Worcester Democrat and the ledger-enterprise., 1935-09-06
CHAPTER 8


"Won't you sit down, my dear!''
Mr.. Douglas shrewd gray eyes were
busy with her face as Helena's brown
clad figure sank into an upholstered
arm chair, crossing slender booted
legs.
81 was wondering" she began, III
YOU knew of any one who would buy
Jack-O'Napes and Fire Fly?"
The M. F. H. started, frowned faint
ly and fixed her with level regard
"Now look here, Helena, suppose you
tell me the truth. What's wrong.
Why are you selling off all your
horses? 1 know you love them and
can't imagine that you have to SELL
"But 1 do" murmured Helena,
with a wry smile. "I'll tell you the
truth, Uncle Jack. Like everyone,
got pretty badly pinched in the market
crash. The estate wasn't well man.
aged and so-welp it's severe case
of retrenchment."
COURAGEOUS! incredible!" gasped
the man behind the desk, lingering
a paper knife. "Do you mean to tell
me you've lost ="
"Nearly every cent-the house has
gone to cover losses" Helena spread
her hands a little helplessly. "The
e. 10
Then in low passionless voice she
went on to describe the disaster that
had engulfed a fortune, but what she
omitted to state was the fact that only
twenty thousand dollars stood between
her and actual starvation.
$50 you see, Uncle jack" she con-
cluded with tight little smile, "it's
nearly all gone. Won't it be odd for
me to be working for living? But
I don't mind"
Mr.. Douglas, in shocked surprise,
deliberately joined finger tips before
him. "Hum, I see, l see. You poor
child-working will come hard-you
don't know how hard it actually is to
earn dollar. Well, you can count on
me to do what 1 can. Yes, it seems
most everybody was hurt in that
crash. I don't think that there was
a cent left in town. but it can't
be as bad as I thought A miracles
happened, for young Houghton seems
to have found the money he needed
to stave off bankruptcy =. they tell
me he's making arrangements to settle
up his debts next Wednesday," An
enthusiastic smile lit the M. F. HIS
grave features. "There's fine boy!
1 tell you, Helena, it shows that
Peters got true friends! Not one
man in thousand could raise so much
on his personal note in times like
these" ~'--- i" ~--''-' "''+-~ Ia
The girls slight form settled deep
er in the armchair and a faint flush
tinted her cheeks. "I'm glad to hear
it, Uncle jack" she smiled, ''tecause
Peters had long uphill fight since
the war, and he's so unselfish-"
eyes, but now things are looking
a little better for him."
The ash blonde head lifted sharply
and Helena's eyes became intent
"Better? Oh, Pm so glad. How?"
AS he talked Mr.. Douglas commen-
ced to draw aimless designs on a
scratch pad before him. "This is in
confidence of course" he warned. "but
you've the reputation of keeping
things to yourself. This morning the
matter of the Patuxent Dam was SUBJ
mitted to the State Board of Inspec-
tors of which I'm a member. Well
to cut long story short, we found
the James specifications to be of dan
gerously inferior quality, so we in.
sisted that he use much higher per.
centage of cement in his concrete"
"Ohv Color commenced to fade II
Helena's pale cheeks as she sat up
slender ankles crossed in front of her
"In order to meet the state safety
specifications" continued Mr.. Douglas
drawing a neat zig-zag, "Martil
James has to increase the amount o!
his bid good deal. So now, it's {
question of whether that increase viii
carry his bid above Houghton's or not
Between you and me-" twinkle crep
into the shrewd gray eyes as he say
the girl before him flush deeply, I"
think Houghton's got fighting chanc
to win after all. But we can't b
sure, James is smart and unscrupu
lous."
"Oh, how splendid" Though sh
tried to smile, a sick, empty feeling
was at the bottom of Helena's stom
ach. Had she thrown away Peter
respect and possible affection, all fo
nothing? 1t seemed that glacis
current was substituted for the bloc