The Seattle star. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1899-1947, 1921-03-14
Poor MI am S
Rock
Continued From Yesterday,
BERTRAND w. SINCLAIR
Copyright, 1854, ~ iitte. rrcwn q Co

out OF the chair and lett the room.
Betty had sat silent thru this con-
versation. she garcd after her fath'
err When the door closed upon him
Bctty's gray eyes came 20 reat on
her mothers shaking shoulders She
said nothing. Mrs. Cover presently
became aware OF this detached. OBJ
serving. almost critical attitude
"your father Is ppositiveiy
brutal she found voice TO declare.
There are various sorts az hru.
tality." Betty observed enigmaticai
~. Il don't think daddy has a cor
ner on the visible supply"
But II Mrs. Cover heard the
words they conveyed no meaning
60 her agitated mind. she was
rapidly approaching that incompre'
hensihle state in which n woman
laughs and cries In the same breath.
and Betty got up with a family
contemp;uous curl 60 her red lips.
She went out into the hall and
pressed a button. A maid material.
lied
Go into the dining room and at
tend 20 mamma. II you please.
Mary Betty SAID
Then she skipped upstairs two
steps AZ a time. and went into a
room on the second floor. room
furnished something after the fash.
ion OF library In which her father
sat In a biz leather chair chewing
ON an unllghtcd cigar.
Betty pcrched on the arm Of hts
chair and ran her finrcrs thru
a patch on top Of his head where
the hair was growing a b, thin.
Daddy" she asked. ibid you
mean that ahou, going smash,-
Possibility he gruntcd
Are you really going 10 sell
this house and live at Cradle Bay
sure. You SORRY
about the house. on. no. n
you hibernate at the cottage I'll
come and keep house for you
Cover considered this.
You ought 10 stay with your
mother" he said finally. You'd
find Il pretty slow at saui'ty.-
Maybe Betty said "Did you
ever do anything 10 Jack MaeRae
that would give him reason TO hate
YOU she asked suddenly.
Cover shook his head.
NO" he said. "The other way
about. IL anything lie put a crimp
in me last season
going TO smash him. she said
thoughtfuliy.
-Dld II Wen. might. And th~n
again. he may do the srnashing-
That isn't H." Betty said. as n
20 herself Then you murf have
had some trouble with hts father
long ago. Something that hurt him
enough for him 10 pass . grudg~
on 10 Jack. What was II. daddy I?
Anything r~air-
lack. chr Cover passed over
the direct question -You must
be getting on Have you been
seeing much Of that young man
}atelyr
what does fhat mAtferr B~tfy
returned irnpat,ensiy. ''of course
see him He's been spending the
winter here In the city. l. ther~
any reason xhouldntr-
Perhaps no reason that would
strike you ms Valid Cover said
slowly. -S,iii-I don't know. DO
you like him?-
You won't answer my aues-
tons Betty complained why
should I answer yours7-
You think he loves ycur-
Il know IT," Betty murmurcd-
And your Covers deep volcc
seemed harsh.
Betty threw out her hands In an
impatient gesture.
Must 1 shout II out ioudr-- she
cried.
-You always were different from
most girls. In some things" Cover
observed reflcctiveiy. -Iron under
your softness. ] never knew you 10
stop trying TO get anything you real
ly wanted. not while there was n
chance to get II. Stlll-dont you
think IL would be as well for you 10
stop wanting young MaeRae-since
he doesn't want you bad enough 10
try to get your Eh7"
lie kept his face studiously avert.
ed. His tone was kind. fun OF a pc.
culiar tenderness that he kept for
Betty alone.
You don't seem 10 understand. %
she said. at isn't that Jack doesn't
want me badly enough. But there
In something. something that drives
him the other way. He loves me I
know he does. And still be has
spells OF hating all US Gowers-es.
pecially you. know he wouldn't do
that without reason
Does he tell you the r~asony-
Betty shook her head
would I be asking you. daddy7.'
Il can't tell you. either Cover
rumbied deep in his throat
"Ia II something that can't be
u,ended7" Betty put her face down
against his. and he felt the tears wet
on her cheek. Think. daddy. I'm
beginning 10 be terribly unhappy"
THAT seems to be n family fail.
ing tfUWtf UtbttFt'is tat Hi'ub
Il. Betty. Should ! 60 20 this hot.
beaded young fool and say. Come on.
let's shake hands. and you marry my
daughter'7"
"Dont be absurd Betty flashed
I'm not asking you To do any.
thing
II couldn't do anything In this
case II ! wanted to-" Cover declared
Now, you run along, Betty. I've got
some figuring to do"
But the figuring he did was not
mathematical. He spent the morning
wondering how his daughter knew
Jack MacRae loved her. The boy had
not asked Betty 10 marry him--had
not even declared himself. that was
certain. II was true that MacIne
had had chance TO see a good deal
Of Betty socially, for as n friend Of
the Abbotts he frequented half tho
big houses in town. But he had
never entered the Cover house.
Betty's father knew Hhe would not