San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1925-11-01

help. ii she ot1efed her sympathy
to Tina, whispering, as a woman
will, those platitudes which may
soothe a heart even'if they have
no practical value, Tina would say:
"Don't think of my position, Mi
randa, dear, but if you can help
him, 60 to him now. You are so
clever at figures and that sort of
thing. Pm as hopeless as a baby
when they are concerned. Besides,
Pm shaping my own course in this
other wretched business"
And if she went, rather rerv-
ously, to Humphrey, he would say:
"Thank you, Miranda. Pm beat
ing down this pile of worry; didn't
think it would be so simple, and
my agents in town are splendid
fellows. But. go to Tina and
give her all the womanly sympathy
you can. She won't let me help
her."
Tina's health didn't appear to be
affected by the troubles, but her
facial appearance was changing.
The woman, embittered by disillu-
sionment, looked out from those
big eyes where a little while be-
fore the laughing, care-free girl
had gazed at the world.
The voice was colder, sterner,
even suspicious. 1t was the voice
of a woman who had learned, at
last, that life had its responsible
ties, and there was the inflexion
which limited at tremendous cour-
age. She might have been saying
to herself: 81 have only myself to
blame for all the woe that has
come; therefore l am not going to
ask another to share it."
During those six days Tina saw
her father, Stuart Carteret, only
once, and then it was at Hawks
bridge" For some reason, best
know to himself, he had kept away
from "Wingrove," and applied
himself to business affairs in town.
But he had heard the many
rumours that were going the
rounds in club and drawing-room,
and there was fierce resentment
because it did seem Contemplate"
that the name of the Carterets
should be dragged into the hideous
mess. Confound this fellow Hum
phrey! Why the devil had he in
situated himself into the Carteret
family? Nothing but ill-luck had
come of it. He didn't believe the
wretched stories that were being
told of the incidents in Portugal,
but would rather have the whole
matter hushed up than allow it to
come into court and so endanger
his good name.
Tina received letter from her
brother, Aubrey. He was abroad,
but i'll news travels quickly. He
hoped it wasn't so bad as his CORE
spondent would have him believe,
but.
"Will you tell John Humphrey"
he wrote, "that I'm no end sorry
for the position in which he has
been placed. He has been a ter
ribly good scout and if my little
is any good to him-and God
knows it is little-he can ave every
bean it is. One thing, old girl, |
do hope the pater is in a position
to pay him back little of what he
owes him. Hang it all, Humphrey
has been deuced good to him and
all of us. I'd sell "Hawksbridge"
if there was no other way out Of
it."
Armed with this knowledge, and
what she had already suspected,
Tina asked her father for an ex-
PLANTATION. 1t was the first time
she had been told frankly that
there were financial transactions
between the two. Stuart Cartere'
wasn't prepared for the attitude
which she took up in the study.
81 owe him a little" he con.
fessed, "but surely he's not whin-
ing about it?"
"Whiningw she echoed. "No
one has ever heard him whine
about anything, although he has
been through enough lately to set
a thousand men whining"
"Well, you leave my affairs,
alone, Tina. You don't under
stand these things. The main
problem is to prevent this hideous
scandal getting into the courts and
the newspapers"
do you believe me guilty?" she
a ske d, harshly. "You! My
fatherp'
He shifted uneasily on his feet
ooh, don't drag an opinion out
of me-" he protested. ! should
say that you had been indiscreet-
nothing more. The point Is: how
are you going to save my name
from the mud-slinging?"
"Your name?" Tina's bosom
was rising and falling with omi-
nous violence. as that how you
regard the whole of. the detestable
business?"
Look here, Tina" he said,
petulantly, "you know me better
than to think can stand any mock
heroics. We have to look at this
trouble with broad minds. There's
absolutely no need to rush it into
print. There may be thousands
who'll believe your story, but