Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1922-04-15
GI01I ASAHuTCH1NSON

, frightful news about the Pinks ?-I want
you to talk to my mother. She'll listen
to you. I'm going to enlist.
Sabre said, Good Lord, are you,
Perch? Must you? Your mother, why,
what on earth will she do without you
She'll"
Young Perch WINGED painfully. al
know. 1t pretty well kills me to think
Of 1t and I'm having the most frightful
scenes with her. But I've thought it
all out. Sabre, and I know I'm doing the
right thing. This is, well, this is a
chaps country, and I've figured it out
it's got to come before my mother. It's
got to. She says it will kill her if l
go. I believe it will, Sabre"
He rubbed a hand across his eyes and
broke OFF. Never mind about that;
know what I've got to do. You know
lots Of people. Well. want to get
hold of some nice girl to live with my
mother and take care of her in my place
while I'm away. A sort of companion,
al"n't they called? I want someone who
my 47other viii Indignantly call a chit
of a child'-he gave rather a broken
little laugh-"can't 1 hear her saying it!
/ say, Sabre. do for Gods sake help me.
Do you know anyone?"
This frightful war! Was it going to
attack even that pathe, old woman at
Puncher's Farm, with her fumbling
hands and her frail existence conferred
solely In her son? lie said, I'm aw-
fully sorry, Perch. Frightfully sorry
for your mother and for you. III help
you all l can. It's a funny coincidence
but I believe I 90 know just the very
girl that would be what you want"
Young Perch Grasped his hand in de-
lighted relief. "Oh. Sabre, If you do I!
l felt you would help"
The chance I'm thinking about ! was
hearing OF only a few days ago. The
works foreman In my office. an Old
chap called Bright. He's got a daugh-
ter about is or thereabOuts. and l was
hearing he wanted TO get her into some
kind Of post like yours. I've spoken
to her once or twice when she's been
about the place for her father and
took a tremendous fancy to her. She's
as pretty as a picture. Enle, she's
called. I believe your mother would
take TO her no end. And shed just love
your mother
It was from Twyning that Sabre had
heard that post Of some sort was being
considered for Enie Bright Her father.
as he had told young Perch, was works
MT Bright" A massive old man with a
massive, rather striking face hewn be
meath a bald dome and thickly grown all
about and down the throat with stiff
white hair. lie was intensely religious
and he had the deep-set and extraordi-
nary penetrating eyes that frequently de-
note the religious zealot.
Extraordinary that such a stern and
hard old man should have for daughter
such q fresh and lovable slip of young
thing as his Fife Bright Efle. Sabre
always called her inverting her names
Mr.. Bright had a little cupboard called
his Office at the foot Of the main stair
way and Bright Efie came often 10 see
her father there. Sabre had spoken 10
her In the little cupboard or Just outside
&. He had delight IN watching the most
extraordinary shining that she had in her
eyes
It was Ike reading an entertaining
book. he used to think. and he had the
idea that humor Of that rarest Kind
which IS unbounded love mingled with
unhounded sense II the oddities Of life
was packed to bursting within her.
Some such apprehension OF her Sabre
had expressed TO Twyning. Twynlns
had given a short laugh and said, You
seem TO have been thinking a lot about
the fair Effie!'
The kind Of laugh and the Kind Of re-
mark that Sabre hated ? he gave
slight gesture which Twyuing well knew
meant that he hated 1t.
whats old Bright going to do with
herr"
He doesn's quite know. He's an idea
OF getting her out as a sort Of lady's
companion somewhere
This was what Sabre had remembered :;
and he went straight from young Perch
to Twyning ana recalled the CONVERSE
ton.
Twyning said. Hello, stil interested
in the fair Effle?"
IT'S for young Perch over at Penny
Green I'm asking. For his mother. He's
a. young nan"-SHbre permitted his eyes
to rest for q moment on Harold, seated
at his desk--"and he feels he ought to
join the army. He wants the girl to be
with his mother while he's away"
Twyning, noting the glance, changed
his tone to one Of much friendlinesg.
"Oh, / see, ord man. No, Effie's got
nothing yet. She was over to our place
to tea last Sunday
Good. III 90 and talk to old Bright.
I'm keen about this"
Yes, you seem to be. old man"
VII
Mr.. Bright received the suggestion
with q manner that irrtated Sabre.
While be was being told Of the Perches
he stared at Sabre with that penetrating
gaze of his as though in the proposal
he searched for some motive other than
common friendllness. His first comment
was, They'll want references, l sup
pose. sir?"
Sabre smiled. ooh, scarcely, Mr..
Bright Not when they know who you
are"
The old man was standing before
Sabre bending his head close toward
him as though he would sense out some
hidden motive behind all this. He CON
tracted his great brows ms if to squeeze
more penetration into his gaze. yes,
but I'll want references, Mr.. Sabre. She's
not going here, there, nor anywhere"
1rontfnuad IL, nur Naxt Ts.ua