Red Lodge daily news combined with Carbon County news., 1932-02-18

could be delaying him? Had he really
hurt Papa ROss-and what was GO
ing to happen She mustn't ask ques-
tions that couldn't be answered. The
same questions beating over and over
in her mind.
She must have faith. Dlckey would
come, and there must be some good
reason why he hadn't arrived before
this. Whatever the hour. she would
go with him If she had to leap out
her window and into his arms to
make It! Why on earth were her
bedroom windows directly over the
b~lubbering brook and the sunken
garden? One couldn't very well tie
a sheet and jump the rest of the
way down there-only to land soused
and wet to the skin! Ne Indeed.
Shea run away If she had to, but
that would be silly now. because ten
to cine she'd pass Dickey on the way.
anq besides Papa would be watch
ing h garage. and how could she
gft any distance without a car before
being caught?
Better, anyhow. to wait until Dick
ey and his father arrived. and Their
leave, with perfect dignity. naughty
and proud They had said they'd
stick together no matter what. had
MT they? oh, but surely Dickey
would come. And Hickey would
help them like he said. And some
day Dad would be sorry. And see
things in the right light.
Why were the walls of the house
built so soundly? Why such silence
erywhere, with only the faint tinkle
OF the phone in Papa's study ring
ing every few centuries? What
was the matter with everybody? Had
they gone crazy?
Was that the sound of a car on
the HpiNQufnu ~ nh xrrhxr nAnlIat4 rkn
see the front of the house? Who was
coming-or who was leaving, and for
where?
Dawn crept into the rose and APP
ple-green bedroom. and found Hope
Fairfield Ross sitting by her open
suit, her hat fallen to the floor. her
yellow head bent against the window
ledge in the sleep of exhaustion.
Asleep-but still dressed and ready
for the slightest sign, the barest
sound OF love to call for her and car
ry her away to happiness.
Long before Hope had succumbed
10 exhaustion, three men faced each
other IN the enormous billiard room
below the house.
If only the bride could have seen
or heard Hickey, with Dobson at his
feet, and Dickey by his side, pale
and d~isheveled. John Howard Ross,
RNi3tC Ills AAhC GOpBitDLOfIG IlTEDIdtc.
one arm stiff in his sleeve. and the
other raised with a vehement ges-
tcre that punctuated the snarl of his
words.
"And the behavior of the boy" he
repeated with a nasal sting that rob-
pea his voice of any human qualities
has only proven my statements
Drunk at the Country Club an hour
before he ran off with my child!
Drunk. n in a fist fight that has
put one boy in the hands of a sur
geon today with a broken ear-druml
He should be sued! | ought to have
him arrested! / wouldn't soil my
family name by entering into a court
brawl with him. My family will suf-
fer enough as 1t is with the publicity
Of this whole d~isgraceful AFFAIR.""
Il shan't leave until I see Hope,
just the samei' growled Dickey with
white and glowering obstinacy.
she doesn't want to see you! She
doesn't ever want to see your Papa
Ross fired the words back into the
boys face.
I'm have to hear that from her
own lips insisted Dickey for the
fortieth time in the last hour.
Drunk you were!" shouted Papa
Ross, not to be outdone in a little
matter Of repetition. Drunk, I say,
when you dared to run off with a
girl who isn't old enough to know her
W mind, Ignore her family, and
never so much as notify us of her
safety or her where abouts. Her
mother is seriously i'll as a result
from a heart attack early this morn
ing that has put her in a very grave
condition. And as for your behavior
when at last 0 got around to bring
ing my daughter home"
With speechless. almost flabby
twitchlng of his dry lips, Papa Ross
pointed to his own injured left arm.
I'm sorry-dreadfully sorry and as
hamed-but you didn't give me a
cried Dickey holly. i've
got some rights. You wouldn't
even"
you've got no rights" ragged his
with a snap of his jaw.
You're nineteen and she's seventeen.
You're minorsl ~Infantsl You have
no rights. either one of YOU, and I'll
never give you a chancei'
And I'll never believe Hope does
ut want to see me, until
But old nan Hickey turned and put
lis hand on his sons shoulder.
THAT will do, boy" he said tersely.
Then, with a weary Strengthening Of
lis huge square shoulders under his
oose-fitting tweed coat. the mo-
iucer turned somber Eyes on the
4