t, my boy. I'm kind of relieved"
lie giggled with a pitiful senility. 81
cen SO ashamed at traipsin' over here
D bother you instead of rushin' over
D help you like I ought to-being
our father-that I'm kind Of glad you
ant help me. / got no right to add
D your troubles. I'm supposed to ,,
ike care of you"
Bayard kept groaning:
ITO lose your homel To think of !
Oh losing your homel And me stand
lg byw
"Why, it's nothing, Bayard. After
i, we're not in Belgium. We've got
lends. And relations. There's no '
anger of anything happening to u.s." 5
aphne and Leila overheard this con- 5
,rsation while listening In the hall. :
Daphne chung to Leila and buried II
n face in Leila's bosom to smother III
II frenzied. grief. Leila, hopping ii
aphne's cheek with her own hand II
,rchief, caught the CLINT Of a dia- II
ond on her finger. 1t glistened like II
great, immortal tear. II
1t inspired her with a new hope. II
,e had often consoled herself with u
e thought Of her jewels ~ q FINAL
fuge. but she had put OF the evil
y. Now she felt that the time had
me. She threw open the door and
0ke into the gloom with q voice Of Of
raphic beauty: es
II couldn't help hearing what You v
re saying. You needn't be down II
arted. though, for i've just thought a
. way to help daddy out" He was m
addy" to her also. az
Bayard and Wesley turned and tn
ared at her In amazement. She tn
mt on in a kind Of ecstasy. ye
my rings!" she cried. Don't you tn
u Ny diamonds and rubiesi And on
e got a necklace or two, and some
aims and brooches. They're worth
lot Of money. And you're welcome
'em, daddy" tn
The men were confused with too flo
ny emotions to know what to feel, tel
Ich less what to say. Leila's mis- TIL
:, noe on Atviuotv rnaauf that n wnu m,