The Washington times., 1928-11-17

Eddie eager to make a good
impression was unable to think
of any brilliant reply. ! Merely,
he said, "Yeh2" inauiringly. In.
stantly, he realized, he had
sounded gutter bred.
Naturally, I'm interested in
you, Mr.. Regan." her father said.
"I'm interested in all of Marian's
friends--but I am particularly in
terested in you because ! under
stood you fought with Tom Free
man. That's true, isn't it?''
..If Miss Marian said so" he
said, feeling himself tighten, It's
true"
marian didn't need to tell me
-I gathered the facts when I
saw both of you the other night.
Furthermore, I'm certain. she
would object violently II she
knew how frankly I intend to
talk to you. Mr.. Regar. You
see. she is our only daughter,
and her mother and I are vitally
concerned with her friendships.
4 II Dc UO1IEEI Will yOu-LtIG IdCL
that I knew you were. in some
degree. Penfield Paradine's ward.
rather prejudiced me against
you."
Eddie felt as though he were
walking on eggs. He wanted,
desperately, to say the right
thing. In the ioye-stricken eyes
Marian's father possessed a dig
nifty. an authority that was al
most followed.
II heard about the feud be.
tween you and Mr.. Paradine--but
didn't have any part in it." he
said. earnestly. Mr.. Pardine was
thought--and still think-he was
q mighty fine man.. But I'm
not going to carry on for min
ute any feud he had"
In justice, to the dying gentle
man who had given him shelter
and bequeathed him a home, Ed
die Regan felt he must, at what
ever risk, say at least this much.
MIR. Thorndike. apparently, agreed
with nod of his head.
l understand" he said. / was
merely explaining my impression
OF you in the beginning, Mr..
Regan. When I learned that YOU
had fought with Tom Freeman
over Marian, / suppose-that
: impression deepened and / had a
pronounced dislike for you. You'li
forgive me, won't you. for telling
you these things while you are
my guest? I only want to make
the situation clear. My only in
terest in you, even now, is
through Marian. She likes Won
me-" ''''' -
Eddie. with knitted brow
waited for what was coming next'
Anything he might say. at the
moment, would be futile.
!. My tendency, I admit. fs to be
antagonistic.,' the older man
swept on. "But !. want also to
be fair il the doors Of this house
are to be open TO you-and thev
nave been opened-I want to
know something about YOU, II
want to know who you are and
where you came from for one
thing"
This was not a blow-it was
the cold. swift thrust of a sword,
Eddie WINGED inward1y, but he
managed to conceal the pane,
To crtnge was impossible.
I'm nobody. and come from
no place." he said steadily. With
out going into details, Mr.. Thorn.
dike, I think that answers your
question"
The other looked at him with
unwavering eye. "It does, per-
fectly. Also, your answer has
the merit of great honesty. An
other thing / want to know
again without details. If You pre-.
fer--is there anything about you,
or in your record. that would
make any friendship between you
and Marian impossible if IT were
known? Do you understand what
] mean?"
"Eddie's mind was now on edge
with alertness. Was there. in
. deed. any stain on his life that
, barred him from a girl like Mar
. ian Thorndike? Looking back, he
envisioned his spotted past He
! tried to be honest. There were
black marks that burned him
/. with an inward shame. He had
! lived the life of his environment
but he had. he hoped, escaped
In time without indelibIe stigma.
/. The saving fact was that he hao
confessed his past to Marian
/. the one person most truly con-
-