Omaha daily bee., 1922-06-09
The Reason Lillian and Allen Drake
Begged Pardon"

Begged Pardon"
At my hysterieal little appeal to
my father. both Allen Drake and
Lillian Underwood moved toward
me swiftly.
Lillian bent over me reassuringly
and put her hand earessingly upon
my face.
Allen Drake did not touch me. but
when under Lillian's caress, and the
mute tenderness OF my fathers arms.
] reeained my eomposure and
ehaneed 10 glance At him, ! found
Rim regarding me with compassion
ste. tensely tender gaze, so unlike his
usual expression OF cynical. half
patronizing amusement. that for the
second ! forgot the importance Of the
revelation ! had just heard in the
surprise his look gave me.
"Daughterl Daughter" my father
was murmuring in shocked surprise.
III ! had dreamed you would feel
this way about il. ! would have told
you at once that"
"Please!" Lillian interrupted ruth
lessly. while / saw a flash as OF re-
lief cross her composed face. Write
what you are going to say. ! have a
fancy that Allen and ! will be mighty
glad to read it too. Time enough for
talking a few minutes later"
There was a meaning III her tone
hidden from me. but which saw
both Allen Drake and my father un-
derstood. In the eyes OF the brilliant
government agent there was the
same oddly-relieved expression which
Lillian's had mirrored. But my
fathers eyes held. or so fancied, a
reproachful surprise as he gazed
steadily at Lillian.
$50 you thought" he began,
then he checked himself abruptly,
drew a small pad Of paper and
pencil from his pocket, wrote rapidly
upoH il, tore of the sheet and passed
il to me when he had finished. ! read
it with sudden bound of my spirits
and passed it ON to Lillian and Allen
Drake. But its words were indelibly
fixed in my memory.
Don't Rub It In"
"No harm has been done. Katie
has the memorandum, no doubt, but
it is worthless. placed it in the
book purposely, because was very
sure that attempts would be made to
get It. My real secret is safeguarded
almost beyond human power to reach
il. But it suits me that the people
searching for it should imagine for a
while that they have succeeded. For
that reason I wish Katie to be aided
to deliver them the memorandum she
has stolen. But she must be thor
oughly frightened first, so that she
will know no other will but ours. Per-
sonally, l do not believe she acted
from any other motive than intense
fear of the person who had played
upon her superstitions."
Lillian looked up from the reading
and walked toward the fireplace with
the paper.
"May II" she asked.
My father bowed his acknowledge
ment, and she put the paper in the
blaze and watched carefully until it
was certain that no telltale scrap re-
NAMED. Then she walked back to i,
my father and held out her hand.
"Will you forgive me for cluttering
up the earth?" she asked contritely.
Il might have known"
Allen Drake was beside her, look
ing at my father with very much the
expression of a shamefaced school
boy caught in a discreditable act.
"If you'd find any satisfaction in
booting me around the premises,
Chief" he said, "go to It. I'd lie
out Of it and swear on a stack OF
Bibles l never thought anything, but
there's no use trying to fool you"
My father smiled.
Il can't blame either Of you for
your thought" he said, a bit sadly.
II am getting old, you know"
eyes, the past few minutes prove
that indisputably," Lillian drawled.
A Jangling Of Bells.
"Very we'll, we'll proceed with our