The Washington times., 1937-09-24

plastic surgeon, also wanted, had
done a swell job on his face; one
of the boys passed him by in the
street without a sign of recognl'
ton.
But, besides he had completely
cut out booze, and was going
straight in the very place where
one would least expect, his home
town. which, 20 years before, he
had left and never put foot IN
since.
FRAIL WIFE
To be exact, 20 years, one month
and two days at six o'clock OF a
summer evening. At that pre-
else instant, Riker was in a hos
pital ward standing by the ped
side of his wife Jenny, who lay
with a tiny baby in the crook OF
her arm.
isn't our daughter wonderful?'
whispered Jenny happily.
sure, she is" mumbled Rlker
not looking at his wife, for Jenny
had the trusting kind of eyes you
couldn't meet if you were up 10
something dirty.
Like now, for example. Even
before Riker entered the hospital
he had decided to beat it. He had
been a fool to marry; a wife ana
kid were too much responsibility
for smart young man like him.
who wanted to see the world be-
fore he settled down. Jenny could
manage without him.
NEVER MADE GOOD
But Riker never made good and
for 20 years hardly gave a thought
to the little family he'd left flat
without cent.
He didn't want to think about
them, but it seemed as if he
couldn't help himself.
The more he tried to forget
Jenny and her baby. the more dis
tinctly they passed before his
vision; he finally felt as if some
outside force compelled it, always
against his will.
Especially was this true about
the baby whose name he didn't
even know. He began to wonder
what she looked like, what kind Of
person she had grown into, what
she did. She'd be 20 now.
He'd like to see her and find out
all these things for himself and
this desire, mild enough in the be-
ginning, gradually assumed such
magnitude that at the end Of his
two years seclusion it had become
an obsession with him.
Finally, although he realized
there might be danger in it for
him, he knew he'd have no rest or
peace until he tried to find his
child.
Again, he was aware that some
thing stronger than himself had
driven him to this decision.
FEW LANDMARKS
His home town had changed
considerably, but there were still a
few familiar landmarks, among
them Jenny'S old home.
It was shabby now and in a
country neighborhood, the new
buildings having branched off in a
different direction.
Under the name of Day, Riker
took a room at the hotel, then
browsed about, picking up a little
information here, a little there,
which pieced together told him all
he wanted to know.
Jenny was dead. Riker was glad,
for she might have recognized him
in spite of the years and plastic
surgeon. The kid, Lila, was alive
and worked in a dress shop.
Jenny had worked, too, continu.
ally at anything she could find,
bound to save her old house for
her daughter.
But, finally exhausted by her un.
equal struggle with life, she had
died, Riker realized, on the very
day he had pulled the bank job.
Funny, wasn't it? Riker also
learned, without asking for it, that
when her mother died Lila had
been heartbroken. for a most un.
usual bond existed between the
two.
The kid was all that mattered
now. Riker knew he'd never dare
reveal his true identity, for the
shadow of the chair was ever
present.
But, thre'd be some way to help
Lila along. She could give up her
Job in the dress shop. He'd even
do over the old wreck of a house
If She preferred it to something
nice and modern.
With dough like his anything
was possible. even the miracle OF
his becoming respectable citi
zen, philanthropically inclined.
SEES OLD HOUSE
He learned that Lila left fol-
work every morning at exactly
half past eight and walked the
distance into town, 20 minute!
along a fairly lonely road.
He decided he'd like to see hel
first, unseen himself, so on thu
day after securing this knowledge
Riker went to Jenny's old hom,
early in the morning and easil!
hid himself behind some heav,
bushes directly opposite the house
How well he remembered it
Even though now it was changes
and seemingly shrunken, tn err
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