Licking Valley courier., 1922-03-23


Benny, what's the matterf"
"Has Spearman been here todayf"
he asked, not looking at her.
ITO see fatherr'
"No; to see you"
"No."
He seized her wrist. "Dpn't see
him, when he comesw he commanded.
"Uncle Bennyr
Don't see himw COrvet repeated.
Hes asked you to marry him, hasn't
herr
Connie could not refuse the answer.
"Yes."
"And your
"why-why. Uncle Benny. I haven't
answered him yet"
"Then don't-dont, do you under
stand, Connie"
She hesitated, frightened for him.
"Tll-I'll tell you before see him, II
you want me to. Uncle Benny" she
granted.
"But If you shouldn't be able to tell
me then, Connie; If you shouldn't
want to then2" The humility Of his
look perplexed her; II he had been
any other man-any man except Uncle
Benny-she would have thought some
shameful and terrifying threat hung
over him; but he broke off sharply.
II must go home" he said uncertainty.
II must go home; then I'll come back.
Connie, you won't give him an answer
till come back, will your"
mo" He got her promise, half
frightened, half bewildered; then he
turned at once and went swiftly away
from her.
She ran back to the door Of her IA
TIERS house. From there she saw him
reach the corner and turn west to 90
to Astor street. He was walking rap
|. Idly and did not hesitate.
How strangely he had actedl Con.
stances uneaslness increased when
the afternoon and evening passed
without his coming back to see her al
he had promised, but she reflected he
had not set any definite time when
she was to 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
was unanswered. An hour later, she
called again; still getting no result
she called her father at his Office, and
told him Of her anxiety about Uncle
Benny, but without repeating what
Uncle Berry had said to her or the
| promise she had made to him. Her ia
her made light of her fears; Uncle
Benny, he reminded her. often acted
lueeriy In bad weather. Only partly
treasured, she called Uncle Benny's
house several more times during the
morning. but still got no reply; and
after luncheon she called her father
again, to tell him that she had re
solved to get some one to go over tc
the house with her.
Her father, to her surprise, FORBADE
this rather sharply; his voice, sh'
realized, was agitated and excited, ant
she asked him the reason; but instead
OF answering her. he made her repeal
to him her conversation Of the after
noon before with Uncle Benny, ant
now he questioned her closely about u
But when she. In her turn. tried Z
question him, he merely put her OF
and told her not to worry.
In the late afternoon, as dusk wa
drawing into dark, she stood at tn
window, with one Of those delusiv
hopes which come during anxiety thai
because It was the time Of day a
which she had seen Uncle Benny wall
Ing by the lake the day before. sh
might see him there again, when sh
saw her fathers motor approaching
Il was coming from the north, nc
from the south as It would have bee
II he was coming from his Office or hi
club. and II had turned into the Driv
/ kIOh bic NGut- OhG hhCWt thNAtAOe
that he was coming from Uncle Be-
ny's house. and. as the car swervs
and wheeled in, she ran out into Il
hall to meet him.
He came In without taking of HI
or coat; she could see that he wi
perturbed. greatly agitated.
| "What is II, fatherr she demande
"what has happened7'
II do not know. my dear"
"It is something-something tn
has happened to Uncle Bennyr
II am afraid 70. dear-yes. But
DO not know what II is that has ha
pened. or I would tell you"
He put his arm about her and DIRE
her into a room opening or the hall
his study. He made her repeat aga
to him the conversation she had HI
with Uncle Benny and tell him he
he had acted; but she saw that VIII
she told him did not help him.
III Then he drew her toward him.
Tell me, little daughter. Y
have been a great deal with Unt