The daily Alaskan., 1921-03-15
A New Romance oF tho Storm Cotnfrg
CHAPTER X.
The Stonlna.

had promised to meet him, only to re- 1 turn to Ithaca more at sea than ever. ! He had the sickening idea that the ! girl he had grown to love was again in the clutches of her brute of a fa- ther and Reginald Brown.
 Tony, too, began to lose the high spirits that had returned almost im- . medlately after her escape from the canal boat. The gray eyes grew dark ly clrcled, the lovely mouth seemed to have lost the power to smile. Paul Pendlehaven noted all this with apprehension. He questioned the girl time after time, asking her if she felt well, if there was anything she wanted, but she always replied in the negative.
 One day after they had had their dinner he sat looking at her curiously. l She was close to the window reading I a book, when he caused her to look up I by calling her name.
 "Run downstairs, Tony dear," he went on, land tell my brother to come up here before office hours, will you, | honey"
 The girl rose, laying aside her book.
 She dreaded venturing into Mrs. Cur ! tis' presence and shiyered when she remembered the critical Katherine who looked her over with supercillous tole- ration whenever they happened to meet. But she made no complaint and went slowly downstairs.
 The dining room door was closed, but the sound of voices from within told her the family was at dinner. She 1 opened the door slowly and stepped Inside. For one moment her vision was obscurcd by the fright that sud l denly took possession of her. As the blur cleared from her eyes, she saw John Peudlehaven smiling at her. Then a sharp ejaculation from some one else swung her gaze from the doctors face, and 1t settled on-Phillp MacCauley.
 She went extremely pale and put out her hand to grasp something for sup port as If she were going to fall. She saw him rise up slowly, an expression of amazement and relief going across his face. She smiled but what weary little smile 1t was and how full of pleading, as if she were silently beg Clng him to forgive her for some deed shed done.
 John Pendlehaven gazed at the two young people. and then he too got to his feet
 Philip" he said abruptly, this is Tonnibel Devon. She's Paul's com panlon. We have"
 Philip interrupted the speaker by his sudden bound around the table. "Tony Devon, little Tony" he cried. "I thought, oh, I thought you were dead. I thought I'd lost you forever"
 A noise fell from Katherine's lips, and Mrs. Curtis stumbled to her feet
 "So you know her too, Philip" she snarled with a nasty glance at her pallid daughter. 1T thought we'd kept her well out of your way. So you've played the sneak while eating bread and butter in my house. miss," she blurted at Tony. Well, It's what one might have expected of you-you huzzy."
 "Motherw gasped Katherine, as Ton nibel snatched her hands from Philip.
 "Kathie, you needn't mother mel cried Mrs. Curtis, blind with rage. "Either she goes away or do. won't stay in the house with a common sneak-a cOmmOn-"
 Sarah, sit down." thundered John Pendlehaven. Don't speak another such word or"
 Tony was at the doctors side be- fore he could finish his threat
 q didn't sneak" she said, looking up at him. "Oh, please-please believe me-"
 "That she didn't" cried Philip, com ing to her side. Cousin John, I've known Tony Devon ages, and didn't even know she was In this house." He turned his flashing eyes upon Mrs. Cur tis, who was weeping historically. You ought to be ashamed of yourself, Cousin Sarah" he went on, Ito use such language to a perfectly nice little girl. Why, you've just about broken her heart"
 Ills voice had sunk to a passionate whisper. His eyes mlsted in youthful struggle to control his joy, and-and at the sight of him, Katherine lost her wits entirely.
 "Who and what have we been har- boring in this house, Cousin John?' she shrieked In high thin voice, strug- gling to her feet "A gutter rat, a lit tie snake, a loose girl"
 Each word, brought out with greater vehemence and passion than the one before struck the listeners dumb. In shame e-faced misery. Tonnibel sank to the floor, dropping her head Into her hands.
 "Oh, no, I'm not that" she walled. My mummy never lived in the gutter ; she never did. 1 was poor, awful