The Holly chieftain., 1924-03-06
I saw tho.e women eacldlng things for

didn't care what happened" She
added. after moments pause, I'm
glad l found out about-Miss MacAr-
thur, though"
''Trix," he asked. "do ynu mind tell
ing me-it's just matter of curiosity
who put an Idea like that into your
head? 1t was HI of thing to do,
whoever did it,"
"Why, nobody did IT," she declared.
instantly, wide-eyed. Nobody but you
and her. The way you acted together,
her calling you Joe and knowing such
lot about me and telling You you
needn't stay and work that day unless
you liked. When you were supposed
to be her boss! And the way you liked
it. and wanted to sit around and talk.
l don't know. 1t struck me az natural,
that was ALL"
But how could it? That's what
want to know. How could you think
of a thing like that? Or don't you
know what it means?- l can't even
talk to you about it!
She smiled up at him, incredibly
composed, gentle with his embarrass-
ment Dad" she demonstrated. "am
l supposed to think you've lived all
these years since you left mother
like monk in monastery"
Had he been a mere disinterested by
stander, his fine ear might have spot
ted that line as quotation. picked up.
| reasured-rehearsed perhaps. AS 1t
,ro ~ hn IN
him. He stared at her in astonished
silence while she. having got the whip
hand now, went on:
you hate having me know things
| like that, and II l was going to stay
| with you suppose I'd have to pretend
| l didn't. l guess that's the real rea-
son l can't. You want nice little
girl, and don't believe l ever was
that. I always hated to be bossed. l
wanted to find things out for myself.
But everything they found I wanted
to do. they told me I mustn't They
were afraid l was going to be like you,
and they were trying to break my will.
They didn't. though" She paused to
smile at him. II guess l turned out
| IKE you, uller I'LL.
BLESS your heart |" he murmured.
His vision of her blurred with tears,
and at the invitation of her hands he
bent down and kissed her, she holding
him, for moment, in tight embrace.
Then she pushed him away and with
her palms bIotted the tears from her
own eyes.
II hated you once." she said, with a
shaky laugh. ooh, for years and
years. Because you left me there with
them. l didn't think was going to
love you when got your letter. The
reason l came was because you said I
was Of age and had right to decide
things for myself l made up my mind
I'd hold you to that. I thought ii I
got you sort of silly about me it would
be easy to make you. l didn't figure
on getting silly about you. But have,
and that's why I've got to go away
| again"
He tried to protest that this con-
clusion was nonsense, but she wasn't
ready to hear him yet. "1'n hate any
governess you hired for me. I'd hate
anybody who told you tales about me
or advised you what to do with me. I
wouldn't mind. If I didn't love you.
I'd get what ! wanted, somehow-just
the way always did at home. But
I'd be m-miserable-treating you like
that Because you aren't like them"
She was weeping now in a way that
made continued speech impossible.
She sat erect and clung to him. "Oh,
Dad" she walled. II don't want to CO."
Until she was quiet he held her
without a word, but when the sooth-
ing of his hands had had its effect, he
said, "All right, Trix. You win. I
guess I've been fool about 1t. 1
hope 80, anyway. But l can't let you
go. Not after this!'
Her eyes were luminous through her
tears. He'd never, he thought, seen
anything so rapturously lovely. "You
mean 1t, Dad?" she cried you'll let
me be real grown-up? Run your
house for you. and everything Like
Margaret Craven does Henry's?
He roared at that. and she laughed
with him. but at the end Of 1t she
asked, for reinsurance Really, Dad?"
"It's on the level" he told her, sober
ly. you can write your own contract,
little girl
There was another hateful echo in
that, and 1t was u moment before her
enthusiasm got an appropriate re-
sponse from him. She shook him by
the shoulders. Say you think it's 60
ing to be wonderful" she commanded
Yes, my dear" he said. II believe
1t is"
John Williamson surprised Joe by
coming to him with an idea about fax.
An eccentric gentleman farmer he
knew had been talking to him and,
more or less, frightening him about 1t.
He was a retired wholesale grocer,
Nicholson by name. and he had big