The Dolores star., 1924-04-11

| Jennie iiNedly for moment. then
stopped and. bruskly, 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 | went
to your fat to see you, but you weren't
there, so | suppose you're still at our
house. II was one of Georges nights
at Cleveland and was feeling kind
Of lonesome He'll be back today.
about noon" (She glanced out the
window where n momentary flaw of
snow had obliteratcd the shore-lne Of
the lake e.)-"unless he gets lost in
that. So l thought, while I was wait
ing. I'd come here and find out. from
you or Henry Craven. l want to know
If made him n lot worse, hat night
went away, by quarreling with him. !
wrote him letter while ago that
thought perhaps he'd answer. and he
never did"
"He got it. 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,"
Beatrice laughed shortly. "There
was perfectly good check for
thousand dollars in that letter" In
response to Jennle's stare OF uEdis-
guiSed astonishment. she went on to
explain. "It was the thousand dad
gave George as reward. He cashed
the check for It, but never touched
the money. When he ran away with
me he made me send ii back. ] put
it in my account at the bank and sent
dad check for it, telling him. in the
letter, what 1t was. ] didn't much
want to, but George stood over. me un-
til did. But l guess If you tore 1t
up, that settles that. Only you might
tell dad what was in the letter"
81 don't think | will" Jennie said,
thOughtfully. Not for the present.
anyhow When his head gets better,
I suppose l will"
whats the matter with his head?"
Beatrice asked.
at aches" Jennie told her, simply.
"All the time. Night and day. Never
stops. 1t isn't a sharp ache. he says:
its just as If his brain was n 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
it keep up, do you suppose:"
"MnntbS narlpnS nnrtnr p.,p,,.
says. He hasn't told Joe that, though"
Months Trix echoed, aghast.
"Thatll drive him crazy"
81 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. 81
wish l did" she said at last. ITS
my fault, a good deal of 1t. 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 it. If you'd
cared about Inc 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
tosether-that you weren't an old
maid, exactly. I've thought OF that
since, and wondered what you meant
ny II. l don't suppose you'd care to
tel me that, now, feeling about Inc
the way you do
She paused there, tentatively. but
Jennie volunteered nothing. She took
the girls two arms for a 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 srme,
l wish you luck. and hope you're 60
ing to be happy. You are, suppose,
now"
Yes, / am The words were unIn-
hected, and her laugh acknowledged
now dubious they had sounded. Il
mean, she explained, II don't know
whether happy's the exact word or
not. I'm glad l did it. I'd be glad,
even il it was all going to end in a
crash, half an hour from now ont
there on the lake front, when George
gets in from Cleveland. Because it's
been something, already, that I'd never
nave been quite-alive without. But
ilie's kind Of funny, isn't it? FunnIer
than any one ever tells you. You have
TO go ahead and find 1t out for YOUR.
self"
She wasn't asking for sympatby.
though, as she made clear by rising
from the corner Of the desk and NOV
ing away Il little. I'm goin IN
school, again." she added, in bright.
er note. George isn't crazy about
having me do it, but l tell him ia
90 crazy if / didn't. What I'd really
like is to learn to drive plane and
then get Job, myself, in the mall. I'd
get the Omaha run, you see. and then
we could come sailing in from oppo-