The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1938-01-21

the old dog was merely sick and
not mad at all, but when I read it
/ found Silas Gleason had said that.
Then had another talk with Bart"
"Just turned yourself into a
guardian angel, chr"
I'm no angel, Frank. I'll never
sprout wings. But I felt there was
mystery about him that wanted
to pry into. So I got out my pry
and went to work. Maybe that
wasn't nice, but I did it. Now,
Frank, I'm going to tell you some
things in strict confidence, and I
wouldn't do it if wasn't sure you'll
never spill one of them to another
living soul-Bart much less than
anybody"
Merriwell was uncomfortable. He
didn't feel like being made the
sealed receptacle Of Hodges per-
sonal secrets, but she went on swift
ly:
ALREADY, before coming here,
he'd made a flop in two schools,
and that had turned his father
against him. His dads one of those
narrow hide-bound men without un-
derstanding or sympathy. I'd say
he's a cold fish.
"He inherited money and never
did anything else to speak of. ALI
his life he's been living by a pat
tern, and he gets sore because his
son doesn't do so too. They don't
hook up very well. Bart's father
never had a wild bone in his body,
and so he can't get it when his only
hopeful flies high and goes into a
nose dive or crack-up. Every
time that happens he puts fire un-
der Bart"
"But Bart's mother"
"She's dead. He's got step
mother"
"Well now maybe that explains
it."
"But 1t doesn't. She's not the
kind of a step-mother you're think
ing about. Only for her Bart
wouldn't be still trying"
''Then you believe he's trying, In
za?"
Sometimes, but he's handi-
capped. He was brought UP as a
rich mans son and he's apt to be
intolerant. That's the way / size
him."
swell, what"
swat a minute, Frank. Let me
lay it all on the line first. Bart
went in for sports against the wishes
of his father, who never took any
interest in athletics. Now his ia
Their lays Bart's fiops to the time
he's spent on football, baseball and
other things outside the usual cur
riculum. And he's threatened that
one more blowout is going to be
| just too bad for Bart"
"But I don't see how I can"
"But you can do lot for Bart.
and all you need to do now is over
look his bad breaks and keep shoot
ing straight with him. He'll come
round in time. I've seen signs of it
already. He has admitted to me
grudgingly, that you're not the sort
Of fellow he figured you were"
"But you've asked me to be
friendly with him, Inza, and can't
imagine our ever getting on that
basis"
"You never can tell what'll hap
pen, Frank. Don't I know it'll He
was all shot over his failure to stop
my horse, and he gave you an aw-
full queer look when you said so
promptly he had done his best. The
story isn't going to sound so good
for him, but you can make it sound
better by telling how he tried.
That'n soothe his fallen pride a lit
tie. Won't you do that much, at
least?"
Frank laughed now, his spontane-
GUS, infectious laugh. "Why, that'u
be easy, INA. And I'd do much
more for you."
Laughing also, she flung out her
hands again, impulsively, and
caught his hands. ''Now," she said,
81 guess we've got those crossed
wires all clear, Frank. Let's not
get them snarled up again."
! ITO BE CONTINUED)