Evening star., 1940-04-16
CHAPTER xxx.

CHAPTER xxx.
The letter was in the mail box
when Gail returned from the hos
pital. She had found Chris weak
but happy. His father had been
there that morning, he said, and
they had had long talk.
I'VE seem to be closer" Chris
conf1ded. than we have been since
my mother died. You know you
were right about him, Gail All Dads
hardness is on the surface. Under
meath he is starved for affection
and so eager to make amends. He
admitted he had always liked you
and now there is literally nothing
he won't be willing to do for us.
Gosh, darling, I can hardly wait to
get out of here"
She pressed her face tender and
adoring against his hand And as
she did so Chris reached beneath
his pillow and brought out a box.
Dad even sent over some rings
80 that you can take your choice" !"
She said, "Oh. Chris, how sweet
of him. But Id rather you'd select
It,"
well do it together" he prom
ised. swapping open the lid of the
plush covered box Gail gasped
when she saw the glittering array
OF stones.
"But these are worth fortune"
Nothing Too Good.
Nothing is too good for my girl"
he affirmed. Come on, Sweet, start
trying them on. It's Dads con-
tribution and we mustn't hurt him
by refusing it. But I promise to
buy your wedding ring out of my
own hard-won earnings"
For over an hour they had de-
bated over their choice. So far as
Gail was concerned any one of
them would have thrilled her al
though in her heart she wished it
had been from Chris alone.
If John Reid thought he could
make up to her for the suffering
and disgrace of her parents. But
she told herself this was not the
right attitude.
She loved Chris and was going to
marry him. So that eventually she
must learn to love his father, too.
But no ring could smother the pain
In Anna's eyes or kill the thought
that John Reid's change of heart
had come too late.
Remembering it dimmed Calls
enthusiasm although she made an
effort not to show it and left the
hospital with the ring sparkling on
her hand. The letter was in the
mail box which Gail stopped to
unlock.
At first she gave it only glance,
then she saw that though it bore
Detroit postmark it was addressed
in an unfamiliar hand.
Tears Envelope.
Miss Gale Meadows" Even her
name had been misspelled. Gu
riosity made her pause in the mar
row hall of the apartment and tear
the envelope.
Her first impulse was to call her
mother. Her second, recalling Anna's
remark the day before, made her
thrust it into her pocketbook.
But Anna was not at home. Evil
dently she was feeling well enough
to walk to the grocery since the day
was unusually mild.
So Gail was free to 60 into her
own room and closing the door
reread the letter with hurt, un-
believing eyes.
Dear Miss Meadows: If you have
any regard for the memory of your
father you'd better leave Chris Reid
alone. Because If you don't there
is going to be more trouble and
more disgrace for all of you" It
was signed in the same slanting,
almost illegible hand, Blond Friend
of Your Fathers"
No Doubt.
Calls features were set and stern
as she cried aloud, Il don't believe
it. Some one is just trying to
frighten me-" But there was no
longer any doubt about there being
a blond woman in the case. Chris
topher himself had seen her. He
couldn't have been mistaken. She
had "a lot of blond hair" he had
said although her features were
concealed by thick black veil.
Sitting on the bed with eye
brows contracted in a frown Gail
thought of Hazel Stone, the only
definitely blond woman in the
store. But Chris would have rec
ognized Hazel Even with veil
The woman who had shot him was
q stranger.
Suddenly from the hidden cor
ners of her mind sinister thought
crawled. Supposing this letter had
been written at the instigation of |
his father who was only pretend
ing to be her friend? Taking ad-
vantage of the fact that there had
been a blond woman in the store
that night, and knowing as he did
that Chris would never give up Gail
BY presenting her the ring with
one hand and writing the letter as
1t were with the other she would be
forced to make her own break with
his son so that in the end Chris
would not hold it against his father.
After all, as Anna had said, blood
was thicker than water. Look to
what lengths Anna had gone in
accepting Chris as son-in-law
rather than run the risk of losing
her daughters love. But except |
for his unjust prosecution Of her
father Gail would have liked John
Reid.
Cold and relentless though he
might appear she guessed that |