Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1928-12-04
CHAPTER XXVI

1t was just n week after Byrd's
parents had returned to Jacksonville
when Pat arrived.
Larry's attitude was enlgmatical,
for he had seemed delighted with
the arrangement when they first dis
cussed it with her father and moth
err. Now he had grown grouchier
and grouchier each day over the
prospect of having one more person
in the little apartment. He would
wait until it was too late to write.
thought Byrd, with an agony of
pain wrenching her heart.
How in the world were they go
ing to put three people in tho break
fast a~lcove, he wanted to know. Pat
weuld have to use the in-a-door bed
that opened into the living room,
and a siXteen.year-old ought to be
in bed at nine o'clock, or ten al the
latest. Where was he supposed to
spend his evenings? Sitting in the
kitchen sink? Or take his books
and papers into the broom closet?
Pat was too young to be of any help
at n party, and too old to stay at
home every night. What were they
going TO do with her? Well, he'd
be darned ii he'd urn nursemaidl
He hadn't gotten used to being mar
ried to one person, not to mention
two! He wound up each diatribe by
wondering why he'd gotten married,
anyway!
Patiently Byrd answered every
single querulods statement.
why, Larry. | hadn't the least
idea you weren't willing to have Pat
come up for n little while" she
burst out, in fearful evaporation.
You told father you were going 10
be out Of town practically All the
time now since you and Jack de-
cided TO work the small towns
around the state first, and II would
be company for me-"
Silver sheets of trimming blue
water filmed Byrd's deep-set ewes.
That's another thing again." ar
gued tho augumentative Larry. "A
kid her age is bound TO want a lot
of excitement. She'll be dragging
tho entire neighborhcod in all hours
of the day and night"
Il can manage her." answered
Byrd, quietly.
"-umphi" shrugged Larry, with a
belittling shoulder. -Youi You'll
have just about as much influence
rs a fly with a monkey. Well. If
she starts going a pace, I'll take a
hand"
"-umphi" thought BYRD &c her
self. with a scornful mental gesture.
The idea Of Larry managing any
woman was ridiculous. Still, il he
felt responsible for Pat rs a mem
Der Of his family, who. like herself.
was expected 20 reflect only credit
on its male member, Larry's in
fluence might have a Christening ef-
feet even on the i~rrepressible Pat.
"She's probably got the appetite
of a yak" said Larry, %rrinning.
you needn't worry about the eX-
penses." said Byrd. quickly, father
will take care of that
Byrd felt q momentary resentment
that Larry could borrow money with
such equanimity from her father
and bubble like this over a little
added expense 10 the grocery bill.
Don't you really want Pat TO
Gomez" Byrd eyed Larry challeng-
ingly, for her deep love for Larry
wouldn't swerve her from her sense
of duty toward her sister. Perhaps
il wouldn't be so bad, she decided.
with sudden intuition. to permit the
tiniest little breech TO take place
between her father and Larry.
ooh, let her come Larry decided,
magnanimously, 'but for Pete's
sake, sec that she doesn't hang
around US all the time"
And now here she was. Or rather
here they were. For some ineXplic-
able reason. instead OF sending Pat
TO the apartment in a taxi, as he
had said he would do, Larry was
escorting her in person. Byrd could