The Waterbury Democrat., 1932-04-15
CHAPTER XIV

NOW GO ON WITH THE STORY
CHAPTER xiv
Ellen's heart plunged dizzily. The
pulses pounded In her ears and she
could feel the palms of her hands
growing icy. But Larry, staring at
the rosy shadows on the hearth
stone, did not notice how pale she
had become.
"Poor Uncle Steven-to be mixed
up in q mess like that" he sighed
his voice a mixture Of pity and dis
taste.
"IIow do you know it was all so
wong" the girl cried incoherent-
W. II knew Steven Barclay. He
was a fine man, one of the finest
who ever lived"
Her feet were on the brink of the
cflasm; she would not falter now.
81 forgot that you knew him at
the store" Larry said absently.
still not looking at her. at was at
this store you knew him, wasn't to"
sit was at the store" she wills
psred. Her hand dropped in a ges-
t,ire Of despair. She did not have
the courage to go on.
"Don't get the idea I'm apologize
ing for him. honey" Larry went on
rsproachfully. II knew him, too,
ana loved him. That's why I'd 90
to any lengths to protect his mem
ory from the tongues of people not
worth his little finger"
.'What are you going to do.
Larry" :.
.Do? I don't know. I know well
enoufh what I'd do If could find
out who wrote this thing!"
Who could have written 1t? Who
but Fergus? All at once Ellen felt
a desperate conviction that Fergus
was the author of the evil message.
Days slid by in which nothing
happened. Two weeks - three
weeks and no more was heard OF
Fergus. Larry had sentthe money
toTthe anonymous claimant. Once
or twice he mentioned the matter,
cougratulating himself that he had
handled It successfully. Ellen. her
heart pounding. would agree that
he had done the only thing that
wa6 to be done. She was half-ill
from waiting and worrying. A sense
Of impending disaster was always
Win her. A dozen times she had
started to tell Larry everything and
q dozen times .asword from him, 9
gesture. an expression had stopped
her.
ahartment these days. He and
MbIly had patched up their differ
eitces. had even come to like each
other. Larry and Mike were close
friends. 1t was Larry who had
stood by when Mike essayed his
first attempt to walk on clutches
All Mikes women folk had beer,
ruled out of the room lest the boy
should fail. They had been called
insafter the first walk, was a tri-
u1fiph.
The apartment which was to be
Elfen's and Larry's home was deco
rated and furnished. Larry fretted
over the plain gold ring In his
pocket and with fits of feverish inn
patience insisted that he and Ellen
race to City Hall so that she might
wSar that ring, too. Always she re-
fused. The reason she gave was
that she had not met his mother
Although Larry had never con.
feesed it the girl knew Mrs Har.
roEgate had refused to meet her
she knew that the refusal dis.
tressed Larry. Thus the happiness
OF the engagement days alternated
\ with moods of black despair.
Then on a Friday three weeks
later there was a change. The
bllstery fall day began Just as an!
other day with q haphazard break
fast shared by Molly and Ellen ant
served on the card table In Mike'i
bedroom. Everything was friendl!
and homelike with Molly's chatter
Or the coming marriage to make 1
SO. Molly knew nothing OF thu
discriminating letters to Larry, knew
nothing of Ellen's secret fears ant
tremors. Ellen had thought it bet
ter to keep her own council. 81
Molly could rattle on, serene ant
confident, absorbed In wedding
plans.
"But there's Larry's mother.
Ellen offered in a subdued way.
sOld cat!" Molly said rebellious
", breaking a piece of toast.
eYou shouldn't talk that way,
Ellen protested though in secre
agreement. AFTER ALL" she adde
sOberly. "Larry's her only son.
"You're quite as good as he
and he has the sense to know
even If his mother hasn't. Our fam
ily-the English branch of 1t any
ways every. bit as good as tn
EIarrowgates'. even II we don't hap
pen to be in the Social Register"
%She hasn't been exactly anxiou
tosmeet me-" Ellen said.
sHere, use your napkins" MOL
spoke hurriedly to Mike. Return
ing to Ellen. she observed, well
Larry thinks you're all right an
personally I'd rather have my hus
band think I was perfect than hi
mother"
II suppose there Is something Ii
tl1At," Ellen conceded with a rue
fb1 laugh.
AZ 10 o'clock Larry arrived un
exbectedly. He was in the moo,
Ellen loved best. Bursting int
TIE living room he swept her int
III arms and did a mad dance.
'We're going to be married Il
two weeks" he sang out. Every
things fixed. And you're going L
meet Mother to-day"
&But-but--" Ellen stammered
ssHow ala you manage it?" Prou,
coIor stained her cheeks.
<Now Ellen. is that nice?" LAIR,
x>Iorpached. You'll have TO TAX
Mother an she u.s." he said slowly
11r,comfortably. "Pil be honest
0oftiug her TO come around d.