The Oakley herald. [volume] (Oakley, Idaho) 1908-1961, 1924-01-25

what | came for was TO make yOl
: tell me about my father. I've tele
; phoned two or three times. but Ansor
won't say word. Last night | wen
to your fiat to see you, but you weren
there. so suppose you're still at oul
house. II was one of Georges nights
at Cleveland and l was feeling kind
of lonesome. He'll be back today
about noon" (She glanced out the
window where momentary flaw OF
snow had obliterated the shore-line OF
the lake -"unless he gets lost in
that. SO | thought, while 1 was wait.
ing, I'd come here and find out, from
you or Henry Craven. I want to know
if / made him a lot worse, that night
went away, by quarreling with him.
wrote him a letter a while ago that !
thought perhaps he'd answer. and he
never did"
"He got it, all right" Jennie in
formed her, "but he wouldn't read it.
Gave it to me to tear up for him. l
did-without opening it,"
Beatrice laughed shortly. "There
was a perfectly good check for
thousand dollars in that letter." In
response to Jennie's stare of urdis-
guised establishment, she went on to
explain. ut was the thousand dad
gave George as a reward. He cashed
the check for 1t, but never touched
the money. When he ran away with
me he made me send 1t back. I put
| it In my account at the bank and sent
dad a check for it, telling him, in the
letter, what it was. | didn't much
want to, but George stood over me I'M
til l did. But l guess if you tore 1t
up, that settles that. Only you might
tell dad what was in the letter."
81 don't think I WILL" Jennie said,
thoughtfully. mot for the present,
anyhow. When his head gets better,
1 suppose l will"
"What's the matter with his head?"
Beatrice asked.
at aches" Jennie told her, simply.
"All the time. Night and day. Never
stops 1t isn't sharp ache, he says
It's just as if his brain was a size too
big for his skull. But If he gets ex-
cited or makes any exertion it's worse
beats, like hammers. That's why
I'm not going to tell him."
"Pretty awful for him, that would
be-" the girl reflected. How long will
it keep up, do you suppose?"
Months, perhaps, Doctor Bennett |
says. He hasn't told Joe that, though"
"Monthsl" Trix echoed, aghast.
"That'll drive him crazy"
81 don't know what it'll drive him
to-" said Jennie.
"And 1 suppose" Beatrice said,
roughly, "you think it's all my fault"
Jennie didn't answer at once. 81
wish l did," she said at last. Its
my fault, a good deal Of it. That's
what's worrying me-"
Because you didn't play detective,
yourself, and find out about George
before dad came home? What diff
ference would that have made? You
came nearer succeeding the way you
tried. You almost made it. If you'd
cared about me a little more-enough
so you had to ask queStions-oh, it
would have come to the same thing in
the end. guess, whatever anybody
did Only, Jennie, you told me once
1t was the first real talk we ever had
you weren't an old
maid, exactly. I've thought of that
since, and wondered what you meant
Dy it. 1 don't suppose you'd care to
ell me that now, feeling about Inc
he way you do"
She paused there, tentatively, but
Jennie volunteered nothing. She took
he girls two arms for a moment in
| tight grip. I'm glad you said that,
Beatrice. I'm on your fathers side |
more than ever. He's going to need |
Ill the help he can get Whatever ] {
lo'll be done for him. All the same, [
wish you luck, and l hope you're go I
ng to be happy. You are. l suppose {
low." S
Yes, am" The words were unin-
ected, and her laugh acknowledged l
low dubious they had sounded. Il a
nean," she explained. Il don't know
whether happy's the exact word or J
ot. I'm glad l did it. I'd be glad, h
ven if ii YVES all going to end in a o
rash, half an hour from now out y
here on the lake front, when George p
cts in from Cleveland Because it's fl
cen something, already, that I'd never L
ave been quite-alive without But a
fe's kind of funny, isn't it? Funnier s.
IAN any one ever tells you. You have
} 90 ahead and find it out for your h
Elf" h
She wasn't asking for sympathy,
lough, as she made clear by rising is
ON the corner of the desk and NOV OF
lg away little. I'm goin to W
'hool, again." she added, in a bright tC
note. George isn't crazy about 2,
aving me do it, but | tell him I'd in
} crazy If l didn't. What I'd really
ke is to learn to drive a plane and III
en get a job, myself. in the mail. I'd I'll
t the Omaha run, you see, and then lie
e could come sailing in from oppo- dl
tie directions at the same time, and to
I'VE our two days off, together here w
gives George fits to have me talk tn