The Dolores star., 1924-01-25

NO" she said thoughtfully, Il
don't believe l do"
She often made bets with Joe. ana
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 bllhh
specuations OF his about Annabei ana
her well-preserved widowcr. Some
how or other he'd managed to inform
himself Of the facts.
you aren't going to contest the di-
vorcc. are your
"Of course not" he grumbied.
what would | contest 1t for?- on
| haven't been putting detectives on
her, If that's what you are getting at.
Only. II you don't want to be walked
on in case like that, it's just as well
to have something to bargain with.
had Nathan get in touch with law
yer. a perfectly respectable chap, out
in Pasadena. and asked him to look
up the main facts, jnst so I'd know
where | stood. There is wtdower,
all right. retired Chautuuqua lee
turer with a weak throat Hes got
little lemon grove just outside Pasa-
dena."
He got up with spring, Chucked
the butt Of his cigar into the fireplace,
and flexed his arms. well. he's wei
come TO Annabel. And she's welcome
to him. as long as she doesn't try to
get rough with me"
You mean If Annabel doesn't try
TO gouge you for too much allmony?"
Jennie asked.
NO" he said, 81 wasn't thinking of
that. l was thinking of the grounds
for divorce she puts in her bill. I'll
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. II was
plain that he did care tremendously.
Then came the real idea. the luminous
surmlse.
Joe" she asked him suddenly, did
Annabel have a baby"
81 should think you might have seen
that long ago" he grumbled
"A boy or n glrlf" she asked, when
her mind had got into its stride again.
Say, If it had been a boy" said
Joe. I'D have gone back. Ia never
have left son of nine to be brought
up by-FannIngs. Being girl. it
seemed to belong to them more. But
Mt that | almost went back, as | told
you"
Jennie reused herself at the end of
a long reflective silence to remark that
the child must, by now. be pretty near
grown up.
She's nineteen" he answered. i've
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"
"Picturci Lord, no. told that
Pasadena lawyer to try to get me one.
But he hasn't succeeded; at least it
hasn't turned up yet. Why, | suppose
She must be good deal like AnnabeI.
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-fashiOned bouquets
that are coming in style again, with a
paper frlll around them? expect
she's Il good deal like that"
Looking up at him, near to tears
with a sudden sympathy, she saw his
face darken. II was so startling Il
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
naughty girl, Beatrice - ! can hear
old Ma Tanning say it. But where !
stick is ut that id widower. gooGing
at the kid, paving her, telling her he's
her daddy now, holding her on his
knee. Not if | know myself.
There you are, Jennie! Now we're
down TO brass tacks. If anybody's 60
Ing to be that child's father, | am.
That's what wanted to put up to you
tonight"
ict iu'hiir sllt dShtu, ulltr SIlt
had lighted II cigaret to give herself
the appearance, mt 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 it can't he
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 | live" he
Interrupted. whats that got T. do
with her? It's never had anything TO
do with you, has it? TherelI never
be any parties in this fiat, Jennie. Not
as long as she makes her home in it."
she couldn't live here alone in IT.