Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1927-12-26
XIV


Now that they were actually com
ing. Bob felt that the whole thing
was q mistake. He moved ~uneasily
about the vast. softly-lighted living
room, and tried f~utilciy to vision
Todd shannon and Kathleen in that
environment.
Peter Borden was seated in his
favorite chair under the reading
lamp, absorbed in the days market
news. He had said little, but Bob
felt a surge Of gr~atitude--the first
hint of kindness toward the older
man-when he saw that dinner
clothes had been eschewed for this
particular occasion. And Lois-aIl
that Bob could tell was that she
was simply and quietly dressed; he
was too entirely n man TO understand
the hours Of m~eticulous care which
had gone into her toilet. nor could
he know that she had studied
scrupulously every detail Of her raw
ishing simplicity.
No one was happy or at ease. Bor-
den's thin dace was in~scrutable:
Lois was Bob was frankly
regTctful. His invitation % Todd
and Kathleen had been n gesture OF
defiance-as he explained % Todd Mt
the time. They're bluffing, and I'm
calling their bluff"
But they had not been birffing.
and Bob was impressed By their calm
acceptance OF the fact that they were
spending this evening in their own
home, with his former ccllmate and
the niece Of the ~ex-convict. Borden
merely said that he was glad Bob
had invited his friends; Lois actual
ly was glad. This vas her first
and only-opportunity 10 meet Kath-
leen Shannon, of whom she had
heard So much. She was prepared 70
hate the girl-and TO treat her nice
~. After all; she was, in a certain
way. an ally In the rehabilitation Of
Bob Terry.
Chiefly, however. Lois was curl
Gus. What manner Of girl was
this who was niece OF m ~ex-convict
and private secretary 10 the shrewd-
est political manipulation IN the
state What was the bond between
her and Bobs
Lois did not know exactly What
she expected; a rather loud creature,
OF course. and one %untutorcd In -.
eial niceties. All her life Lofs Aac
been sheltered from the ruder 60.
facts; persons existing on Kathleen's
plane had been creatures Of hearsay
whom she had never been sufficient.
" interested in to investigate. And
Lois was entirely too human a apcr-
son-and too wise a ne-no 20 real.
ize that In her first meeting unde,
the eve Of Bob Terry, she had nj
the advantages Of her own back.
ground. She belonged here IN this
modest luxury; Kathleen would bV
entirely out OF her element.
At first Todd violently opposed the
visit. But to his amazement. Kath.
leen over7owered him. And Todd was
too ponderous q thinker to analyzt
her reasons.
Kathleen was engaged 70 Bob Ter
ry-and with a woman's intuition
sac sensed a dangerous rival in Lois
not SO much because OF what Rot
said about her as because Of wnaI
he did not cay. She, too, had noticec
the change in him since regular
work IN Carmody's office had re.
stored a measure Of his self-respeet
Before. he had avoided Lois juss AZ
he had avoided every one who mlgh,
BY any chance have ~patronized him
Now he was seeing more Of her, and
enjoying her companionship.
What Kathleen believed was faI
from r~eassuring. She learned that
in the old days Bob had worshipped
Lois from afar-the attraction OF the
clerk Tor the beautiful daughter OF
his wealthy employer. That there hac
been nothing personal in their con,
tact-that they had moved Oh dif.
ferent social planes-were things Il
worry about because the change had
been so radical.
Now they were in daily contact In
the intimacy OF a home shared. She
knew BY hints from Bob that Lois
was almost too vitality interested In
has career. She was sufficiently well
versed In masculin Psychology IL
understand the tonic effect OF asso.
citation that Lois was d~ramatizinp
Bob beyond all reason. and she
knew that he could not remain in
different to her acceptance Of hin
As an intimate.
AnS 50 she prepared for the visit
in a spirit Of desperation. She loved
Bob with a love deeper than III
could possibly understand. He hao
reused in her All the mother instinr.
and had famed into flame the Ions
dormant woman. he was q powerful
and appealing figure. and he was
her kind She suffered with him
because she knew how deep the cut
had been. She saw him as he was
before he went 10 prison. responsive
20 the slightest impression. Ever
yet he was imnressi0aahle to am IN.
usual degree. but only Kathleen truly
understood the agony that he had
suffered. And onyi she knew how ~
would inevitably respond TO the in.
flnence az . girl who had once beer
= fairy dream.
The doorheii rang and Peter Dor
den rose. Bob again experienced Z
sense Of gratitude toward the mar
whom ~ hated ne appreciated the
thought which caused Borden "a
greet their guests instead OF con.
fronting them with the dignified Zig.
uFe On Croesns.
Bob and Lois followed TIE elder
man into the reception hall. They
saw him open the door. Todd Shan
mons tremendous figure hulked there.
He was clad In a new and vivid suit
Of reddish brown and he was twisting
q felt hat in his enormous hands,
Mister Borden lire here?"