Evening star., 1922-01-29

A HOUSE IN THE CAMDEN ROAD
his friend Iaaac-he found Annie
seated on the bottom stair in her
nightdress. Her face was pale and
set, her eyes very bright. She had
been crying. When she saw her
father she gasped. Daddy! Oh
Daddy"
He seized her in his arms and
whispered, What is it. my dear?"
Then she cried quietly while he
held her. He did not attempt to hurry
her. At last she got her voice un-
der control and gasped quietly. 81
had gone to bed. ! don't know why
it was. I got restless in bed. came
down again softly. I peeped into the
sitting room. ds1, Daddyy!''
What? Waat, my love?"
THAT man-that horrid man and
"Your mother"
yes"
He VAS
HE was. kissing her-and-oh:"
Jim clutched his child and pressed
her head against his breast.
IT went in. He struck me-"
What
HE struck me because I Wouldn't
promise not to tell .
''ie struck you, eh: He struck you!
That man struck"
"Yes, Daddy"
"Where is he?'
They're UP there now. I'm fright
ened."
go to bed, my love. Go to bed"
He carried her UP the stairs and
fondled her and put her into bed.
ITS all right now, my love. Go to
sleep. Daddy will look after you"
Then he went downstairs.
A SOUND Of laughter greeted him
"A through the door Of the sitting
room. He gripped the handle and
walked deliberately in. Ted Wool
iams was stretching himself luxuri-
ousIy on the sofa. His heavy. sensual
face appeared puffy and a little muss-
cd. Clara was lying back in an easy
chair. Jim did not speak. He walk
cd up to Ted and without any pre-
Iiminary explanation struck him full
On the nose with his clenched fist.
For 4 moment the boxer appeared
more surprised than anything. His
eyes narrowed; then the pain Of the
blow appeared to sting him. He rose
from the sofa with a srowl. As he
advanced upon Jim the latter
thought: ''He's going to kill me.
what a fool I was not to strike him
with q poker!"
He thrust out his arms in an in
enectual defense. There was some
thing horribly ugly, ugly and revolt
ing, in the animal-like lurch Of the
nan bearing down on him. Jim
struck wildly at the others arms, at
tho same time thinking. MY little
girl! promised to look after her. z
a 3arring bloy above the heart
stsSgered him, and IS he began to
crumple forward something came
crashing to his jaw. He heard his
wife scream: then darkness enveloped
him.
A long and very confused period
followed. His eiimpsss Of conscious
ness were intermittent and accom-
panied BY pain. He heard people
talking, and they appeared strangers
to him. There was q lot Of talking
going ON. quarreling. perhaps. When
he was once more 2 complete master
Of his brain he realised abruptly that
he was in the ward Of q hospital.
His jaw was strapped up tight and
was giving him great pain: q nurse
was feeding him with milk through
q silver tube. He wanted to talk to
her, but found he could not speak.
Then hs recalled the incident Of his
calamity. Well, he had been brought
up in q hard school. Old iron! The
instinct Of MISREPRESENTATION prompt-
ed him to bide his time. Doubtless
his jaw was broken-a long job-but
he would get well again. At the end
Of the Journey Annie awaited him
What was the child doing now7 Who
vas looking after her? He passed
through periods Of mental anguish
and misgivinS aud then long periods
Of drowsy, immobility. Night sue.
eeedsd day. TO his surprise. on the
following afternoon his wife ap.
psared. shs came and sat by the bed
and said:
"Goine on all rightr'
He nodded. She looked uneasily
around, then Whispered, "You needn't
have taken on like this. Ted's eoins
or to America tomorrow, fulfilling
sngagements."
Tim stared At the ceiling, then
closed his syes. Ted no longer IN.
tsrestsd him. He wanted Annie. and
he could not ask TOR Asr. class