Evening star., 1934-01-06
penthouse love
ONO SIOUX ScorberrY

like hLmself. Or that some girl will try
to take him over for his fortune.
And so, my dear child, you must
both forgive me for the strange thing
am about to do to you. You must be-
lieve 1t is because I love both you and
my son and want the best that life can
give you children"
Charity began to tremble so that the
letter shook in her hands. She real.
lied she was about to reach the climax
of Temples message. With a supreme
effort she forced herself to read on:
Il am leaving half Of my money to
you-the other half to my son-with
the provision that you are to marry
within week after the reading Of my
last will and testament"
The letter fell from Charity's hands,
and for moment she swayed as il she
were going to faint. A buzz of voices
came to her, and she realized that Sim
mons must be reading the will to Doug
Temple and the others gathered in his
Office. She struggled bravely to regain
her composure. She dared not go to
pieces there
Mechanically she picked the letter
from the floor and forced herself TO
finish it,
The money will not interest you for
yourself. That know. But am
counting on you to carry out nv last
request. I cannot think of your going
on through life slaWng in an office
or marrying poor man and living in
poverty. And you must remember ali
the things you can do for your ia aniIv.
Marry my Son-and do the best YOU
can 10 make man Of him. He NAV
refuse to marry under the provisions I
nave lald down in my will, but I do
not believe he will. Doug would not
know how to turn his hands to earning
MS own living. Besides, cannot be-
lleve he would disobey my dying re-
quest.
BE as kind as you can to him. Show
MN the way to happiness. Give him
q IaHllIy OF healthy boys and girls to
I'LL your lives with joy. Then when
my boy is old, he will bless his old Dad
LOT pelng crazy and willing a wife like
you TO him. God bless you. dear Char
serve" f---oS' 'ou Oe-
Charlty did not know how long she
mao sat with her head on the desk
When Simmons opened the door ue
spoke TO her softly:
Miss Jones"
one raised her head and he saw her
lace was mottled with tears. He closed
the door and leaned against il He
was almost as shaken as Charity In
ms 81 years Of law practice he had
never come IN contact with such an
Unbelievable drama in real life.
the letter. 70
Charity got to her feet and leaned
against the desk for SUPPORT
! hn
I ing faint and hollow. "Does-Mr lem
| pie know" AeiiI-
simmons nodded and passed his hand
perspiration. 'pf'0 Will
now?'' --- SoU see MN
Charity started. Panic seized her and
she looked wildly around for Way
OF escape. Simmons put his hand on
| her arm. O44
There's no use putting it off. dear
s. tou Two nave got 70 meet and
night 1t out sometime"
Charity sank into a chair and nut
her hands over her eyes.
Give me a minute or two-alone-
to pull myself together"
simmons nodded silently and went
ou-glad to escape. Any other girl
In the world would have taken out a
powder puff and rouge and repaired
the damage the tears had done TO her
lace. Charity didn't even carry cos
metics. Instead. she put her lead down
on the desk and prayed frantically for
strength.
A moment later a soft knock came
at the door. Charity stood up. lean
ing again on the desk for support, and
spoke through dry lips:
Come in"
In second Charity Jones. daughter
OF poor Iowa farmer, and Douglas
Brookhart Temple. 3d. born a million
aire. stood face TO face for the first
time.
Charity saw a tall, tanned Young
giant with chestnut hair, which stood
up. unruly and defiant as the fire that
burned in his brown eyes, staring
angruy at her from across the little
room. She was not too stunned with
the fast-moving train Of events to
realize that she had never seen a more
perfect specimen of handsome, well
groomed manhood.
Doug saw a tall. unattractive girl in
q plain blue serge dress. with a black
felt hat awry on long hair, which hung
IN strings around her thin, white, tear
stained face, gazing back at him
| silently. He was so greatly shocked al
the first sight of the woman his father
had selected to be his wife that he
forgot to be a gentleman When his
voice finally came to him he shook his
head like man in bad dream.
My father must have been-insane-
to ask me to marry-you. couldn't
possibly go through with it."
Charity recoiled as though Doug Tenn.
pie had struck her.
EfrrOr1 ff1ea II I-0I 4.
mingled distaste and astonishmeDt
there was no doubt what his words
meant. They ran through her brain
| crafty.
Stupidly, Charity raised her hand tc
her hair and tried to arrange it. Anc
she was suddenly aware that her nose
must be red and Shiny-her eyes wet
| from weeping. A Self-conscious blush
Of shame swept from her neck to the
roots of her hair.
Clothes had never meant anything
to Charity before. excepc>es something
to cover her, or to keep her from
getting cold. But in that moment she
would have given anything in the worlo
to have been well groomed-fashionab
gowned.
Doug Temple looked her up and down
and shook his head again. Then he
threw himself into a chair.
Il say. Miss Jones'" ne began then
you must see my position in this af.
fair. It's-quite impossible"
charity nodded miserably, trying tc
speak. Doug lit cigarette, still eye.
ing her with an almost amused i'm
pertinence. then suddenly he laughed
little wildly
Its funny, really! Poor old father
taking the trouble to pick out a nice
old fashioned home girl Tor me before
he kicked off. Mighty thoughtful
you ask me-"