The Dolores star., 1924-02-29


didn't care what happened" She
added, after moments pause. "in
glad found out about-Miss MacAr-
thur. though
"TrIx." he asked. ''do y-ou mind tell
ing me-it's just a matter of curiosity
who put an idea like that into your
head? II was HI OF thing to do.
whoever did it
why, nobody did It," she declared.
instantly, wide-eyed. Nobody hut 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
10 be her boss And the way you liked
1t. and wanted to sit around and talk.
| don't know. II struck me as 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 II means?- | can't even
talk TO you about i'll"
She smiled up at him. Incredibly
composed, gentle with his embarrass-
ment. Dad" she demonstrated am
supposed to think you've lived all
these years since you left mother
| like a monk in a monastery
Had he been n mere dislnterested by
stander his fine ear might have spot
ted thnt line as quotation. picked up.
reasured-rehearsed perhaps. AS 1t
was, nothing OF the sort occurred to
him. He stared at her in astonlshed
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
| didn't. | guess that's the real rea-
son | can't. You want nice little
| girl, and | don't believe | ever was
| that. | always hated TO be bossed. l
wanted to find things out for myself
/ But everything they found | wanted
to do, they told me ! mustn't. They
We're afraid was going TO be Ike you.
and they were trying to break my will.
| They didn't, though" She paused TO
smile at him. 81 guess | turned out
like you. after ALL"
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 blotted the tears from her
| own eyes.
81 hated you once" she said. with
shaky laugh. "Oh. for years and
years. Because you left me there with
them. l didn't think | was going to
love you when l got your letter. The
reason | came was because you said
was OF age and had right to decide
things for myself ! made up my mind
I'd hold you to that. | thought II
got you sort Of silly about me 1t 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. I'D 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. II / didn't love you.
I'd get what l wanted. somehow-just
the way / always did at home. But
Ia be misunderstanding you like
that Because you aren't like them. I.
She was weeping now In a way that
made continued speech impossible.
She sat erect and clung to him. "Oh,
Dad" she walled. ~ don't want to 20"
Until she was quiet he held her
without IA 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 II. I
hope so, anyway. But 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?"
ITS on the level" he told her, sober
iy. You can write your own contract,
little girl
There was another hateful echo In
that, and 1t was a moment before her
enthusiasm got an appropriate re-
sponse from him. She shook him by
the shoulders. Say you think it's go
| ing to be wonderful" she commanded.
Yes. my dear" he said, "I believe
| ii is
John Williamson surprised Joe by
coming to him with an idea about fax.
An eccentric gentleman farmer lie
knew had been talking to him and,
more or less. frightening him about IT,
he was retired wholesale grocer.
Nicholson by name. and he had big
| place out on the Fox river. He de-