The Kansas City sun. (Kansas City, Mo.) 1908-1924, 1920-05-22
Mr.. FORBES
BY JACK LAYTON.

Mary Todd leaned back In her chair
and listened. as her garrulous neigh
Dor talked. She was well aware OF
the jubilant sp~itefulness Of Abbie
Mead's tone, yet almost convinced Of
Its truth. Her own patient lips
trembled In an effort to keep back
protesting words OF denial-of what
use to deny that Of which she knew
nothing? Bob had been strangely ret
icent concerning this we'll published
love affair of his. Every one seemed
to have known of Bob's marked at
tention to the pretty stranger, before
his mother had taken note Of his alb
sent evenings.
Guess I'll run out for awhile" Bob
would say Will she would nod smil-
ingly, and get out the silk muller she
was knitting for him. Mary Todd
was very proud of her sons position
in Millville's only bank. All the men
of Bob's family had been clerical men.
Mary was proud that her son added
honOrably to the line. The Todds had
always been "looked up to"-as Abbie
Mead had just repeated. at was
really too bad" she continued that
Bob should go and take up with a
queer actin stranger instead of nice
girls he'd been brought up with. Abb
bie's w niece had seen Rob night
after night, sittin' right out with the
girl from the city Q. the porch of the
Hall house, which she, herself, had
rented and furnished, when the Halls
went off to stay with their sons folks
for the summer.
"My father and l will move in at
once" the girl said, and the very next
day she drove up in a car with a big
man, who hurried into the house be-
fore those watching could catch a
glimpse of his face, and nobody"-Ab-
bie's voice dropped impressively-
nobody had seen the man since. No
ever Jim Burley, when he left the
groceries, or Ann Cloud, when she
went there to work.
MY father, Mr.. Forbes, doesn't
wish to be disturbed the girl says
calm as you please. an Ann says that
the girl even carries his meals up to
him in his room an when one passes
the door all one can hear is a rattle
of papers, or smell cigar smoke be-
meath the door. Jim was telling Ann
yesterday that this mysterious Mr..
Forbes might be a bank robber from
the way he hides his face. No one
here pays any attention to the girl
but-your Bob. A quick choice she
made too. No. one else was worth
smilin' up to, l reckon, in her opinion
cause Bob's a good salaried man. Up
an down the street she goes in dresses
like those on n fashion cover, her COM
pleXion too good, l says, to be true, an
her hair done up like a dancers" Alb
bic Mead c%oughed. Il always like to
know what there is to know before !
condemn folk" she went on, $50 l
stopped in myself to call on Mis-
Forbes, an l asked straight out for
her Pa.
"He is not seeing anyone while we
are here" Miss Forbes says real
smooth, you must try to let me en-
terrain you"
"Well, ! didn't let her entertain me
] IbDE . Dul IL L was NOu, NluINg i VI uSh
Bob, seeing how things is going, If he
has seen the father of this new girl
he's so crazy about, an if not, what's
the man hiding for? Ann says the
door of his room was open one day
when she went up the stairs, an the
, girl, Fran-Outlandish name-just
few ahead to close it before she got
thnra NFn1l mood hu A{orv I hprn yn,,
realize this is told in friendly spirit"
Mary Todd arose as her ~nelghbor
left. and wiped the tears from her
glasses. 1t was all nonsense of course
to be so disturbed over Millville Cos
sip; yet Mary was disturbed. Bob's
unusual reticence in this affair grieved
her. When he came in she met him
gravely. Bob dear" she said, "Ab-
bic Mead has been telling me of your
attachment fOr-the young stranger
in our town. Your mother would be
the first to rejoice with you if 1t is a
happy attachment, Bob. Or is there
no truth in their suppOsitions7 i
want very much to know" Robert
Todd drew his mother back to her
chair, then looking down upon her
slowly replied.
, $50 much truth, mother, that l have
just come from asking Frances Ken
nedy to marry me-"
A light came to BOb's dark eyes
his voice rang triumphant.
!. Fran has accepted met is incon.
celvable with her beauty, her knowl-
edge of bigger, better men in a world
outside our little one. But my girl
loves me mother, she really does
I'M are strange. And I'm bringing
her to meet you tonight. She is SC
I anxious to know you, mother-can you
believe TITO make her home humbly
with us If you are willing, My gold.
en- girl with a heart as sweet and
] pure as a child"
Bob" Mary Todd spoke quietly
, you referred to this little girl as
! Frances Kennedy; here she has giveI
] the name of Miss Forbes"
] "Oh, that" her son interrupted
"was to protect her father.
: "Fran's father is in strict seclusion
: Doctors have ordered absolute res
for a period of months. Hiding him
I self in a place like Millvllle was the
! only way he could get it. Even now
: they are hunting him out. Fran ex
! planned this only when ! asked her t.