The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1921-01-29
Editors Note, The publisher has
suppiied chapter 81, which follows;

Chapter 81
| looked at the familiar cramped
handwriting on Esther's letter. l did
not want to open it-somehow Esther
always bore down upon me like
heavy weight, and l was so happy at
the moment that / did not want to
hear anything about my old life and
associations. l seemed to have drop
ped them off so completely since
Francis told me he loved me.
But here in this letter was all my
past-the little village of Henly Falls,
the inconveniently arranged farm
house the work, Esther's heavy plod-
ding figure and her dull acceptance of
everything disagreeable in life.
However, an unopened letter is not
to be resisted, so l laid it on table
and began dishing up dinner. BY the
time it was ready. Violet came from
her bath, rolled up in her blue kimono,
and looking fresh and restored again.
Mothers probably telling us what
she wants for Christmas" she sug
gested, looking at the letter.
ct is almost Christmas" ex-
claimed. I've tried not to count the
days We have so little money we
can't afford real gifts this year"
Il don't want any" vi said. Col
lege closes for two weeks tomorrow.
I'm going to find position and earn
some money"
finished serving dinner, and tore
open the letter. Esther usually only
wrote when she had bad news of some
sort. There are well meaning women
like that.
Dear Enid" she began 81 don't
know what to send you for a present
this Christmas. l know you'd rather
have money because you can get
things IN the city, and maybe need the
money anyway. But Jim has been on
a tantrum lately and | can't get
cent from him for presents to any
one"
Tell her to send us some jam and
canned vegetables-that will save us
on marketing bills" vi remarked prac-
tically.
Il tried to get Jim to send enough
money SOS vi could go on to the end
of her term, to summer" the letter
went on. But he insists he hasn't got
it, There's insurance to pay this
month and next month note he gave
three months ago when we rebuilt the
wagon shed. Jim's getting stingy in
his old age anyway.
so finally l couldn't stand it no
more. And up and says he and James
could stay and take care of themselves
over Christmas, that | was coming to
the city,
Here. Now" vi asked, startled.
read Onto the city for two
weeks. I'm not much at letter writing,
and there's lots of things l want to
talk about. Besides, since you'll be
coming home in February, it may be
my last chance to see the city. I'll
bring in a lot of farm stuff SOS | won't
be much expense. I'll come on the
Gath"
Well" vi said in surprise. That's
curious. Mother evidently is REBEL
ing at the life out there, and at faith
er's neglect"
I did not know what to answer.
From other letters Esther wrote.
knew that Jim had not completely re-
formed, and that Esther was still
afraid of the other woman" She knew
nothing definite. and she was afraid
to find out But she was uneasy about
it. But of course. | could not talk OF
it to Violet
1T will be nice to see her." | tried
to make my voice cheerful.
1T will be nice if Bud is out of this
trouble" vi answered. Neither she
nor father knows he comes around
here so much, and they don't know we
are engaged. If she comes now-and
finds him practically accused Of steal
ing"
What happened about it today" I
asked.
"Oh. it drags on and on. The police
are conducting a big Investigation
but Bud is coming tonight"
When Bud came. in time as always
for his demi-tasse and cigarette, he
told us all that had developed.
Have you been reading the pa
pers?" he asked "a chap from Bar
stow, Kahn & Co, was robbed today
they pulled him into a closed cab,
his nose and were off before people
realized what had happened. 1t sounds
impossible doesn't it? Yet so many
people crowd those narrow streets,
and everyone is so intent on his own
business, that a man can reach out
of a moving cab, grab someone and
keep driving right on without creating
much disturbance. BY the time the
alarm spreads, the cab will be lost in
the crowd--at least, far enough Off to
give it good chance of getting away"
How did they find out about this
them"
The kid woke up in a house some
where on the outskirts of Brooklyn
an empty house. He crawled out OF
the place and found phone and re-
ported We all do grow careless he
added Handling bonds and stocks
and money becomes no more impor-
tant than handling potatoes and sugar
would be to a grocery clerk. This al
fair will make trouble because this
Il Dc fro r.
other messenger. to deliver for him
and. in turn. given him some of his
stocks to deliver to another place.
Then often double up on errands-
I've done it too"
And about YOURSELF" vi asked.
1T doesn't look we'll" Bud confess
ed. "They know I've spent a lot more
than J earned and it looks bad. of
course. vi. I'm not going to let you
tie Yourself up with a chap like me.
You haven't broken our engagement.
Il Ityk