The Hope pioneer., 1921-03-10
% GRACE
MILLER
:. WHITE

Mrs. Curtis.
| Katherine's lip curled.
"Then why not appeal to her,
mamma? Perhaps she'd reach the
ears of his. majesty, the Lord A.
| mighty" said she.
"Oh, Kathie. don't be horrid,"
sobbed her mother. "You know very
we'll l couldn't ask him through her"
| "Then. what will you do?" demand
| ed the girl. "You say Cousin John
won't help Rege, and you refuse to
ask the girl to ask Cousin Paul. Then
what will You do?"
''You ask her, Kathie," said Mrs.
Curtis, in coaxing tones.
Katherine tossed her head.
'You've got nerve to send me to
her for anything" she shot back. II
will mott"
Mrs. Curtis came forward with
trembling footsteps.
"Not for your brothers. sakei oh,
Kathie dol"
."No, I WON'T" said the girl. $50
just don't ask me. Reggie's not my
son, and haven't any sympathy for
him." With that she made for the
door and was gone.
For over an hour the anguished
mother walksd up and down. Then
as If she mad at last reached q con-
clusion, she. went to the servants
quarters. There she sent the maid to
ask Tonnibel to come out to Doctor
Paul's conservatory for a minute.
Tony silently stared at the white
woman when they came face to face.
Mrs. Curtis swallowed her pride, .gulp-
ing at the hrhps that rose in her
throat.
"Im sorry abodt this afternoon,
Miss Devon" she said. II really didn't
understand" i 49,
Tonnibel thought in flash that
Mrs. Curtis must have gotten re-
ligion; nothing but d softening of
heart could account for the apology.
"Never mind," she choked. "Pm
awfully sorry about my daddy, but il
he will be bad, then L suppose be
must go to JAIL" q
This statement renewed the dread
In Mrs. Curtis heart about her son.
"Could you take message to my
Cousin Paul for me?" she ventured.
what is itE' asked Tonnibel,
thickly.
"My son is ILL.," Mrs. Curtis ex-
planned tearfully, "and he must go
away. l. haven't, any money, but If
Paul knew about it he'd help me.
Will you ask him?"
Tony thought a minute.
"Not tonight" she replied. "Mebbe
Doctor john"
"No, he hates my son." the other
cried passionately. "Oh, you mustn't
say anything to him about it,
Tonnibel Devon was awfully
tempted to refuse the naughty woman
who had pulled her around by the
hair only that afternoon. But she re-
membered Philip, remembered his
love for her, and relented.
"Come along back tomorrow morn
ing, and mebbe I can get you some -
she answered, walking away. Then
over her shoulder she flung back, "Tll
try, anyhow"
With this last statement Mrs. Cur
tbs had to be satisfied, Reggie suf-
fered dreadfully the. night through,
his mother sitting at his bedside.
Tony Devon also had been awake
most of the night. In the morning
after breakfast, she set about gather.
ing courage to approach Doctor Paul,
With Gussie Piglet in her arms, she
sat down beside him, and now the
minute was there to speak, Tony
didn't know how to begin. But to be-
gin meant to begin, Tony had learned.
so she coughed and blurted:
"Your cousin, Mrs. Curtis, is kind
Of pretty, amt she?"
"She would be if she didn't cry SO
much," responded Doctor Paul.
|. This gave Tony the opening she
wanted.
"Her boys awful sick, so she saws"
she broke out, "that's why she cries.
If he don't 60 away, he'll die, mebbe. /"
The lovely gray eyes grew darker
as they searched his, and Doctor Paul
leaned over and looked keenly at her.
ibid Cousin Sarah ask you to come
70 me, llttie grit! ne questioned In q
kindly tone.
Tonnibel nodded.
"She Says Doctor John don't like
her boy. and. mebbe you'd help her.
said the GIRL blushing.
The man considered the red face q
moment.
"Would 1t please you to have me
help her. and him?" he then queried
Il should think you'd be the last per.
son to ask that. My brother told me
she's always very unkind to YOU"
"She don't know any better" re.
piled Tony. "She's never learned
what lovin' awful hard means, and
mebbe she's so worried over her boy
she's got to be horrid to some one."
Paul Pendlehaven laughed. then he
grew grave. Perhaps that's it. Now
do you think you could find my cousin
and bring her here7"