Evening star., 1932-01-31

HE leaned against the window panes
staring vacantly at the continuous
drizZle Its mouInfulneSs seemed to
have seeped into her being AS her
] daughter came into the room, Mrs
Clancy dropped to the putterlng' the
incessant staccato drip, drip OF the ram.
you're worried again, mother" announced
the girl
There's another rumor" she nodded, her
voice fat and emotiCnless.
ABOUT father Of course
.YeS These whispers are so cruel. Cruel
because they are always so false
some day one of them will come true
Whats the story now?'
"They say he has come back-that mes at
planeport working on the big new bridge l
don't believe it
MS easv to find out" The girl smiled.
"Hov?" The woman was almost herce WIN
the vehement monosylabe
WHY mother! 1 know lots OF good reporters.
It's their business to find the truth some Oh
them are stars like Reggie Richards. Ihey
keen going until they get what they're after
OH Bonnie I'd give my heart to kno"
he was hOme-at last.
1t was an cid story to the girl she hao
never seen her father, face to face lnere
was only an old photograph OF nm, a Snlllne'
volIne reckless giant, for her slim knowledge
OF paternity
But to her mother, aching for his return
after wears of silent absence, Pat Clancy was
still big boisterouS superintendent OF CON-
struction for a nationally known bridge pullo-
ing company He had been the typcally large
leader of wild men who webbed steel across
rivers and gorges Pat had been the widest
and the happiest of them all, a competing
lover a thouehtful husband until he vanished,
a man whom a wcman could never forget
Pat was her husband and the 1ather Oh
"Ronnie" Kate A year after the Weoomg ne
had led gang to South America where they
we're tn nut steel bracelets on the wild torrents
and rocky indentationS of the Anoes- CaVh
crime the young wife, remained at nome lha'
was the vanishing point for Paddy once OF
twice he wrote but he was not OF the letIer-
writing breed. No news is good news py lilo
creed AS the years rolled on, vague reports
canoe that he was alive, working in outlandlSh
places on the Zambesi, in Australia putting
steel in China. binding the rivers OF lHola'
Then silence Paddy was forgotten by every
body but his wife who shared her sorro" WIN
nobody not even her daughter
IT was Bonnie" Kate Clancy now who bore
the burden of the household on her slim
shoulders. This she did efficiently, smlhngly
and without trace of whimper- on the so'Aety
page of the Sentinel she was Nine. Iorgnette'
wise as to social news. When Intervening
priza fighters, evangeists, motion picture
notables or leaders of the D. A. R, she was
Belle Ringer, on the front page. good
woman reporter who did not chew gum, never
objected to cigarette or pipe smoke ana olo
not get in the way of the men
Looking up from pounding her typewriter
that evening. Kate caught the eye OF Reggie
Richards AS he came toward the door sne
beckOned him.
Reggie was the star of the staff. He had
that sense of the psychological moment to ap-
preach people and events that always got hlm
the news His eyes seemed brimmlng with
knowledge of things. He was lazy in move
ment with the SloWneSS of a cat always alert
to spring storing energy when not needed
reckless tilt to his hat, suspicion OF sWagger
in the shoulders, long, easy stride, ready
grin, these inventoried Reggie. He sat side
wise on Kate's desk, waiting for her assign
ment looking down at her. 1t occurred to
him, again, that she was a very pretty glri,
q nice girl No wonder her mother called
her Bonnie. .
Il want you to find my father" she said
TO him.
Huh! Got any cues?"
Mother has heard he's at Planeport, on the
big bridge"
"At planeport know Slosser, the CHIEF O
police there All right, IN trot along
Here's a photograph. It's too Old 70 pe
much good but it may help"
Lets see" looking at his watch. Ii you're
In the office at IL tonight, I'll phone you the
news"
DEGGIE was interested in Kate. He had
N eaten dinner with her and Mrs. Clancy
on more than one occasion He knew some