The Dolores star., 1924-05-09

mall. / rot Johns check for thirty
seven thousand dollars, with letter
from Rollie Mil saying It wns what
was due me from the sale OF my stock
in the Greer company. went around
TO Johns Office, but couldn't even see
him. All / could get out OF Rollie was
that 1t was perfectly straight book
keeping; he'd figured 1, out himself.
well, that's what's in this other
envelop, Jennie. feel as II It was
blood-money. Something I'd sold Joe
for. And II there's any way 1t can be
used for him, l want you 10 take II
and use It,"
She told him. terribly embarrassed
by fear she'd break down and weep
over him, that there was no such use
for 1t. N"Joe isn't broke" she assured
him. He'll even get quite a decent
little income out OF the Greer COM
pany, and he's got more or less be
sides in various things. You take that
check, first thing tomorrow morning,
and buy Liberty bonds with It!
And don't SO on feeling guilty
about 1t. either. You didn't sell him
out. He said to me. when l saw him
last, that he had never expected you
to tell him anything" And after
spending few minutes more upon
him in argument and reinsurance, she
exclaimed, out of full heart, "Oh,
Henry, I'm glad you're back in the
I
have to worry about, anyhow"
He had begun to smile over the
touch of evaporation which was un-
mIstakably mingling with her good
will for him, when he saw in flash
that she wan seriously worrying over
some one else.
I'm going to have dinner tonight
with Trix and her husband. They're
in town and It's their wedding ami
versary. I've got TO make up my mind
what TO say TO her about 1t, or wheth-
er to say anything. OF course he's her
father, and
You see. Joe's disappeared from
that place Doctor Bennett took him
for his cure. Just-vanished. With
out leaving a trace Well, of course.
that's the way Joe would do 1t If he
did 1t at all."
How long agoT' Henry asked.
Tuesday; after breakfast, some
time. They notified Doctor Bennett
that night, and he came straight
around to me. Four days ago, that is,
you see"
-Four days" Henry repeated som.
berly. He couldn't vanish, could he?
There's lake right near that place,
isn't there, Jennie?"
That's what Doctor Bennett is
nearly out of his head about. That's
one of the things. He never killed
himself. Henry. I'm perfectly sure he
didn't. No. that isn't feminine intui.
tion. I always knew he meant to run
Off. He had me bring him n hundred
and fifty dollars in currency that morn
ing, on the quiet
1T strikes me as rather funny you
did that" Henry demonstrated.
She gave short laugh. at didn't
strike Bennett as funny. He pretty
near took Off my head. But I'd like
to know why I shouldn't have done 1t.
Joe's not criminal nor maniac.
He wouldn't have gone to that place
II he hadn't been too tired to argue
about 1t. He can cure himself in his
own way. Why, Henry. he quit drink
ing for whole week down there in
New York, right in the thick of every
thing. Then something happened to
him-he didn't tell me what-and he
began again. I think he's gone away
to cure himself now. Anyhow, he'd
never have taken n hundred and fifty
dollars if he'd meant to jump In the
lake. You can see that"
whats being done to find hlm?"
Henry asked.
The muscle in JennIe's jaw defined
itself. Not thing" she said. THAT'S
what Bennett and have been fighting
about. won't have It, Henry! If
be wants to disappear It's his own
business. He can go where he likes,
and come back when he gets ready. OF
course it's hard for the people who
are fond of him. but he never did
think much about things like that. For
all know. there may be a few people
that he wouldn't mind having believe
he'd drowned himself. But 1t would
never occur to him that you or or
Trix would think he had done that :
and the only thing for us to do is to
walt until he comes back"
What does Beatrice think about
it" Henry asked, dubiously. "Of
course If she agrees with you, there's
nothing to be said"
well, there you are" Jennie con-
fessed. miserably. That's why | hate
to go to dinner with them tonight.
You see, Trix doesn't know. She
doesn't know anything, l mean. Doc
tor Bennett would tell her In a minute,
of course. And she could give him
all the authority he needs for starting
search. But he doesn't know where
she Is. That made-up name she uses
when she does exhibition flying at
fairs and things wouldn't mean any
thing to him. if he happened to see
1t. And she's going to California In