The Dolores star., 1924-02-08
CHAPTER iv
The Cub

dehn. 1t contained the brief news ,bot
MS daughter had asked for the entire
thousand dollars and that he had given
II TO her with mlsglvings, and said tim,
she would probably have arrived in
chicago before his letter.
a week went by without news Of the
girl and then he became worried. Al
Jennie's suggestion he wired his wife
ana found that she was equally lack
Ing In knowledge of Beatrlce's where
aDouts. Two days later photograph
OF his daughter arrived and he was
astounded at the marvellous resem-
blance 1t bore to himself, II did no,
picture the old-fashloned girl he had
imagined, all frllls and lace, but
thoroughly sophisticated modern wom-
an-for 1t was a woman the picture
revealed.
Jennie's comment on 1t was straight
out. You'll find she Is duplicate
or yourself. Probably an explorer,
like you are. Willing to take a chance
on almost anything. just for the ex.
| element"
A few days later Joe gave his party
1t turned out to be supper instead
of dinner. At 1t Margaret noticed
! the photograph of Beatrice on her fa-
Tiers dresser-he had given up his
room to his feminine guests-and
| learned for the first time that Joe
was married. that his wife was getting
a divorce and that he expected his
daughter to come on and live with him,
mo telegrams today?" For more
than n week 1t had been Joes first
question of the butler as the man
opened the door for him upon his daily
return from the office, despite stand
ing order that any wire that came to
the apartment during the day should
be telephoned on to wherever he was.
Tonight Anson said, as always, NO
telegram. SIR" but the infection of the
phrase was different and Joe demand
ed sharply, "Well, whatT
"The young lady herself has arrived.
Miss Greer. sir"
Arrived? In town? Where is she
now?"
'In the library, I believe, SIR"
Joe found that he was trembling
The man had taken his hat. There
was no reason why he shouldn't go
straight into the library. but he hesI-
tated. "When did she Gomez" he
asked.
"Just after noon. sir. Around two
o'clock, think"
1.-TWO o'clock" Joe echoed. "Why
the devil wasn't told of itT
| At
turb you. sir. She said she wished
little time to get settled" He paused,
but Joe was speechless, so, after
moment, he went on. 'I assisted in
unpacking her trunk. She had It sent
down to the storeroom about an hour
ago" He added, a little anxiOusly.
"She took the blue room. l trust It's
all right, sir"
"Of course It's all right" Joe an
, swered curtly. shes my daughter,
you understand? Going to live with
, me- for the present anyhow. That's
ALL" he concluded. you can 60" He
, waited where he was until the man
, had gone through the servce-door.
Then, after steadying moment, alone,
he made his way to the library.
, She must have heard him talking to
I Anson, but she gave no overt sign OF
: being aware of his approach. She sat
= facing him, one of the evening papers
open in both hands so that 1t hid her
o like curtain 1t occurred to Joe that
p one didn't hold n paper quite so rig
3 idly as that when one was reading 1t.
! as that you, Beatrice?" he asked.
!. He had halted without coming very
I close to her.
v At his voice she flung the paper
I aside and sprang to her feet. Hello,
Dad," she cried. She almost managed
q the air of one greeting a familiar at
|. the end OF days separation. Her
voice. like Joe's, had startling
resonance and wide inilectional
swing. She added. 81 suppose that Is
you." She had tried. as before, to say
1t casually, pertIy even, but the wire
edge in her voice betrayed that she
was frightened.
He had expected that. what sur
prfsed him was that he was fright
ened too. Almost for the first time IN
his life he felt that he had to lock his
teeth TO prevent them from chatterinS.
He turned his look abruptly away from
her. but still, as he gazed blahkiy out
tho window. he could see the picture
or her. She'd come, incredibly to i've
with him. She'd unpacked her TRUNK
and sent 1t down to the storeroo'l''
She'd dressed as woman uresae'
y,ban she is securely at home, IN the
sort of thing they called, he thought,
n tea.gown. And white-sills stockings
and black-satin slippers, hieh-hee'eo
with straps. He'd find her ike '',a.
every day-unless he frish'eheu he'
off. .ono,be,
"Yes," he said. we're here together
ot last" Then, in order not 'o s''l
talking. he went on, You gave ~.
creat scare. It's two weeks since '''"
~ " LAWYER telegraphed you'd lett , .,,
| tot,