The daily Alaskan., 1922-06-01
Gopuriaht bu EdNIn BoImer N.D

exclaimed suddenly, with strange re- uroach to himself In his tone. Con nle! Dear little Connie!"
 "why?" she asked him Uncle Benny, what's the matterT
 Has Spearmsn been here todayT he asked. not looking at her.
 "To see father"
 "No; to see you"
 "No."
 He seized her wrist. Don't see hIm, when he comes" he commanded.
 Uncle Benny"
 Don't see him" Corvet repeated. "He's asked you to marry him, hasn't he?"
 Connie could not refuse the answer. "Yes."
 And you?"
 "Why-why, Uncle Benny, I haven't answered him yet"
 "Then don't-don't, do you under stand. ConnIe?
 She heSitated, frightened for him. "Tll-Tll tell you before l see him, it you want me to, Uncle Benny" she granted.
 But 1T you shouldn't he able to tell me then. Connie: If you shouldn't want Co them" The humility of hls look perplrxed her; If he had been any other man-auy man cycent Jn"l" Rpnny-Shr would have thought some shameful and terrifying threat hung over him; but he broke uff sharply. "I must go home" he SuId uncertainty. "I must go home; then TIT come buck. Connie. you won't give hIm an answer till I come back. will you?"
 "No" He got her promise. half frightened. half bewiIdered; then ho turned ut once and went swiftly away from her
 She ran back to the door of her fa- ther's house. From there she saw him reach the corner and turn west to go tu Astor street He was walking rap. Idly and did not hesitate.
 How strangely he had acted Con. stances ureaSnaSs increased when the afternoon and evening passed without hlS coming back to see her as he had promised. but she reflected he had not set any definite time when she was 10 expect him. During the night her anxiety grew still greater;, and in the morning she called his house up on the telephone, but the call WIS unanswered An hour later she called ngfrin: still getting no result, Shp called her father at his office and told hlm of her anxiety about Uncle Benny, but without repeating what Uncle Benny had said to her or the promise she had made tO him. Her tn- ther made light ur her fears; Uncle Benny, he reminded her, often acteu oueerly in bad weather. Only partly she called Uncle Benny house several more times during the morning. but still got no reply; all" after luncheon she called her father again To tell him that she had re- solved to get some one to go over 10. the house with her.
 Her father, to her surprise, forhaue this rather sharply; his voice, she realized. was agitated and excited anu she asked him the reason; but Instead of answering her, he made her repeat 10 him her conversation of the after noon before with Uncle Benny, ant now he questioned her closely about It, But when she. In her turn, tried 'o question him, he merely put her of and told her not to worry.
 In the late afternoon, as dusk was drawing Into dark. she stood at the window. with one of those deluSlVe hopes which come during anxiety thai, because 1t was the time of day at which she had seen Uncle Benny walk Ing by the lake the day before, she might see him there again. when she. saw her fathers motor approaching It was coming from the north, not from the south as 1t would have been if he wa, coming from his office or his club. and 1t had turned into the Drive from the west. She knew, therefore. that he was coming from Uncle. Ben ny's house, and, as the car Sweryed and wheeled in, she ran out into the hall to meet him.
 He came in without taking or hat or coat; she could see that he was perturbed, greatly agltated.
 "What Is it, father?" she demanded What has happened?'
 q do not know, my dear"
 "It Is somethIng-sOmething that has happened to Uncle Benny
 "I am afraid so. dear-yes. But l do not know what it Is that has hap Dened. or I would tell you
 He put his arm about her-aG1 drew