New Britain herald., 1928-05-09

 partners arms? He drew upon the courage that must never fail her, took step forward and halted by touch on his arm.
 "Niel. What is it?"
 "Chir! Go and tell those musicians to stop play
 It was like Chiri, unbalanced in her way with men, and yet so understanding and quick to grasp the the essential elements of any situation to move off swiftly and without comment to do as Nathaniel bade
 As the music came to an unmeodc end Nathan lel reached Virginas side.
 Please excuse her. Lionel," he said to the man she had been dancing with there's been something happening at her home and we'll have to go at once. Will you tell the others?'
 Purposely he had given Virginia few seconds to realize that trouble was impending When he turned to her he that already fear changing her fea- lures.
 Let's get your wraps. Is you downstars::'
 Virginia grasped his arm with both hands. People were gathering round them now but she did not notice. Tell me,p she demanded tell me- Mel, what has happened my father..."
 "l don't know for certain. We Il go at once.''
 He leading Virginia toward the door now. where he Chri standing with Vrgnias blue and silver wrap.
 In the car Virginia made him tell her of the mes- sage from Pounds, her fathers valet. One moaning, protesting mo- burst from her lips when Nathaniel tried to tell her that the could not have been sure he had not yet called doctor when he telephoned the studio.
 Virginia accepted his words in striken silence The drive home was nightmare of tortured uncertainty.
 \ man, evidently physician, lifted his head and looked solemnly at Virginia and Nathaniel when they entered her fathers library.
 That one look answered Virginia's question. The father she loved, the parent who had been both mother and father to her since the time, two years after her brth when he had looked upon her face for the first tne dead Until then his grief at losing her mother had driven him to far of the earth fighting his unnatural reluctance to look upon the child that had cost him the life of the only he
 Then one day he had come home to take up the responsibility of rearing his moherless daughter; and with the first grip of her chubby little fingers around his own, which trembed and her first friendly smile, he experienced poignant regret for the two lost years
 Virginia had grown up nurtured and protected by great love. With brothers and sisters to share 1t there was developed between father and daughter cOnlpanlonship that narrowly missed being complex in the life of both.
 Richard Brewster had made not the slightest ob- ection to Virgnias choice of husband He returned the liking that Nathaniel felt for him, and while many of his friends regarded the prospective groom as beneath Virginias station in life Mr. Brewster onl, smiled toeranty at their yelled comments. He knew that most of them had missed the indescrbable hap. pness of great love and he believed that Virginia would know it with Nathaniel Damn.
 His great fear and dread had been that she might love the wrong kind of man. But that fear had van shed when she told him she wanted to marry Ma thaniel Damn After that he had had but one worry worry however, consuming that it had shortened his life
 For years he had carried a secret burden, un- known to his world, except for few persons who did not talk of what they knew.
 The marks of his mental suffering showed plainly upon his features now, and Nathaniel thought, he stood helplessly watching Virginia when she rushed forward and threw herself frantcally upon the life less body that he had never seen face altered.
 For while no one dared touch her, so piteous were her efforts to reclaim her father from death. Then the doctors hands fell firmly upon her shoulders and he nodded to Nathaniel.
 Nathaniel half led, half carried her into the draw ing room, where she lay on the sofa shaking with heartbreaking sobs He tried to talk to her but she seemed not to hear him.
 It caught him unprepared with an evasion when she drew herself up suddenly and cried, "Nel did you notice the awful expression his face?"
 Before he could stop himself Nathaniel had said
 Do you suppose someone did something to him?
 Nathaniel read the fearful thought behind the stumbling words.
 Certainly not he replied earnestly; didn't you hear what Dr. Meyerng said? It was his heart, Vir- ginia; He couldn't have suffered much; the end came quickly
 'I can't help thinking that something terrible happened to him. she persisted. "Oh, Nel think of it he might have been calling and l was dancing and having good tme.'
 Virginia, you must not talk like that. Your father wouldn't like it'
 "I can't help it. It's so ghastly to think of his go- ing like this while we were so happy"
 Virginia, please. Here Doctor thank heaven you came in. Miss Brewster needs looking after"
 Send in the housekeeper," Dr. Meyerling directed Nathaniel. Well get this young lady to bed"
 I've given her an opate.' he told Nathaniel later.
 Nathaniel looked at him oddly, then spoke as it altogether natural death, doctor?" he asked.
 To Be Continued