Evening star., 1923-04-06

&SEMED NOW TO 1--WE HiMsE
MIS- GAZE HAD NOT FOR A NJ
there was a different note in his
voice and his brows were bent in
thought
rs it am trouble that YOU are in,
navid"" she asked slowly.
"No-just the difficulty of telling
you. Its something that you ought
TO know. l just found it out this
morning. 1t was one of the reasons
why l had to see YOU today. But it
seems difficult somehow"
If it's anything that l can do
she said gently.
No 1t doesn't concern me. It's
about some one else-somcthing !
heard from George Lycett-"
He hesitated moment. still pok
ing awkwardly at the gravel with
his umbrella
Hang it all. Its hard to speak.
You know. Cherry, that 7 wouldn I
interfere mean. you understand.
don't YOU. that l wouldn't speak if |
didn't think that you ought to know? ,"
A hundred confused thoughts
passed through her mind. but she sat
motionless watching him, more
troubled now than he.
Then tell me- she said quietly, "if
] ought to know"
It's about your broth Bob
Bob. Oh, David-what?"
He put his words together slowly.
You've had SO much trouble" he
muttered, Il hate to give YOU more
unhappiness-'
Go on she said calmly.
You would know soon whether |
tell you or not. Your brother has
been ent-reckiess-and has
made a very bad mistake. / don't
IN in,
ing words"
..Mo-.-go on" sasped Cherry. .
Well, YOU know Mr. Lycett has an
account with Brown & Pritchard
where Bob has a job. They found
out this morning that Bob had sud
denly disappeared and with his dis
ing"
a sound came from Cherry's throat
"a low. sobbing gasp. He put off
this revelation until the last. speak
ing at random of other things as he
had gathered courage. He did not
dare TO look at her and went on with
difficulty
Five thousand dolIars-Georse
L%cetts signature-not his own
ForgerE' How horrible" she
managed 70 whisper Bob, IL
can't believe it,
Tin afraid you must Cherry.
David said softly. The evidence is
very definite. They found slips of
paper in your brothers wastebasket-
with George Lycett's name on them
attempts at perfect signature. Oh
It's all so damned silly of him
What could have made him do such
thing"
oh. I don't know-debts. 1 sup
pose"
Good God. Poor father"
He mustn't know. There's no rea-
son why he should. They've kept the
matter quiet was with Mr. Lycett
this afternoon. ! had n talk with
him. don't think he'll prosecute
And Brown e Pritchard have agreed
10 wait until they hear something
from me"
Cherry was now. sobbinG quietly.
Don't, Cherry dear. Please don't.
j think the whole thing can be ar
ranged. if we can only find Bob. Do
YOU know where he is?"
Cherry looked up bewildered. No
! don't"
\ Was he a. home last night"
Now that you speak of it'll
don't think he was" she gasped. II
haven't seen him for almost a week"
She struggled for her composure
and then Strengthened with an effort
But how can such a thing be ar
ranged? How-can it? It's unbeliev-
able"
Your brother is very young" said
D.
ing the best of company. I'm sure
the whole affair can be kept quiet
If we can only find the boy
But how? How can we pay back
a sum like that"
"Oh. that may be managed" said
David.
Cherry turned on him.
'You-Dayid! L won't let you do
that. Never! Never!'
He did not look at her. and only
poked gravely with his umbrella into
The gravel, but he felt her startled
gaze upon him, and then the touch of
her fingers on his arm.
David! David" was all that she
could say.
She struggled hard to master her
emotions and after moment she
Strengthened suddenly. her fingers
still on David's arm, and then rose.
I've got to be going home, David
--home-at once. I'm little bewil-
dered still. I've got to think what to
do-about father
She spoke, still in a daze, her fingers
Clinging TO his arm as they went
across to the subway station. But
with the exercise she gathered
strength and courage. He wanted to
on going alone.
The House of Mohun.
Cherry did not know how she man
outward composure.. She was aware
that she suffered tortures of mind
and yet was conscious that in the
subway car she examined the adver-
tising signs as usual-the collar ad-
vertisement of the boy with the
straw-colorcd hair. the food adver-
tisement of the fried eggs on the
ham which had always looked so ap-
,retizing to her on the way home
from downtown-and the others of
soaps, of washing machines, of stock
inGs, of underwear. The unintelligi-
BILE cries of the guards, the roar of
the train, the jostling of the, crowds
--she was conscious of all externals-
eld yet her mind hammered persist-