Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-09-17
DAILY NOVELETTE,
A NIGHTLY VISITOR
BY BARBARA WOOD
UILTHO'S there"

"Who,,,S tAere"'
w Polly Anderson sat up in bed with
a start. Her breath came fast and her
heart beat like little trip hammer.
Who's there" she called again
this time her voice was steadicr. But
there was no answer. Slowly. oh, so
slowly. Polly slipped two pink little
feet out from under the covers, and
without taking her eyes from the door
she felt around on the floor for her
slippers. After n moment or two of
vain searching she drppped her eyes to
look for them
Now Miss Polly Beckwith Anderson
was not in the least a nervous or timid
young lady. She was what her gentle E
man acquaintanCes called "a sport,
through and through" " and she could
recall many delightful day spent
breaking one of her fathers colts or
at target practice with her two brothers.
But when she heard her name spoken
in hoarsc whisper hy n man. in her
own room at 2 o'clock in the morning.
her heart stood still for the space Of a
quickly drawn breath. First, two
shoulders clad in pink silk, then two
arms. soft and white, and last, n head
and face hidden from view by a dark
mass Of curls, made their way slowly
and fcarfully out from their recent
hiding place.
With toss of her head She threw
her hair over her shoulders and lifted
wide frightened eyes to look into the
face above her. In an instant she was
on her feet. and her eyes. even in the
dark. cleaned with anger.
"Robcrt Anderson. what do you mean
by frightening me like this?' Answer
me"
Bob shook with suppressed laughter
as he put his finger to his lips.
"Listen here. Polly-o," her brother
was serious now and was fumbing in
his inside coat pocket, Il saw Dave to-
night and he asked me to give you
this With that he handed her note
addressed to "P. B. A."
But Polly did not take it. She was
staring at him with a great light in
her eyes. Finally she whispered:
"Ycs. little sister. and he's pretty
lonesome for you. too, | guess. He took
me out to the little new cottage he has
built and furnished for you. and. Polly.
it's a beauty There's nothing he's for
gotten. He asked my advice about a few
things for your own sunshiny boujoir
because. as he expressed it. I was moro
acquainted with girls things. Dave
may make money on the quality and OK
cclcnce of his portraits. but no nor
trait he ever painted will be equal to
the one you will make with the home
he has made you for n setting. Why,
girl. he pictured you in every nook and
corner: the place couldn't belong TO an
other person in the world. But here's $
your note; it's time for me to retire. y
Polly took the note and reached up to
kiss her big brother good night.
"Oh. Bobby. Bobby" she whispcred
II love him so much. and YOU under
stand so-welI. If only father were a
little more ike you.
Bob stroked her hair.
Never mind. Polly.o." he said.
gently, "he'Il be all right after it's over,
It's Just that he hates to lose his only
daughter
When Bob was gone Polly opened the
note and her fingers were trembling a
little as she read it. She had not
snapped on the light until Bob left, and
when she did it showed dark. tired rings
under her beautiful. heavily fringed
blue eyes. There was n sad little droop
to her sweet lips. And yet she was han
-. r,,o haI
was going to David Three long years
they had waited for her father to give
his permission to their marriage, and
ut last Polly had told David that it
would be wrong to wait any longer
And now she held David's answer in
her hand. Through her tears she read /:
Come. dear heart. | am waiting. and
everything is ready for the mistress of
our home. There was more. but the
word come was all that really mat
tered.
Yes. David, ! am coming" she
whispered. and with little sob she
threw her head down on her arms and
cried, Daddy. daddy. | must"
For three days Bert Anderson fused
and fumed because his daughter was
not there to wait on him: he always
did when she went away to visit
where's POlly?" he had asked Rob
crt the first morning
'Oh. she's away somewhere. I
guess" Bob had answered him indf
fcrently. Well he knew what his noe =
turnal visit had meant to his sister. He
didn't need to ask himself twice where
she had gone or when she would come
back.
At last there came a day when Mr..
Anderson received a letter written in
Polly's own hand. When he finished
reading his face was flushed with anger.
"ThunderatiOn :" he blurted out
Z Then very slowly he began to review
the years since Polly's mother had died
Always it was Polly who comforted
him; Polly who made him laugh Polly
whose girlish loveliness had made him
so proud. When at last he remembered
how Polly's face had grown sad the
last few years, and why, he dropped
his head into his hands and whispered
MY little daughter, I've been a fool
and at last | know it. Can you forgive
the. dear child"'
Polly had asked forgiveness first. but
it was She who gave it at last.
The next complete nOveIette-Marcia
4 s.rI