South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1922-08-30


she only repeated the fact OF her
meeting with Barney Loutrelle as
she had related it over the telephone
Every one was well at the house,
Lucas assured In reply 20 Ethers
questions.
The persons whom he grouped I'M
der every one" were his wife and
Miss Plat" and Miss Platts hus-
band" Miss Plat had been his
private secretary for many years.
Her salary was sufficient 10 enable
her TO attract lazy, good-loodng
youth named Merrill Kncheloe,
seven years younger than herself.
she married him and thereafter sup
ported him. 10 her employers ex-
ceeding disgust.
Lucas never let her marriage
change her name 10 him and. when
ne had been obliged to refer 10
Klncheloe, It had been always as
Miss Platt's husband"
All but Miss Platt's husband were
at the door as the sled drew up be-
fore the porch; and Ethel felt rush
OF love as she saw her grandmother.
She was a little woman. thin and
shrunken now but erect. with spirit
unbroken by her many years
Later in the day Ethel had her
business talk with Lucas.
i've come for money, grand
father" she confessed at once. "A
goOS deal OF money. some of which 1
need Immediately"
We'll. how much?"
i've the total here; the dates
mean the time when ought TO have
the different amounts" she ex-
planned, trembling in spite of her
self.
Those are the names OF irriga-
ton and development companies and
water-power plants in Montana and
Wyoming. 1 want the money
marked Immediate TO complete the
first five and get them running. II
do not do that. the leases-or the
purchase contracts-wiu lapse.
He only grunted as he glanced
over it and stopTed chewing MS
cigar. "All right; what happens II
they lapse?"
Fathers interest-my interest
now" Ethel said quietly, "of course
is lost. But that's not most I'M
portaut. It's to see that Fathers
friends and our neighbors out west
get their money back. They thought
he was going 10 live and see every
thing through
$50 YOU came TO work upon my
natural affections for you?
eyes" Ethel said Yes: l sup
pose you may say I've done that
Her grandfather slowly drew his
leg back from the desk-drawer; sud
denly he kicked the drawer shut
and with his hands upon the desk
he pushed himself UP TO his feet
He was still a towering man IN
spite of the slight stoop which took
more than an inch from the stature
which had distinguished the days oil
his great vigor.
Your father believed he was so
smart-so smart" he glOated over
her. He carried of my daughter
and thought he could win against
me, He sided with John-John,' he
repeated the name Of his brother
violantlv well. II did look like
good business then. John seemed 10
have stronger hold on the property
than I had. But your father forgot
about longevity.
John was under the sod before
he was seventy. Your father forgot
about my sons. too. John had OIL
iver-dannn weakling; SO he's under
the sod. too: his wife's below the
waves: and everything they had 8
IN court. But It's coming 20 me!
rs got 10 come TO met he repeated,
snapnlng of each word short and
Railing with his arm for emphasis.
"Ard Won got 20 come TO me II you
want anything; everything. every
bodv's got 70 come TO me! For I'm
alive and they're all dead"
He terked about and strobe across
the room.
Ethel watched him as he went 70 a
window and stood staring out While
he recovered himself. For a few mo-
ueuts. he seemed not TO be seeing
but simply 10 be staring. Then he
ta-lSed straight. and Ethel knew that
he had begun TO see and that what
ne saw was the Rock. quaint and
rIsteuing IN the last rays OF the de-
Clining sun.
Her grandfather slowly turned
about
You want about two hundred
thousand dollars immediately
"One hundred and eighty-fve
thousand is the total put down as
necessary now, grandfather," she
said.
practically two hundred thou
sand: call Il that" he corrected gen
arousIv "Well-well. Il may be
MANAGED" lie was attempting 70
reproduce. now. the lndulgent man.
ner ne used TO take with her long
ago when she was a little girl and
came 10 him for dimes and quarters
and half dollars for children's trink-
cts.
He patted EtheTs arm fondly.
NOW. my dear. tell me about that
fellow LOutrelle."
she drew back a little from him.
Then II was his sight Of the Rock
which. the minute before. had
changed him.
Why. grandfather" she said. II
just met him on the train this morn
ing"
he seized her. as the passion
which he had with difficulty put.