The Holly chieftain., 1924-02-28


you'd better get new spare tire first"
Joe showed no sign Of noting that this
order of hers substantially protracted
the time she'd have to walt. 1t really
meant nothing to him, Of course, be-
cause she hadn't the least idea of ask
ing him to wait with her.
He kept her wondering about him all
the way home. He drove fast but with
unexpected care. And he made no
effort to talk to her. AS they turned
into Chicago avenue he nodded toward
a plain brick building and told her 1t
was another laboratory. Hugh Cor
belts. 'There's one of your bunch
I'd like to really know" he said; and
when she asked, with n laugh. 'The
only one?" he let the question so with
no more answer than an unsmiling
look.
She had to direct him to her house,
and something about his smile, when
she commented on the oddity of his
not knowing where she lived, decided
her to invite him in. There was a
dash Of mischief about it, too, for she
saw he didn't know how much or how
little she meant by it. "Oh, come in,"
she insisted. You deserve chance
to get cool after rescuing me like that
and it's only for a few minutes" But
not even the drink she provided put
him at ease.
Experimentally, with the rewarded
purpose of surprising him. she spoke
Of his daughter, whom he, apparently,
had no intention OF mentioning. MAR
garet's been telling me how nice she
is Why have you kept her dark"
But the surprise proved a boomerang.
After his first start he took time to
frame a deliberate answer which left
her gasping.
at wasn't because I was ashamed
of her. II was because don't know
where you and l stand. l don't care
what you take me for, n pirate or n
annibal-anything you like" There
was nothing humorous about this; his
tone was almost menacing. But she's
no-cannibal princess And If / can
help 1t. she isn't going to be taken
that way"
Nv p't"ii N''ii IL "i'ui iiliiiS ul''''rS
FOR having startled her. He'd spoken
out more plainly than she was used to.
but he hadn't done 1t wantonly. There
was something he wanted her to un-
derstand.
"Tve always been n law unto my
SELF he said. That's the only kind
of person l could be. If you're like
that, you've got to make up your mind
not to care a d-n what anyone else
thinks of you or of the things you do.
It's the only possible line to take, If
you stop to think. But that doesn't
mean that I've been satisfied with
everything I've done. I've done some
things that were pretty low-down. I've
treated some people that way. One Of
them was my wife. l deserted her
before Beatrice was born. Before l
knew she was going to be born. She
was almost year old before I knew
I had daughter Well, can't make
anything up to my wife. She hates
me; always did. I'm the last sort of
man in the world for her to have
married. You must have seen things
happen like that yourself. But I can
make 1t up to the girl, and I'm going
to do 1t. She hasn't had much of n
life up to now, but now it's going to
begin. The best there is-of every
thing. 1t may not be all smooth sail
ing at first. I thought I'd put her in
the same school your daughter goes TO,
but they've written to say they're full"
His skeptical manner gave her
clue. ''Im sure that's true" she said.
I'VE had to enter Dorothy at Thorny-
croft years before she was ready to
go. Everybody does suppose
that's why you thought you didn't
know where you-stoOd; as you said,
with me.
1.-THE trouble with you Is." she went
on after silence, that you think
you're still in the Jungle"
"And are you telling me I'm not!"
he asked "Shall l begin trusting ev-
eryhody?"
She laughed. Trust your friends,
anyhow" she said, adding, after an
other pause. "And don't let Margaret
Craven monopolize that nice daughter
of yours. Bring her up to see us Sun
day morning. Everybody comes, more
or less. to swim and play tennis. and
SO on, and stays to lunch" She added
final touch. "Ill see that Margarets
therefor you." she said
He made. in words, no reply to this.
but his look took hold Of her again and
for good long moment held her tight,
so that, once more, she felt the blood
burn in her face. She'd been kissed
with u good deal less intimacy than
that came to. He didn't offer even the
formal contact Of handshake; mere
ly nodded at her and went away, wear
ing his most brilliant grin.
The only thing to be watchful OF
was the possibility Of her having bad
influence on Dorothy. (VioIet had CON
vulslve moments of taking the respon-
+;1,