The Coolidge examiner., 1932-06-24
Henry Kitchell Webster
copyright Hhe BobbsJenN Company
c4Novelby
CHAPTER VI-Continued

girl had Snuggled down IN tllls
refuge and had got a little quieter
she added, You stayed and helped
him as long as you could. l don't
believe you'll ever know, even If he
tries to tell you, how much you
helped him"
rs Mr.. Willard going to help him.
do you suppose?" Edith asked when
she'd got control of her voice again,
That's why he wanted to talk to
him this morning, isn't It? To see
if he could borrow some money!
Il think So" mother admitted.
He'll have to get some from some
body"
Didn't dad try to get him TO 60
I'm before / went away?" Edith
asked.
Mother turned to look at her and
countered with another question.
Did he say anything to you about
it,"
"Not a thingr Edith assured her.
"Oh, 1t was just a hunch. / no
ticed Mr.. Willard never asked any
thing about the business. He seemed
10 be sort of keeping away from it
the night he drove me home from
the club. And then, / thought dad
acted as If his feelings had been
hurt, when they wanted me TO go
to Asheville with them. didn't
know why, then. But II he wouldn't
do it before, why does dad think
he will nOwT
"He asked him TO invest In the
business" mother explained. "and
Bert said, pretty plainly, guess,
that he didn't want to. All your
father means to ask for today, Is a
loan of a thousand or two, TO tide
him over. He'd give his note, Of
course. oh, well, Wen know by to-
night, I suppose.
For a while they talked about
Ediths trip and what had been hap
penlng at home, but the other sub
ject was never very far from their
thoughts and finally Edith went
back to II.
II suppose Jake German made up
his mind. at last that he wouldn't
90 In. Each one OF your letters
made it seem little more hopeless,
but you never told me that he'd
really turned US down."
"He never did" mother surprised
her by saying. mot in so many
words. at least. Only Ned made up
his mind, at last, that there wasn't
much use keeping after him."
(She loved it when mother made
that slip; spoke of dad to her as
Ned. 1t made her feel sort Of grown
up and free and equally
"Mr. Gorman's got something else
on his mind, just now," mother went
on. 1T seems he's going to be mar
ried."
The girl felt her mind go perfect
ly blank. Married. she echoed.
"Who to?"
IAN actress, l believe; q sort of
actress. She's in one Of the musi-
cal shows here in town. I've heard
her name, but I've forgotten it."
"Gosh !" Edith exclaimed. and
turned away to conceal the perfect
ly foolish grin that she felt break
ing out on her face.
She felt suddenly older-an in
credible lot older. She certainly had
been one awful kid when she was
working in dads office. Well, Roger
needn't worry, after all
An hour later, while they were
sitting at their meal, they heard a
heavy masculine tread coming up
the front steps and across the
porch; then, instead of the ring they
expected, the click of a latchkey.
They looked at each other, startled.
1T can't be Ed, can it?" Edith ven
tured.
Mother got up quickly. IT'S your
father" she said.
There was something simply terri
flying about having him come home
like that in the middle of an ordi-
nary working day. 1t was contrary
10 nature. The girls knees felt
wabbly as she rose and followed her
mother toward the front hall. where
he had stopped to hang up his hat
and coat.
She was near enough to hear
mother say, rather low. There's
nothing wrong, is there, Ned?" but
she couldn't hear the first part of
his answer.
Il thought I'd come home and
have little talk with you," he con-
cluded.
He did look pale and the smile
he gave Edith, when he saw her
standing there, brought a lump into
her throat. He glanced through in
to the dining room and said, I've
interrupted your lunch, haven't II"
"Have you had yours?" mother
asked, and he admitted, as if it had
just occurred to him, that he hadn't.
He'd join them in a minute. They
weren't to bother to get him any
thing special. He didn't want much.