Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1921-12-15

complete surprise to father and every
body don't know how pleasant 4
oneI You didn't seem so frightfully
glad to see me. Noblei"
"Am II" he whispered. 81 mean--l
meant mean: Didn't II"
mol" she laughed. "You looked
you looked shocked! 1t couldn't have
been because looked Ill or anything.
because I'm not; and if l were, you
couldn't have told it, through two
wells. Possibly I'd better take your
expression as a compliment" She
paused. then asked hesitatingly, "Shall
TT
This was the style the Atwaters
held Julia responsible for; but they
were mistaken: she was unable to con-
troll 1t. She at once went cheerily on I:
Perhaps not. as you don't answer i
shouldn't be so bold! Do you sup
pose anybody'll be glad to see me?"
T- u" He seemed to hope that
words would come. all In their own
good time.
"Noblel" she cried. "Don't be so
| gluml" And she touched his arm
with her muff, fluffy contact causing
within him short CONFUSION, natural
| ly invisible. "Noble, aren't you going
! to tell me what's all the news"
"There's-some." he managed to In
form her. "Some-some news"
"What Is it?"
"It's-it's-"
"Never mind" she said soothingly.
Get your breath: can walt. / hope
nothing's wrong in your family.
Noble"
"No-oh. no."
"It isn't just my turning up I'M
expectedly that's upset you so, Of
course" she dared to say. NATURALLY.
know better than to think such q
thing as that"
"Oh. Julia!" he said. "Oh. Julia 7"
"What Is 1t, Noble?"
"NOth-ing." he murmured, disjoint-
Ing the word with gulp.
"How odd you happened to be there
at the station" she said; 'just when
my train came in! You're sure you
weren't going away anywhere?"
'No: oh. no."
She was thoughtful, then laughed
confideniially. you're the only per-
son In town that knows I'm home.
Noble"
"Pm glad" he said. humbly.
She laughed again. 81 came all O.
q sudden-on an impulse. It's little
,diotic. TIL tell you about 1t, Noble.
You see, ten or twelve days ago
wrote the family a more or less indls-
Greet letter. That Is, told them
something ! wanted them to be dis
Greet about, and. Of course, when got
to thinking II over, knew they
wouldn't. You see. l wrote them
something ! wanted them TO keep a
secret. but the more thought about
II. the more ] saw I'd better hurry
back. Yesterday 1t got into my head
that I'd better hop on the next train
for home"
She paused, then added. $50 I did J
About ten or twelve days is long %
anybody has a right TO expect the At
water family connection to keep the
deadllest kind of secret, isn't it?"
And as he did not respond, she ex-
planned, modestly. "Of course. II
wasn't very deadly secret; 1t was
really about something Of only the
least importance"
This was so frlghtful an under
statement that the Jar Of 1t restored
Mobiles voice to startling loudness.
"Only the least Importance he
shouted. "With man named Crum r.
WHAT she cried.
"Crumi" Noble insisted. "That's
exactly what II said his name wasl"
"What said his name wasT asked
Julia. excitedly.
1.-THE North End Daily Oriole."
what In heavens name Is thatT
"It's the children's paper. Herber's
and Florence's. your own niece and
nephew, Juliai You don't mean you
deny It. do you, JuliaT
She was in great confusion: "Do
deny whatT
THAT his name is Crumr' Noble
said passIonately. THAT his name II
Crum and that he's a widower ani
he's been divorced and's got nobody
knows how many childrenp
Julia sought to collect herself. 81
dent know what you're talking
about" she said. "If You mean that