The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1923-07-21

midst of this nightmare that for
the sake of the Dalton Sturges
firm and the Harrison name they
couldn't prosecute Neal as they'd
like to do under the righteous
legal guise of prosecuting him.
but 1 controlled myself. This
terrible wrangling was an insult
to Phoebe's memory, as well as
to Meals name.
Must I give Meals baby to
Jeanie?' 1 asked of JIM.
He strove for comforting note.
But there was small solace for me
in his words.
1--WE told you before 1 don't
want any youngsters around here.
Wen spend week-ends with your
niece, Anne, and 1 dare say I'll be
fond of her when she gets so she
can do something besides gurgle
and stare"
"All right" I said DULY.
But knew that in my crisis
Jim had failed me because he
failed to understand me.
We had a double claim on
Phoebe's baby because she was
Meals baby, too. And Jim, as
masculine head Of the family,
would only have needed to press
his own claim to silence Vir-
ginia's arrogance. But Jim didn't
want the baby. However much
this hurt, felt there was some
thing more vital Oh which 1 must
keep my mind.
Pat had come to share Vir-
ginia's doubts OF Neal. Jim
judges him more kindly. If
want to make life liveable for my
young brother when he comes
back to himself-and us, 1 must
clinch Jim's faith in Neal, not ar
tagonize or destroy it.
There was something else on
my mind-not fully formulated as
yet, but clanoring for expression.
And, strangely enough, it was
Virginia who brought me to a full
realization of, the one thing /
must do for Neal.
NO GUILT PROVED.
Now that we've settled about
the baby-thanks to Jim's COM
mon sense" she said grimly, I'm
going to insist on a little graft
ture from you, Anne. You'll be
much happier If you don't fancy
yourself with your back against
the wall fighting the lot of us.
I'm willing to acknowledge that
Meals young and has had enough
to drive him out of his senses.
But you must acknowledge that
he's weak. A strong man
wouldn't have taken things this
way. He has a yellow streak.
I'm not saying this to triumph
over you-but to protect the baby
from HMM case he comes
back"
I'm case he comes back?" I
repeated sadly, selling on the inn
plication of those words.
you mustn't make a hero of
him when he does. You must re-
member that-but for you he
would-pay the penalty" insisted
Virginia.
1.-THE penalty for what?" 1 de-
nIanded furiously. isn't a man
innocent until he's proved guilty?
What's there proved against
Neal? He may be lying wounded
or i'll somewhere. He may even
be-gone. If he were able he'd
have been there to buy that OPP
ton. Neal has never failed a
trust"
"Oh, come now, Alanna"' brok
in Pat. "'Tis yourself told me tina
you'd not be trusting him"
II told you that?" 1 cried.
THAT same" answered Pat grave
ly. When l started the night wit
young Neal you begged me not t
trust him to see Tompkins the mex
morning. You said you'd not b
trusting him yourself
/ felt a sickening sense of ba
tlign against a supreme injustice
But I tried not to permit this fee
ing to color my words, as l said:
Pat. that's not fair! Your
twisting my words and using ther
against Neal. l meant you were
asking too much of him. / mean
you couldn't expect any huma
being to carry out a business deal
at such a time"
"'Tis not what you said" smile
Pat as If to a child:
You recognized Meals weakness
added Virginia complacently.
stop batting Anne" stOrmed
Jim. You'll never be able to
reconcile her to the truth. she
saw it. She knows the boys
weak. But she cant see that