The Washington times., 1923-12-19
BLACK OXEN


Good heavens no, Jim! And
she's able to take care Of herself
Nobody better. She'll give you
a scare and then turn up-with
her thumb at her nose, likely.
Better come up to my rooms and
have a drink
"Orright. l can't go home and
don't want to be alone any
where. I'd go out of my senses.
Anything might happen to her,
and shan't .cal! in the police
until the last minute. Filthy
scandal
Police? Certainly not. And
IS Janet is cold sober, be sure
she'll come to no harm"
A few moments later they were
in the lift ascending to Clavering's
rooms. 'Hullo::" he said, as n.
opened the door Of his little hall.
THE fool maid has left the light
on" and, as they entered the liv-
AA6 1OOAAS Will lH0 OOFll-
Cigarette smoke hung in the air
There was a wild shrek from
a corner of the room, a slim girl
leapt across the intervening space
IKE panther, and Einging her
self upon Oglethorpe. beat his
chest with her fists. You
damned old plumber, you old
dumb-duck" shrieked his littla
daughter. What did you come
here and spoil everything foro
He'd have had to marry me to-
morrow If you'd minded your
own business. I'll claw your
eyes out" But her hands were
imprisoned in her fathers hard
fists, and she turned and spat
at the petrified Clavering. II
hate you! I hate you! But I'm
going to marry you all the same
One way or another I'll get you.
meant to wait awhile; for /
hadn't had fun enough yet, and
I'd have precious little with you
you cld fiat tyre. But when I
heard that old zattiany woman's
got hold Of you--and then lock-
ed up and not able to do a thing
II thought I'd go mad. I drop
ped my diamond bracelet out o.
the window and one OF the SER
wants let me QUIT won't tell
which. You've been seen com.
ing out Of her house at all hours.
hut she's a thousand years old
and nobody cares what she does,
but intended to rouse this whole
house and I'd have been SO COM
promised you'd have had to mar.
ry me. You're a gentleman Is
you are a damned old leftover.
and you're a friend Of granny's
and dads. I'd have had you
tied up so tight you'd have tod
died straight down to the city
hail.
Alarmed
Clavering stared at her, won
dering how women felt when they
were going to have Mysteries.
what a night! And this girls
resemblance to her grandmother
was uncanny. He could see the
Jane Oglethorpe OF the portrait
in just such n tAntrum. And he
had thought he knew both Of
them. He wanted to burst into
wild laughter, bot the girl was
tragic in spite Of her silly plo:
and he merely continued to re.
gard her stonily
How did you get in?" ne
asked. That's not easy in this
house.
Il just got in the lift and told
the boy was your sister jus.
arrived from the South and he
let me in with the pass key. He
took me for sixteen and said that
as you weren't one for chickens
he'd chance it."
Hell get the sack In the morn
ing"
IT don't care what happens to
him." Suddenly she burst into
tears. her face working like a
haby's, and flung herself into her
fathers arms.
Make him marry me, daddy.
Make him! want him. / want
him"
Oglethorpe put his arms about
her, but his sympathie0 were
equally divided, and he under
stood men far better than he dtd
young girls. You wouldn'~
want to marry a man who doesn't
love you," he said Soothingly.
where's your prideF"
who cares a damn about
pride? want him and that's all
there is to it." She whirled