Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1927-12-14
CHAPTER XIV

CHATTER XIV
The ebony face Of Iroesus was in
situated through the door.
-Mistuh Terry" he announced,
somebody has done Gait You on the
telephone"
Bob smiled slightly. Croesns was
one Of the few persons in the world
who could cause Terry's lips TO ex-
paid with hnmor-
ANY idea who it is2'
Dunno. sub Bat / think
Croesus lowered his voice and looked
carefully about the room-~I think
il was that lady frum Mistuh Car
mody's office
A faint touch of color redeemed
Bob's cheeks. He finished knotting
his scarf. donned his coat and wen
to the little telephone sleove in the
upstairs hall His voice was scarce
ly more than q whisper.
"Hello2-
Hello. Bob"
yes, Kathleen
mr.. Carmody wants to speak with
you. iii connect
Just a minute. Id rather talk
with you
NOW. bob-
II ~would-really. There are lots Of
things"
i cant now. Bob. Mr.. CsrmOdy
Is waiting"
when. them
Lunch? ,"
.Oh. Great, I'll be- Then the
telephone wah blank and an instant
later he heard a click and Carmody's
silken voice came to him yer the
wire.
Terry"
"Yes. sir"
Coming down this way today"
II can. sir"
How about sparing me a few min
utes during the morning."
Yes. sir"
AT once"
Eyes. sir"
Good"
The connection broke. That was
Carmody's way; superbiy courteous
and cmbarrassingly definite. But
Bob was not at all sverse. His prob
lem in the Borden home was becom-
ing acute and the birth Of a personal
interest in Lois had rather compli-
Gated matters. He felt the urge to-
ward a definite step; the inaction Of
the past three months was canker-
Gus. end IL John Carmody wished TO
see him
He left word with Croesus hat he
would not be home until dinner time
and then swung down town with a
step a little less regular than the
shufflinR stride which he had ac-
CURED in the state ~penitentiary. He
still walked with eyes downcast and
fixed but he was commencing to
understand freedom ana occasionally
he changed his pace if only for the
sheer delight of knowing that he
could.
Kathleen was at her desk when ne
passed through her office. but she re-
fused to talk with him. He stood
regarding her for a moment, and
there came over him the subtle diff
ference which existed in his rela-
lions with her and with Lois Bor-
den.
For three months he hsd been in
intimate contact with Lois. Yet not
until recently had he sensed her as
. woman From the very outset, on
the other hand. he had experienced
sex consciousness Of Kathleen Shan
non II was. perhaps. because h
gave understanding rather than sym
pathy: because she. to. knew the
dreary combat Of a prison problem
in ones personal life; because she
spoke the language that he under
stood-or perhaps il Was merely be-
cause she was young and vibrant
with hfe-and very beautiful in a
manner more vivid and picturesque
There was iron in her blood and her
nearness infused Bob Terry with a
sense OF power which he never ex-
~perienced with others.
He looked up 10 Kathleen. but Il
was not the impersonal worship
which he had accorded Lois IN the
old days before he had been sent 70
prison. Kathleen was disturbingly
real. amazingly desirable.
And they belonged on the same
plane. Therein hay the difference in
the quality Of his feeling toward the
two girls. Lois was a creature OF
lofty attitudes; Kathleen was a hui
man Of mis- own kind. He smiled
with \ touch cf hoyishness az he
pushed open ~Carrody's door and
entered.
The slender man arose and adj
vanced with hand outstretched. Bob's
fingers. themselves not large. CON-
enclosed Carmody's hand, and
he had the feeling that he could
crush every bone in the lawyer :
by a mere contraction Of the
palm. Yet there was something IN