The Birmingham age-herald., 1924-11-30
CHAPTER VI.

v say WHICH was tH6 ulOSt LdhcH dUdCk dG
 the arrival of Mrs. Porter. The ex citement of the moment had kept them from hearing the sound of the automobile which Mrs. Porter, mistrusting the rough road that led to the shack, had stopped some distance away.
 Perhaps on the whole, Kirk was more surprised than either of his companions.
 A single unfortunate phrase of Kirk's, spoken in haste but remembered at leisure, formed the basis of this uncertainty. That afternoon when he had left her he had said that Mamie was the real mother of the child. Could'it be that Mamie's undertaking devotion to the boy had won the love which she had lost? II was possible. Considered in the light of what Mrs. Porter had told her, it seemed, in her blackest moments, certain.
 Mrs. Porter rapped the table.
 "Mr. Winfield I have no doubt you are surprised to see us. You appear to be look ing your wife in the face. It speaks we'll for your courage but badly for your sense of shame. If you had any remnants of decent feeling in you, you would be phys ically incapable of the feat. If you would 'unprejudiced spectator, may tell you that 1 consider you scoundrel of the worst type and unfit to associate with any but the low company in which find you.H A
 Steve, who had been listening with-.in4s terest, moaned protestingly, and rashly, for he drew the speakers attention upon him. self.
 'This person." went on Mrs. Porter indi-. eating Steve with a wave of her hand which caused him to sidestep swiftly and throw upN Nan arm, as had been his habit in the ring when Battling Dick or Fighting Jack endeavored to blot him out with a right swing, "who, observe, retains the tattered relics of a asconscience, seeing that he winces, you employed to do the only dangerous part of your dirty work. I hope he will see that ha hic In T.-Sb be feeling uneasy"
 "Ma'a amp protested Steve
 Of all her burning words, Kirk had 2iiot heard one. His eyes had never left Ruth's. Like her, he was trying: to read message from face that seemed only cold.
 His inattention seemed to communicate itself to Mrs. Porter. She rapped impera- lively upon the table again.
 "Mr. Winfieldr
 Still Kirk made no sign that he had heard her.
 "As for this wretched girl'-she indi- cated the silent Mamie with wave of her hand-"this abandoned creature whom you have led astray,, this shameless partner of
 "saym
 The exclamation came from Steve, and it stopped Mrs. Porter like bullet.
 Say, ma am, you want to cut that out. That line of talk don't go"
 "Nix on the abandoned creature,'" he bdIu WIIu ulSHlty' 1ou re OH tHe wrong wire! This here lady is my affianced wife!'
 "Whatw exclaimed Mrs. Porter.
 "Sure thing" said Steve. His coolness, the ease with which he found words aston ished him as much as his rapidity of ac- tion.
 T stole the kid," he said, land it was my idea, at that. Kirk didn't know anything about it. I wired to him today what I had done and that he was to come right along. And" added Steve in a burst of inspiration, 'I said bring along Mamie, too, as the kids used to her and there ought to be woman around. And she could be here, all right, and no harm, she being my affianced wife,"
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