The Washington times., 1931-08-07
CHAPTER 43

CIpICACus
Man he come, and want to
hold Lael in park today" she
announced.
Dennis looked up quickly
from the sketch he was max.
ing.
what do you mean, Maria?"
Man come, and want to hold
Lael in park today" the girl re-
peated.
You didn't let him!"
mo, senior, never. You know
never do that"
What did the man look
Ike?"
He look all right. Nice
man, but Maria never let any
one hold Lael, when she out
with her."
Dennis nodded, what did he
say, Maria?"
"Oh, he say, this Mis- Cur
it's babby. I say she is"
Dennis and Dee exchanged
quick glances.
Maria, try to remember
now, every thing about the
man. His appearance, every
thing" Dee cried. She shouldn't
be worried. Nothing to worry
about simply because a man
had asked to holdSLael. Moth
ing to be frightened about that.
"He nice man, young. Nice
dress, dark, dark eye"
Dee deSpaired, but she could
get nothing more from Maria.
That was all she remembered.
After she had refused to let
the young man lift Lael from
the carriage, he had stood
there awhile, and then walked
away. That was all she knew.
The nurse maid who had at
tended Lael from birth was
entirely dependable. She knew
that. Maria was good to Lael,
too. Dennis had chosen wisely.
Sounds rather like Tony,
doesn't it?" Dennis said, when
Maria left the room.
"Don't-DenniS-"
Tony Will Come
my dear, it does, but you
must not worry. You mustn't.
If Tony is in town he'll probably
come and see you. Funny any
body coming up to Maria,
though, and asking if that were
Mrs. Curtis child-funny. I'm
going to ask John if anyone has
been inquiring." John, a Chi
nese boy, was the cook, and only
servant except Maria in the
household.
John Immediately came into
the living room. Yes, a man had
come several days ago and
asked if Dennis Bradley lived
here. Also Mrs. Curtis. He had
said yes, but that they were
out. The man went away in a
car, a big blue car. The man
was young, and had brown
hair and brown eyes. very tall
and slight. He would leave no
name.
Dee knew that it was Tony,
and that he was in Los Angeles.
She was afraid-she didn't
know why.
"Tony has a right to see his
own child, Dee" Dennis ad-
monished gently.
IT know, but why doesn't
he come and ask, as he should?
Why does he snoop around.
and 60 to Maria? I don't
understand-if he's in town,
and knows I'm here, why doesn't
he come here?" Dee looked
worried. She had not slept
we'll last night-worrying.
I'll see if he's registered at
any of the hotels, and If he
is, I'll invite him out. viii
that do?"
Thanks, Dennis. I want him
to see Lael."
But Dennis came back in a
few hours with the news that
as far as he could find out,
Tony wasn't registered at any
hotel And he had spent an
entire morning at the tele-
phone. OF course, he had
missed a lot of them, the
smaller ones. Los Angeles is
a big city.
Dee went out with Lael her
self that afternoon and sat
in the park. Maria had dressed
the child in it's best, and had
thrown over her a hand-quilted
pink satin cover.
He Doesn't Arrive
Lael crowed for awhile, then
fell asleep. Dee looked around
constantly. expecting to see
Tony. waiting for him to come.
At S, when he hadn't, she
wheeled Lael home, and the
following day did the same
thing. For a week, she was
the only one to take Lael out.
At the end of the week, she
satisfied herself that Tony, if
it had been Tony, had come
to Los Angeles for the sole
reason of seeing his child, and
having done that, had left.
John had said that the tall
stranger had never returned,
for he had been told to watch
for him.
Maria started again taking
Lael out alone. She loved the
child and never could do
enough for her. Every day
when she returned, Lee ques-
toned her. No, she hadn't seen
the tall man. No one had ap-
preached her.
A month passed and October
turned to November, a warm