Evening star., 1934-09-05
CHAPTER XIV.

n n AIDA, in walking shoes ana
| M shabby hat and coat. stepped
V out of the front nurses home
4 i one unseasonably mild morn
ing and stood for moment
luxuriating in the sunshine when she
heard her name called in stentorian
below.
Hi, Mazda, want to feed?"
1t was good to see Johnnie's homely,
dependable face She knew she could
always count on him as If he were
brother; more so, she amended
thinking of Stanley.
johnnie, I've got the blues. Come
over and walk in the park little
while and let me cry on your shoul-
der"
The park, which was just across
the boulevard from the hospital
grounds, had been place Of refuge
to Mazda more than once in times
of encouragement. She led Johnnie
to a bench in sunny corner pro-
tected from the wind.
"All right, little one. Dish the dirt
DR.. Casey of the celebrated bedside
manner will now give you the benefit
of his advice" He stretched out
lazily and threw burned match at
an inquisitive squirrel.
"You absurd creature! I don't
know any one more comforting than
you are, Johnnie"
Something really troubling you
Mazda? Something more serious than
run-in with Miss Burns?"
"Oh, it's nothing to do with the
hospital, Johnnie. You have always
been good friend of Stanley's
haven't you?"
Hes something of an egg. but
you can't help liking the fellow"
I'm terribly worried about him
Johnnie. You know he and mother
have been going through the money
dad left with no more thought OF
the future than the sparrow in the
Bible. That was bad enough, but
lately he has been running with a
queer bunch Of people and I know
he has been drinking too much. He
never could stand disappointment,
you know, and after he failed in
something he had set his heart upon
he seemed to 60 all to pieces"
mot much heart concerned in the
matter, was there?" asked Johnnie
dryly, and Mazda knew that he un-
derstood Stanley better than she had
thought She blushed. She could
confide in Johnnie, leaning on his
good sense and his affection for the
family, but she had not been able
to mention Stanley's sordid plan to
marry Norine Webb.
We'll. anyway, I saw him dancing
at a hotel with that 60-year-old
debutante, Mrs Mcintyre, and you
know the sort of poisonous crowd she
always has with her. Stanley seemed
quite one of them and mother has
finally got alarmed enough to con-
fide in me at the risk of seeming
to criticize her darling boy. She says
Stan is always at that womans house
What does it mean? He is so touchy
and irritable that we haven't dared
say much to him."
Aren't you unnecessarily worked
up? He is probably drifting with
the tide, just going where he Is COM
Portable and made much Of"
"I have dreadful feeling about
LIE WIlOl6 LlllIlS. bO yOu SuppOot
she has some hold over him? Mother
says he has been at her beck anc
call lately"
THAT is rather far-fetched, isn't
it?"
Maida's voice dropped lower. "It
seems horrible thing even to have
such thoughts about my brother,
but-she has given him money to
invest for her, quite lot, be-
lieve."
Johnny looked at her keenly, then
whistled.
That's it, is it? But If she thinks
anything Is wrong, all she has to dc
| is demand an accounting"
"Oh, I don't know. 1t is all some
sort of sickening tangle. We may
never know the straight Of it. But
mother says she thinks Stan is plan
ming to marry her"
"That old woman?" Johnnie showed
his CONSERVATION before he could stor
himself. Mazda nodded wretchedly
Johnnie patted her shoulder. ther
went on: After all, it may not work