The Waterbury Democrat., 1938-03-10

was ushered into a well-furnished sitting room where a thin-featured pale-eyed old man in frilled shirt and high stock was having cold cuts and tea before a fire.
 The serving woman made bob ping curtsey and said, with the watchful look of child bursting a paper sack: Your great-niece from Americky, sir!"
 Old Oliver Dart looked as if his eyes and ears had deceived him. Then, when he saw that she was an actuality, his face seemed to narrow and close in on itself, so that Polly thought she must be looking at a gnome instead of a man.
 She gave a shaken little laugh and explained, I'm Polly Chelsey from across the Atlantic-daughter to your niece Mary that married the American seaman in Connecti- cut, and died there"
 ITO what circumstances do I owe your visit?" asked Oliver Dart.
 Polly Chelsey bent her graceful long limbed body toward the fire to warm her hands. Her hair was smooth and brown, her eyes deep blue, her features evenly cut There was an unconscious dignity about her. Though she was but Is she seemed a woman grown, as any girl would who had been housekeeper, seamstress and cook for her family since her fourteenth year.
 She spoke up bravely. "It's as I told you in the letter you never got. I've come for my mothers share of my grandfather's money, because we need 1t SO My fathers had to give up following the sea because of stiffness of the joints, and my brothers been lame from a lad. We heard, roundabout, that my grand father Richard Dart died last year. Knowing he had counting house business and was Well-off, ] said I'd come for my mothers share"
 Olive Dart spoke curtly and with an obvious relish: "The property was all willed to your mothers brother, the proper heir. Very logi- cal"
 "Oh" cried Polly in quick pro- test. That's the way the artisto- crats do. The titled land owners. But my grandfather's case was diff ferent. He was city man, in busi- ness"
 "Yet entitled to make a will, my dear young lady. Even had your mother remained dutifully in Eng land not gone over to the tricky Yankees he might have followed the same course. But certainly she and her children deserve nothing as matters stand. I'm surprised you ever entertained such ideas. You look more intelligent"
 T took a chance" Polly said. and sighed. She had spent the family savings and several dangerous weeks making this journey; within ten minutes this tight-lipped, hard-eyed old man had shown her it was in vain.
 Don't let me detain you from returning to your lodgings" said Oliver Dart.
 ITO my lodgings?" repeated Polly uncertainty. Why, sir, I'm in this pred1ctment: my cousin Tim Chel- sey put me ashore at Bournemouth and took his cargo over to Cher bourg. He'll not be back to pick me up for several weeks. I expected to stop here till then"
 "Indeed." replied MT. Dart. Most peculiar Mrs. Broggs, set an- other cover and bring pot of tea for the guest. Draw up. Miss Chel- sey, and tell me what the dastardly Yankees are up to now"
 What the Yankees are up to?' exclaimed Polly coloring. "The Eng fish Navy, you mean! They're steal ing men off our ships till half the seagoing lads in America have stripes on their backs from British whips"