New Britain herald., 1921-08-31

receipt of the second report, a denial l of the first, he emerged again, sleek l ly combed and garbed with dignity. But his amazing conduct did not stop there. That morning for the first time in a period of years, with an | air of weariness he expressed Ahis in- tention of accompanying his wife to church.
 On the other hand, the Rev. Wat son Duncan was most unecclesiastical- l ly short with Mrs. Duncan, delicate l of health, who by chance elected to come down to breakfast that morning "a task she rarely essayed. MT. Duncan had thought to spare her until then. After listening to the first news of his stepsons death, | he had gone straight to bed with l several apt phrases concerning the wrath of a righteous God running l through his head. Work on the ser mon he abandoned since, naturally, Tt need never be finished. And so, with the second bulletin which ef- fected such a change in MT. Jameson he was forced to resume that task again, with all haste, and make the most of the scant interval which was left before the hour of morning serv- l ice should call him to minister to his flock. Truly the ways of Providence are inscruta ble. Mrs. Duncan had never known her lord and master to be as irritable as he was throughout the day. And yet he who figured most pr ominently in those exceedingly con- 1 flicting reports was convinced by l mid afternoon, that there was one house where rumor had not yet come. The street that had led him there, chosen for reasons of obscurlty, had |'pfoved to be besct with comment and
 curiosity. But as he climbed the steps of the renovated old Landis place, searching the girls eyes for sign of apprehension, he surprised
 nc thing but serenely intimate gleam of welcome therein.
 She was busy sewing. "A shocking Sabbath dissertation" she named it, but it's really become habit with
 me- Sundays about the only time
 I've had, for a number of years, to repair rips and tears And I'd never have a whole garment to wear, IL | left it to Louise.''
  | fluffy white stuff that stuck out quaintly in the skirt How often she 1 had sewed like that, in the other years She was always repairing this l old garment or that, but always light heartedly, always with optimism, in spite of the doubtful success of many previous ventures. She had even patched him up, when he became too
 ragged.
 Jimmy Gordon, That took him di- rectly to thoughts of those two Broad way successes-and Carl Hardy. He 1 sat staring down at his feet, pom dering absent mindedly - wondering
 if it would make any difference to her if she were to know that 1t was Gordon James, that highly success l full though elusive playwright, who sat there, instead of Jimmy Gordon, 1 black sheep, ne'er-do-weu, the towns re proach.
 Immediately a great tenn ptation be- | set him-a temptation to abandon that iN-starred and erstwhlle mlser- able identity to his ill-chosen ways. AS Gordon James Che shook his head' denying to himself that there was any lurking thought of snobbishness | or conceit in the inspiratlon) ne could speak words little becoming the lips of Jimmy Gordon, pennlless, ln- provident publicist.
 And with that thought in mind, ne raised his eyes. And then his heart I began to hammer in his throat She was laying aside her work-nasket.- star-eyed, lips parted, she had been
 watching him. And now ne lollo"eo her, as she rose.
 l Cnr6nn
 Jimmy I want-just Jimmy Ioroon ito say it to mel"
 'Carl Hardy" he stammered. He told vou. you knew all the time!'
 She nodded, delightedly. "-But ne
 didn't tell me Do you think there
 was any need of explanation when ne
 brought me that first act-the one ne offered to buy from you years ago a1d advised you not to sell-ano ..Led me what I thought? Cor
 don James!
 s'whv, I'd have known it was your
 work. even if I'd never seen 1t pe1ore.
 IT always used to tell you that l never could anticipate you-neVer
 quite knew what you were going to oo
 or say. didn't I? That was very very dishonest f1attery.'
 { Minutes later she raised her heau and saw the glorifed incredunty oi
 his face. It brought a lump to her
 throat and quick tears to her eyes. l aT:I,, che fa1tered Jimmy, as much as that! And you never even guessed? Oh, my dear, my dear! "hS'
 l I decided I'd marry you, years aso'
 the night you had to go away. Judge Jameson was alone Tn hiS
 library when the front door, siaiil- | ming. heralded his son.
 1 And Judge Jameson tried to nolo
 his shoulders back and force a smile | as Lloyd entered the room, until glimpse of his sons face startled h1Il | half erect. It promised a sensatlon- ] and the only sensation of which the