Evening star., 1936-02-05
CHAPTER XVIII.
NEW PLAN.

n ing before her and surmised
~ something in his eyes she had
i 4 never seen in Rob's during
the weeks of her bereavement, tender
compassion without pity.
"Id like to tell him." she agreed,
wondering at the sudden trust she
was placing in this stranger.
Always, we tell John," Tecla de-
clared.
Anne remembered Tom Farley's ridi-
cule of the fisherman's trust in John
Neuman. She realized now that 1t
was not because he was college man,
and spoke both the language of the
fisherman and of the cannery owner,
but because there was sympathetic
wisdom about him which invited con-
fidence and trust.
II need advice, Mr.. Neuman," Anne
continued.
You need food, first" interposed
Tecla, and ladled the fish stew into
heavy crockery bowls, cut thick slices
of homemade bread, disappeared into
a dark closet to return with jar of
huckleberry jam.
Anne surveyed her bowl with ap-
prehension, as she sat down at the
table in response to Teclas order She
dipped spoon into the Savory mess,
toyed with cubes of red salmon.
onions and potatoes which floated
about in the creamy liquid, then
tasted it,
Why :. . it's good" she exclaimed
with such surprise that both John
and Tecla laughed aloud
You think Tecla, give you some
thing not good?"
Heartened by The food, Anne turned
to the fresh ordeal of retelling her
story. But somehow, with the at
tentive John as listener, her troubles
seemed of less and less importance.
And so," she concluded, now that
know that I'm neither the daughter
nor the heir of Luke FarnSworth !
want to hide away until can decide
what I'll do with my future"
And this man. this Rob Crocker
away?"
"Mr. Crocker understands" Anne
said tonelessly, "he :. that is, we are
not going to be married"
But" Neuman was interrupted by
Tecla, who spat out word.
Weeks later, Anne was glad to FIND
that phrase in the little English
Finnish dictionary she was studying
but by then some of the heartache
had been numbed by time and she
knew Tecla had been right when she
classified Robert Crocker as gold.
digger"
But of course Farley and the
Farnsworths are going to want te
know where you are" observed Neu-
man, after pause. They'll probably
start a search for you if you DOM
tell them something"
II hope not" Anne said, and
don't believe they will They're go.
ing to be so glad to be rid of me with
worldly goods that they'll leave me
alone"
Il don't agree with you" he coun-
tered, frankly. Il believe they are 60
ing to want to know where you are
SO they can watch you. You don't
know the entire contents of the will
OF course they believe they can cut
you off from daughters share, pro-
viding you haven't been adopted as a
daughter"
What do you mean? queried Tecla
with interest.
When people adopt child. they
go before judge, and papers are
drawn up"
You see. Tecla," Anne, explained
further, tom Farley says there are
no papers and none can be found. SC
it can't be proved that I'm legally
adopted. OF course that won't mat
ter for five years, and within that
time may be able to learn something
more about my parents"
80" murmured Tecla.
Not that I care for the money,
Anne hastened to say, land if have
to fight for it, I don't want any of it.
Now all I want to do is rest and for
get about everything that's happened
But. If you think they'll trail me here,
I'd better go away"
mo" Neuman answered, too hur-
riedly, mo, you're going to be safer
Tecla, you had brother south, or east
or somewhere. didn't you?"
yes" answered Tecla, "he Is far
away. why?"
Couldn't you intimate that Anne
here. was his daughter? Our people
would probably know it wasn't true
but should any one ask questions
they'd identify Anne that way.
We're clannish people," he ex-
planned, apologetically, but If you'll
study our history you'll understand
From earliest times we were so sur
rounded by enemies we learned tc
trust only our own people and to build
up Notifications of silence against out
siders. They'll protect you with these
Nov the Lee Farnsworths, under
stand, have moved to Portland and
! imagine the Tom Farleys will spend
their time there. also. Do you know
many Astoria people?"
mo, I've scarcely been here since
I was a child"
Then we have only your car to
consider. OF course they could trace
ton had an inkling of who you were
when you screamed. She'd gladly tell
everything with Celebrations" He
thought moment.
How does this sound? You say you
were born in Crescent City. Wouldn't
1t be the natural thing for you to &c
there in an effort to trace your
parents? Then suppose drive youl
car down there right away. tonight
or rather this morning, as it's pas
midnight now. I,have a friend in the
garage business there. He can eithel
leave it in his garage, or drive it bach
to Portland over the inland route.
In this way, If the car has beer
traced. they will believe you drov'
along the coast road to Crescent City
and disappeared from there"
Anne didn't need words to express