The Holly chieftain., 1924-01-31


don't believe / do"
She often made bets with Joe. and
not infrequently collected them, too;
but never when that CLEAN in his eye
warned her that he was proposing
sure thing. Those hadn't been blind
speculations of his about Annabel and
her well-preserved widower. Some
how or other he'd managed to inform
himself of the facts.
You aren't going to contest the d.
vOrce, are your
"Of course not" he grumbled.
what would contest it for?- oh.
I haven't been putting detectives on
her, II that's what you are getting at.
Only, il you don't want to be walked
on in case like that, it's just US well
to have something to bargain with. l
had Nathan get in touch with law
yer, perfectly respectable chap. out
in Pasadena, and asked him to look
up the main facts. just SO I'd know
where l stood. There Is widower.
turer with a weak throat. He's got a
| little lemon grove just outside Pasa-
| dena."
He got up with a spring. chucked
the butt of his cigar into the fireplace,
and fiexed his arms. "Well, he's well
come to Annabel. And she's welcome
| to him, as long as she doesn't try to
| get rough with me-"
you mean If AnnQbel doesn't try
to gouge you for too much alimony?"
Jennie asked.
NO" he said, "I wasn't thinking of
that. was thinking OF the grounds
for divorce she puts in her bill. III
look bad enough at the best. but
won't be made to look any worse than
necessary"
Why In the world, Jennie wondered,
should he care how he looked. 1t was
plain that he did care tremendously.
Then came the real idea, the luminous
surmise.
"Joe." she asked him suddenly, did
Annabel have baby?"
II should think you might have seen
that long ago." he grumbed.
"a boy or girl?" she asked, when
her mind had got into its stride again.
"Say! If 1t had been boy" said
Joe, "Pd have gone back. I'd never
have left son Of mine to be brought
up by-Fannings. Being girl, it
seemed to belong to them more. But
at that l almost went back, as / told
you"
Jennie reused herself at the end of
n long reflective silence to remark that
the child must. by now. be pretty near
grown up.
| "She's nineteen" he answered. 1--WE
never known her exact birthday. I've
always known about how old she was.
though" he added. "Her names
Beatrice"
Don't you know at all what she's
like? Haven't you any sort Of picture
of herr"
picture! Lord, no! l told that
Pasadena lawyer to try to get me one.
But he hasn't succeeded; at least 1t
hasn't turned up yet. Why, suppose
she must be good deal like Annabel.
She's sure to have been brought up
like that. Innocent. Well, that's the
way to bring up girl, all right. Do
you know those old-fashloned bouquets
that are coming in style again. with a
paper frill around them? l expect
she's a good deal like that"
Looking up at him. near to tears
with sudden sympathy, she saw his
face darken. 1t was SO startling q
change that she cried out, Joe! What
is it?"
"Can you see." he asked, "how that
child has been brought up to think
about me? They will have used me
as the bad man to frighten her with.
Your father will get you. If you're a
naughty girl, Beatrice = l can hear
old Ma Tanning say it. But where
stick is at that ID widower, googling
at the kid, paving her, telling her he's
her daddy now, holding her on his
knee. Not II / know myself!
'There you are. Jennie! Now we're
down to brass tacks. If anybody's 60
ing to be that child's father, I am.
That's what l wanted to put up to you
tonight"
you mean," she asked, after she
had lighted Il cigaret to give herself
the appearance. at least, Of calm re-
Election, that you want to take her
away from her mother altogether and
bring her out here to live with your
you've got it," he said.
''It's crazy idea, joe" she then
burst out desperately. But 1t can't be
done. Even If you did get her to come
to you, which don't believe you could,
what would you do with her when she
was here? She couldn't live alone in
this fiat with you away half the time.
And. anyway, the sort Of life you
| live"
"D-n the sort of life l live!" he
interrupted. whats that got to do
with her? It's never had anything to
do with you, has it? There'll never
be any parties In this fiat, Jennie. Not