Evening star., 1929-06-30

why not?"
"Wel, tomorrow's the thirteenth. wouldn't
marry anybody on thirteenth. The next day
is Friday and Friday is almost as unlucky as
thirteenth. Saturday I'll be busy and city hall
is closed on Sunday. Make it Monday. That
win give you time to prepare your old man for
everything. You'll be leaving town Monday.
too. Tell him that
Leaving town? What for?"
Honeymoon, of course. Well hop in the old
puddle jumper and tour West. What do you
say?"
20 K"
GO that was settled. She was going to marry
- Nicky. Their life together would begin with
an adventurous honeymoon. With Jack 1t
wouldn't have been an extensive motor trip
suggested casually. 1t would have been week
at Niagara Falls, managed after much arrang-
ing and saving. No use talking, Ncky was the
works
It was easy to give Miss Mills notice that she
wouldn't be back to the office after Saturday.
It was easy to tell her sister that she wanted a
new dress ready by Monday morning, but it
was tough to tell dad
He was nice fellow. 1t made Sheba little
sick to serve notice on him all in lump that
she was going away for an indefinite stay with
q man he didn't know.
why. daughter, I'm surprised" he said.
@Gosh I thought you and the Daugherty boy
were all set. He's a good fellow. Are you sure
you've chosen one as good?"
"Oh Jack isn't in it with Nicky, papa. Nickys
Q peach
Shebas father shook his head. "I hope so.
honey" he said. But, honest, wish I'd had
q chance to look him over. suppose you
know best, though. You're the one that has
to love him."
Sheba turned her eyes away from her ia
theirs face. She didn't like the bright gleam
I'm the old fellows eyes. She had funny. en-
barrassed feeling that there was an unusual
wet brightness in her own eyes. Gee, the old
fellow was stin the same person who years ago
had given up good ONCE job and had taken
piece-work to do at home, just to be near his
two motherlesS kids. He could have showed
them into day-nursery, but he had never
wanted TO trust them to strangers. 1t must
hurt him now
"Youn see, pa. you'll Ike Nicky Don't
worry that he amt all right. He's fine, honest.
Just remember pa there was time when you'd
never met Jack Daugherty. See?"
yes, suppose I'm fool. Well. see If your
Nicky won't come and have dinner with us
Sunday night"
Nicky wouldn't. He explained that he had
ordered very special dinner to be prepared in
his fayorite restaurant.
And" he added "IIl always have time to
meet your old man when we come back to
town"
Silcoa was. disappointed. Not because she
was anxious to have Nicky in the heart of her
family but she thought it would make her fa-
ther more contented, If he could see what
really nice fellow Nicky was. Then, too. a spe-
cial dinner in one Of Nickys pet restaurants
was no picnic for Sheba. She was suspicious
of foreign cooking. She liked to know what
she eating.
But after ALL it was no special dinner She
saw at once that Nicky had lied to her. The
proprietor Of the little restaurant had not espe-
cially expected Nicky, and they ordered as
usual from the smeary menu. cards. Sheba did
not upbraid Nicky for the deception. There
was never any use in upbraiding Nicky He
would just fix Sheba with q cold stare admit
his guilt, and then inquire: do you want to
make fight out of it?"
And, of course, she never did
After dinner they went downtown There
was cigar store, one Of chain of cigar
stores ON Columbus Square, that had been
robbed the preceding night. The clerk had
been killed, and some four hundred dollars in
cash stolen. Nicky wanted to go take look
at the plundered store.
Gee, you think of pleasant ways to spend
Sunday evening" Sheba said
We'll only be there few minutes" Nicky
promised And then you know what we'll do?
Wen go to one Of the picture palaces How
about it?"
"All right"
There were other people grouped about the
store staring curously at the scene of the
crime. young blond man was dispensing ci-
gars and cigarettes swiftly and silently His
manner did not encourage questions or COM
mentS.
Huh" said Nicky. "He needn't look SO su-
perior. Hedve been dead today If he'd been
on this job last night"
Sheba shuddered. Don't be so tough about
1t. Nicky. Maybe that poor other guy had a
wife or sweetie who was crazy about him."
man on the curb turned at Sheba's words
and looked at Nicky. He came toward them.
Hello, Nick" he said. He had a genial
face. and q tall, strong looking frame.