Plentywood herald. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1908-current, 1931-11-26

tSpcCltu NlollOI.
well, Trudy, If there is anything I
can do"
Ellis, I'm In trouble. You can tell
me what TO do"
Money, Of course He sighed. Every
body wanted money. but If Trudy did
she must have 1t. Not five hundred
dollars, but enough to see her over her
small difficulty, whatever it was. His
hand moved tentatively toward the
checkbook young Dick had coveted. He
was touched. Poor Trudy. She had had
her in a large soft chair and patted her
hand gently. Fifty dollars would prob
ably be plenty.
you know you can tell me anything
Trudy."
She lifted her eyes to his face. Once
they had been beautiful eyes, deep and
dark.
81 know that, Ellis. There's nobody
else I would tell. Only you. l couldn't
trust anybody but you. It's about my
boy. Jimmy"
Your son., Trudy? I didn't know you
had one. / heard"
The other little ones-went.
couldn't keep them" She moved in
pain. 1t was always pain to think of her
lost children. "Only this n lived-the
littlest one. And-and-his father died
soon after"
Poor Trudy," Ellis Harding said me-
chanically. Memory was having its way
with him, too, and old scenes and faces
came fitting back into his busy day,
disturbing his complacence. He could
even remember how he had hated this
Clement Payne when Trudy married
him.
1--WE done everything to raise my boy
right said Trudy. 1T was hard when
I had so little. I worked out by the
day, scrubbed other women's floors
saved every penny. / wanted to make
something Of him, and-and-I loved
him so much it hurt me just to look
at him."
He could not quite follow that, but
her zone pointed to the obvious.
Hasn't the boy turned out weN?7
1T hurts me because-he looks Like
his father. He is like his father"
"Trudy!" He could not compel the
shocked distaste in his voice and a
little triumph, too. "As bad as that?'
said this unctllous note.
20, Clement wasn't-bad-lot the
way you mean," she corrected without
enthusiasm. He just wasn't any good
He didn't amount to anything. He
hadn't any ambition" Her head
dropped as though she was seeing the
years spent listening to Clements
splendid intentions that were never
anything more than words. But pres
emily she looked up again and saw the
anguish in her eyes. That's why
hated to see Jimmy beginning to be
like his father. Not because Clement
wasn't kind enough-and lovable, but
because he never amounted to any
thing. 1t seemed such a terrible waste
Clement and I, and now-Jimmy!'
She breathed deeply and color rose tc
her cheeks. But it all had to be tolc
now If she was to get strength from
him. You see, Ellis, you showed me
what a boy could make of himself.
had your example right under my eyes
and I couldn't see why Jimmy-O, II
Just seemed as if he had to, when al
these years I was comparing you anc
Clement and seeing the difference.
wanted my boy to be like you, Ellis
She wrung her hands hard. 1t wa Sc
terribly hard to say this. Lying secre'
in her mind it had been covered with
reasons that were sufficient, but word!
were bold and harsh with a sort o.
cruelty to Clement, who had been 81
good to her in every way but one.
"Trudy!" He was really moved. Hi
thought suddenly of Dorothy, his wife
who had never said anything like that
She had always insisted that Richard
was a Wilcox. "Trudy," he repeated
gratefully. He felt his heart expand.
ing. He was willing to do anything
within reason for her. Perhaps Their,
is some way in which I can help YOU
boy"
That is why I have come" she said
and looked down at her moving hands
you can help him by telling me wha
to do. Jimmy-Jimmy-is in bad com
pany." Jealous mother love broke dow
her restraint. What might have SCENE
merely childish and futile becam'
tragic. "He has secrets from me! / don
know anything about him! He is
stranger, coming and going as he will
accountable to nobody"
In a rush Of words she told all he
secret thoughts, so menacing put int
language. That mysterious night worl
the locked door. And as 1t pouret
out tinged with resentment and feal
something within her changed as
chemists crucible alters color an,
mountains dwindled to molehills ant
she would have longed to have he
story back safe in her breast, but TO
the exquisite relief of being free of II
She tried to explain, stammering
Clement was like that, too. He neve
told me anything-always shut me Out
He was always promising that I woul
be rich some day. Promising! He want
ed to have everything without workin
for it, and in his day there wasn't S
much harm in that. They take wha
they want" She tried to stop, but tn
words kept coming. Everything she ha
been thinking for weeks and week
came begging for his sympathy and un
derstanding.
Ellis Harding played with a pape
knife and watched his own finger
tremble. He was afraid to look at Trud
for fear she might read what was /
his eyes,. That strange current Of CON
munication running from her mind 1