The Omaha morning bee., 1923-12-14

II do-only-I'm used to hotels. I'M
not lonely in them. ! don't believe
should like visiting. Has Mrs, Nor
rison any children2'
"Oh. yes. Several. You'll have a
splendid time
Il think I'd rather stay at the
hotel" said Laurel.
well, Wen see. Don't have To
decide tonight. It's only for a few
days anyhow. We're going to have
our two weeks together in the woods
| just the same"
| CHAPTER II.
Stephen Dallas always tried to ar.
range his affairs so as to be able to
take Laurel off alone with him for
two weeks somewhere. The month
she spent with him was usually Au.
gust or September. and he usually
took her into the woods.
Stephen had an idea that the
farther away from people and con
ventionalities he could get Laurel the
more susceptible she would be to him
and TO his suggestions. However, IL
seemed sometimes absurd even IL
hope to be much of a factor in form.
ing the child's tastes and inclinations.
He had only 80 short days with her
each year. and he knew that during
the long lapses between her visits the
| influence she lived under was not
conductive to the growth OF the kind
of seeds he planted.
| II never saw so devoted a father
as you, Stephen Dallas" one of his
women friends said to him one day
during one of Laurel's visits. He had
been refusing all his invitations.
Stephen Dallas had smiled and
shrugged in reply. Most men. hi
told himself, weren't obliged to cram
a years fatherhood into one shor
month They could spread 1t along
And most fathers, or many anyhow
/ In guiding their children were moi
| obliged to exert their strength against
another pair of oars, constantly pull
/ ing in another direction.
\ When Laurel came to visit her
father for the first time he used ever,
| device and scheme he could think ol
4 to make her want to come again. II
was always a little like that. Sur
prising, he said to himself. that he
| was so anxious for her to want to
come again. He would think 1t more
normal. wrapped up as he was In his
business, and dead as was all desire IL
| connection with the mistaken mar
riage he had made during the early
years of his career In Milhampton, II
| he had wished TO forget and bury
| everything related to 1t. Let other
people forget and bury 1t. too. Il
Laurel had been a boy who would
grow up to bear his name he might
understand his hopes and ambitions
for the child. But a girl-a solemn
eyed, long banged little girl. He wal
only 40. His life was full of demands
of interests of the keenest sort, oi
friends. too. the best in the world
Yet the pleasure that he felt at any
expression of affection from Laure
could make his eyes grow misty. Anc
lately-last year. and the year before
"A choking wave of pride woule
sweep over him now and then, as he
observed her. or listened 10 some ol
her quiet comments.
To hear her exclaim that she loved
reading-the sort OF reading he hae
prescribed for her-had obliged hin
to swallow once or twice before trust
ing himself to speak. And picture
galleries, He had thought her utterly
bored by them. She was a polite little
creature. She had never said shs
didn't like them. but after the firs'
talf hour or so in a gallery sht
usually made inquiry as to how much
longer they were going to stay.
II didn't know you liked picture