The Holly chieftain., 1924-04-17

stopped ana. DruSkly, Kissed her.
"What came for was to make you
tell me about my father. I've tele-
phoned two or three times, but Anson
won't say word. Last night 1 went
to your fiat to see you. but you weren't
there. SO l suppose you're still at our
house. 1t 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 was walt
ing, I'd come here and find out, from
you or Henry Craven. want to know
II made him q lot worse, that night !
went away, by quarreling with him. l
wrote him letter while ago that l
thought perhaps he'd answer. and he
never did"
"He got 1t, all right" Jennie in
formed her. but he wouldn't read it.
Gave 1t to me to tear up for him. l
did-without opening It,"
DedlilCe lduSicu 1HeTe
was a perfectly good check for
thousand dollars in that letter." In
response to Jennies stare Of urdis-
guised astonishment, she went on to
explain. ut was the thousand dad
gave George as n reward. He cashed
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 check for it, telling him. in the
letter, what 1t was. l didn't much
want to, but George stood over me un-
til did. But guess If you tore 1t
up- that settles that. Only you might
tell dad what was in the letter."
II don't think l WILL" Jennie said,
thoughtfully. Not for the present,
anyhow. When his head gets better,
suppose 1 WILL"
"What's the matter with his head?"
Beatrice asked.
at aches." Jennie told her, simply.
f"All the time. Night and day. Never
stops. 1t isn't sharp ache, he says;
it's just as If his brain was 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
1t keep up. do you suppose?"
Months, perhaps, Doctor Bennet,
says. He hasn't told Joe that, though"
"Months!" Trlx echoed. aghast.
"Thatll drive him crazy"
Il don't know what it'll drive him
to-" said Jennie.
"And l suppose" Beatrice said,
roughly, you think it's all my fault"
Jennie didn't answer at once. ~
wish did," she said at last. "Its
my fault, 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 1t. II you'd
cared about me little more-enough
SO you had to ask questions-oh, 1t
would have come to the same thing in
the end, l guess. whatever anybody
did. Only. Jennie. you told me once
1t was the first real talk we ever had
together-that you weren't an old
maid, exactly. I've thought of that
since, and wondered what you meant
by 1t. I don't suppose you'd care to
tell me that, now, feeling about me
the way you do"
She paused there, tentatively, but
Jennie volunteered nothing. She took
the girls two arms for 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
all the help he can get. Whatever
doll be done for him. All the same.
l wish you luck. and I hope you're go
Ing to be happy. You are. l suppose,
| now"
"Yes. am" The words were unin-
fiected. and her laugh acknowledged
how dubious they had sounded. II
mean." she explained, II don't know
whether happy's the exact word or
not. I'm glad did 1t. I'd be glad.
even If 1t was all going to end in a
crash, half an hour from now out
there on the lake front, when George
gets in from Cleveland. NBecause It's
been something. already, that I'd never
have been quite-allve without But
life's kind Of funny. Isn't it7 Funnler
than any one ever tells you. You have
to go ahead and find 1t out for your
self"
She wasn't asking for sympathy,
though, as she made clear by rising
from the corner Of the desk and mov-
Ing away little. I'm goIn to
school, again." she added, In bright
er note. George isn't crazy about
having me do 1t, but tell him I'd
go crazy II didn't. What I'd really
like Is to learn to drive a plane and
then get a ioh n1ysplf In tho mail I'i