A New R omance of the Storm Country J
"(Continued from last week).
Could you think of me as your fa-
ther, dear?” he said after an emotion-
al silence.
“I'm not fit for that,” sighed Tony.
“No, no, not that. 1 come from peo-
ple who are not your kind, Cousin
Paul. You know that! Everybody
does! Then I'm not so good as you
think I am. First of all I haven't al-
ways told you the truth.”
“So my brother told me,” remarked
Doctor Paul. “Long ago he took me
into his confidence about the poison in
my medicine. I've watched you for
two years, Tony, and it seems to me
that I know every secret of your soul.
I'm sure you love me, dear child. I'm
going to adopt you legally for my
daughter. After this I'm your father,
and I give warning to my Captain
MacCauley that if he tries to take you
from me, he’s going to have’ some fight
en his hands. From now on, I'm not
Cousin Paul. I am—what?”’
“My father,” gulped Tony. “It
seems as if I couldn’t stand so much
happiness. And if you're my father,
that makes Cousin John—"
“Your uncle,” laughed a voice from
the door. “So Paul has told you, has
he, little girl? Well, Tony. you
wouldn’t have slept & wink one night
if you’d heard our argument about
you. We spent several hours wran-
gling which of us should adopt you. 1
said I should because I saw you first,
and Paul—"
“Has the prior right because you
saved me, Tony,” interrupted Paul.
“Now I think the family had better
know of our changed arrangements.”
Paul Pendlehaven acted as spokes-
man when Mrs. Curtis and her daugh-
ter, Katherine, had been summoned to
the library. He told them very grave-
ly that as his will now stood, his
brother, John, and his cousin, Sarah, |
were the beneficiaries of it. Mrs. Cur- |
tis smiled at him and arranged the
lace ruffles around her neck.
“You've always been most gener-
ous, Paul dear,” she simpered.
“But now,” went on the doctor, pay- |
ing no heed to the lady’s remark, “our
household's going to have a mistress.”
Katherine lifted her chin from the
palm of her hand, and Mrs. Curtis
straightened up. Were her ambitions
going to be reaiized after all? Was
it Paul who was going to put ler In
her rightful piace? The smile broad-
ened on her lips, and she sank back
with a hsppy sigh. She had tn ad-
Paul looked very band-
some, ves, even handsomer than Cou-
sin John. What a fool she had been
not to have caught him sooner.
“The woman you put at the head of
vour home will be most fortunate and
Lappy. dear Paul,” she murmured.
“1 hope so,” returned Pendlehaven,
and Doctor John pulled at the corners
of his mouth to keep back a malicious
grin.
“I'm going to adopt Tony Devon—"
Doctor Paul! had only time enough to
make this statement when Mrs. Cur-
tis jumped to her feet.
“You couldn’t do that!” she cried.
“That would be wicked, Paul, abso-
lutely wicked! Oh God, don’t do
that!”
Without heeding in the slightest his
cousin's bitter ejaculation, Paul Pen-
dlehaven picked up u box that lay at
his elbow. With much ceremony he
opened it and took out an exquisite
pearl necklace.
“I do not need to remind any of
you,” he said. turning his eyes from
his brother to his two white-faced
cousins, “that these belonged to my
dear wife. 1 have always considered
them the property of her daughter
too. That is the reason, Katherine,
why I've always refused your request
to wear them. But now 1 have a
daughter.” He turned smiling eyes
upon Tonnibel. *“I shall allow her to
wear them whenever she wishes, and
if—ir her lost sister isn’t found, then
they are hers—hers forever.”
A long hissing breath broke from
Sarah Curtis, and a gasp came from
Katherine.
“I couldn't wear them,”
out at length, “I simply couldn't.”
“Not to please me, your father,
Tonnibel?” demanded Paul, almost
brusquely.
“And me, your new uncle?” laughed
Doctor John. “Why, honey, little girl,”
tie reached out and took Tonnibel’s
hand. “don’t look as if you'd lost your
last friend!”
Then Paul Pendlehaven drew Ton-
nibel Devon to his side, and, when he
had clasped the jewels around her
neck, he lifted her face and kissed
her.
“There, little daughter!” His volce
choked with emotion, but he con-
quered his feelings and went on,
‘they're very lovely, very precious,
Tony, doubly so because you're wear-
ing them.”
“Oh,” she exulted, “how happy 1
am! . . It isn’t the pearls,
though they're simply great, but it's
that 1 have some real people.” She
turned a flushed and radiant face to
mit Cousin
Tony got
“Shadow
Sheite erin
PINES
by GRACE
MILLER
WHITE
conn 5 Cre HRIB-CVIPANT
lie =
to any claim on Tony.”
Wo cousins,
wifl in
Lhere—="
favor of my new
{0 marry my niece,”
Doctor John.
have to say, Paul.”
In silence Katherine and Mrs. Cur-
tis faded from the room. carryin
with them bitter
nursing outraged feelings.
new
ed Katherine. bursting into tears when |
they were in the seclusion of their own
apartinents.
yourself right
life. that's what you've done,
how I hated that girl when I
oline’s pearls around her neck!”
“What are you doing now?” thrust
back her mother. ‘*“Aren’t ycu crying
as if your heart would break? 1 tell
you tears—"
i “Oh lordy, tears!
they do?" came sharply.
are without a future, without a home!
Thar interloper will see we go the
moinent Paul gets out those papers!
Oh. what shall we do?”
“l wish that man—her father, 1
mean—was out of jail,” mused Mrs.
curtis,
. something, Katie.
out of Cousin John's
God,
What good do
Perhaps, Reggie—"
i
| will,
were eng thrust into the souls of his
“I'm going to change my
daughter |
“And I mine in favor of our young
Salvation Army captain who is going |
chuckled
“1 guess that's all we
o
=
humiliation and |
“It's all your fault, mamma,” scold-
“You've whined and wept
saw Car-
“Here we
|
|
|
ach man. “Somebody that’s my very .
own. My mother's dead, and my fa- |
ther—"
“Is in prison.” snapped Mrs. Curtis. |
vindietively. “I'm wondering whe:
he'll say to all this when he comex
hoe”
“Itis op nion wen't make any differ |
ence to us,”
coolly, “He has forfeited every right |
|
|
“[lideous!" exclaimed Mrs. Curtis,
and “Well, 1 never,” dropped from
Katherine. !
“And.” went on Doctor Paul, re- |
lentlessly. for lie knew the barbs that |
“Aint I so?’ queried Devon,
grouchily. “I reckon her hide ain’t no
tougher nor thicker'n it used to be.
I'l thump h—Il out of ‘er once or
twice; I'll show ‘er what class she’s
in,”
“You'll have to catch her before
vou beat her, won't you, Ry?’ Reg-
gie inquired tauntingly. “How're you
going to get your hands on her? Tell
me that, will you?”
“Yep. Mr. Mealy-mouth, I will,”
thrust back Devon. “We got to steal
‘er.” He clenched his heavy fist and
swung it menacingly and suggestive-
ly. “What's left of er when I'm done
with ‘er ’ll marry you all right. That
over, I'll tell ’er who she is, providin’
you Promise to halve up the stuff with
me.”
“I did promise you once, didn’t I?”
asked Reggie, sulkily. “Of course, 1
but what's the use of dreaming?
The Pendlehavens’re too much for
us. Now that Paul’s well, he and John
are a big team, and they worship the
ground that girl walks on. You're
biting off more'n you can chew, Ry.
You aren’t any too strong. you know.
A prison record doesn't help any.”
Uriah grunted and followed a ring
y bea
Paul Pendlehaven stated | of smoke with his frowning eyes.
“She's my girl,” he said at length. |
“and I'm goin’ to have ’‘er.”
“1 thought you said she wasn't,” put
in Reggie. suspiciously.
“Well, she don't know that. does
she? Devon retorted. “Nobody knows
. but you and Ede, besides me.”
“She's a beauty.” sighed Reggie,
his voice lowered to a growl. “I'd
. sacrifice,
“I really believe he could do
Katherine wiped her eyes with a!
I sudden movement.
“Mamma, why don't you send for’
Reggie?" she questioned. “Now, lis
{en té ne. Reggie confided in me
before he left that he really was fond
of that girl, and if—
thought of a wonderful thing. Send
10Se every minute,
out—"
thar th'ng.”
“har, thing,
Tony Devon, is one of the prettiest
and richest young women in this coun:
ty.” Katherine snapped back.
heiress to the Pendlehavens. and en-
owns half the town,
brother, Reggie,
fon.”
the frantic
to Reginald Curtis,
home.
summoning
CHAPTER XV.
The Last Card.
some weeks
One day later,
houlevard past the row
aes! He had
Urich Devor. released from prison,
would anchor the Dirty Mary near
the Hoghole in her accustomed place.
Devon was on deck when Brown
ran up the gangplank.
“So you came, oid top,” was Uriah’s
greeting. “It’s good you did; I want
to know what's doin’.”
A woman came to the door of the
cabin and peered out. When she saw
the newcomer, she scowled and went
back.
“I thought you said she was dead,”
commented Reggie, with a wag of his
head toward the spot where the wom-
an had stood.
“Well, she ain't! Worse luck!”
growled Uriah. “I told that to the
kid to make her feel bad. Ede was
willing to be dead for a while, any-
how. What's the news of Tony?”
“Oh, she's & lady now,” answered
Reggle, sarcastically. “The Pendle-
havens have sent her to school ever
since you went away. My mother tells
! me Paul Pendlehaven’s going to adopt
| her. And what do you think else?”
he demanded.
“I dunno,” grunted the other. “Good
God! Don’t sit there tearin’ me to
pieces with curiosity. Fire ahead,
and tell me.”
“She's copped Phil MacCauley,” re-
turned Reginald; “Ithaca’s snob of a
Salvation Army captain, the fellow
who threw me in the lake that day,
and he’s as rich as the Pendlehavens
put together.”
“Well, he won't get 'er,” asserted
Uriah, sharply. “I've told you the
girl's rich too. Her father’s got
money to burn.”
“A lot of good that'll do you, Ry,”
sneered Reggie. “She wouldn't look at
the likes of you and Edith. You aren't
in her class any more.”
for Regge. shove the girl under his!
Let him cut Philip |
“She's
gaged to be married to & man who
Thing. eh? Well,
1 think she's a little higher up in the
world at this moment than my half.
if you want my opin-
Regi: |
nald Brown walked rapidly along the |
of squatter
received word that
Oh, mamma, I've
“And perhaps have my Son marry’
objected the mother curtly. !
as you please to call!
That night an urgent message from !
mother traveled by wire
him
|
!
|
1
. “We'd lose our home,
{ would turn us out.
marry her if she didn't have a cent.”
“You don’t need to make any such
old horse,” said Devon.
“Your eyes will bung out of
head when you hear her name.”
Reginald argued he should know
who the girl was before he married
her, but Uriah wouldn't give up his
secret. Indeed, he unfolded to the
your
prospective husband how he planned |
to capture Tonnibel, and sent Reggie ,
away convinced,
his part in the scheme.
was to have the girl be wanted and |
money 100.
The next morning Reggie
proached his mother with an air of
secrecy.
“A minute, mater,” he said softly.
“Just a minute! I've seen Tony De-
von's father. There! Now sit down,
old lady. while I tell you something.
I Hi I
| A Hi
\
Ry Says the Only Way Is to Kidnap
Her Bodily.”
Ry says the only wuy is to kidnap her
bodily and force her to marry the
man he promised her to,” the boy ex-
plained. *“\What do you think of
that?”
“Paul would kill him,” gasped Mrs
(urtis her eves taking on an expres
sion of fear.
“'#He won't have a chance if Devon
works - t his present scheme,” re
plied Reggie, ‘but
have to help us”
In the terror that overtook her
Airs. Curtis shook ber head.
“1 don't want znvthing to do witl
it." she objected, wobbling in tears
Paul and John
They've threat-
ened to many a time!”
“Well, when I assure you our be-
loved cousins won't know anything
about it, not even after it's over,
won’t you try to help us?’ queried the
young man. “Now, if it goes through
all right, you catch Cousin John on
! the rebound, and Kathie’d be sure to
| rope in Phil.”
“What joy that would be!” ejacu-
lated Mrs. Curtis. “What about it?”
Then Reggie told her, in very low
tones, the plan they had concocted.
“You talk it over with Kathie,” he
advised, lighting a cigarette, “and
you'll have to see Devon about the
money.”
“Pll get it for him if I have to sell
my jewels and Kathie’s too,” prom-
fsed the woman, her eyes sparkling in
anticipation.
right away.”
Meanwhile, all unconscious that
Uriah Devon had been released from
prison and was conspiring against
her,
heart and soul into the Salvation
Army work with Philip. Each eve-
ning she went with him to headquar-
ters where her fresh, young voice and
her kindliness drew many & poor soul
for comfort and courage.
One week after Reginald Curtis
had confided his secret to his moth-
er, and she had told it over again in
whispers to Katherine, at an hour
when the Pendlehaven brothers were
absent, Uriah Devon came quietly to
the house. Reggie met him and took
him immediately to Mrs. Curtis’ room.
Uriah paused embarrassedly before
her, made a curt bow and twisted his
cap between his fingers.
*8t down, Ry,” Invited Yoon
Tonnibel Devon was entering !
red hot to perform |
At last, he |
|
{
ap- |
' he answered.
appl, |
“Now tell my mother how you are go-
ing to carry this thing out.”
Uriah sat on the edge of a chair.
“I ain’t goin’ to do anything, or tell
what I'm goin’ to do, till I get the
money,” he said crisply. “I've got to
have five thousand dollars first.”
“Five thousand dollars, old lady,”
grinned Reggie, turning to his mother.
“You'll have to cough up.
Now, for God’s sake, don't cry! Dig!”
“I'll need the whole five thousand
to get ‘er away, and to keep ’er after
1 get ‘er. She'd come streakin’ back
if I don’t rope ’er up.
“I'll get the money for you tomor-
row,” sighed Mrs. Curtis, wiping her
eyes, “and you mustn't come here
when my cousins are home.” She re-
lapsed into silence and then added:
“1 warn you against—against Philip
MacCauley too.”
* * * ® " *® *
Mrs. Curtis had been all eyes and
ears for even the slightest happening
in the Pendlehaven home, since she
had almost stripped her jewel-box
and Katherine’s to get the money
Tony's father demanded. Now she
had it tucked away, ready to deliver
it, but as the time went by and she
had no chance to send for Uriah to
come for his daughter, she began to
give up hope that the house would
ever be rid of the presence which was
a constant thorn in her flesh. But it
does seem that sooner or later Fate
plays the lucky cards into the hands
of the undeserving, and so it bhap-
pened in the case of the conspirators
against Tonnibel Devon. Like all
things waited for,
came one day while the family was at
dinner.
Philip MacCauley entered in great
excitement,
“You look as if you had swallowed
the sun, my dear lad,” smiled Doctor
Paul.
the opportunity
“I've got to go away,” flushed the
boy, laughing, “and I won't go alone.”
He gazed meaningly at
Tonnibel. |
“Pardon my rushing in this way, but !
—but I want Tony to go with me.”
Mrs. Curtis flashed him a dark look.
He rarely paid her, or her frowning i
daughter, any attention nowadays, so
he did not notice that a pallor settled
on Katherine's face, or that her fork
fell from her limp fingers to the plate
The mother saw her daughter's mental
distress. however, and studied the
voung man’s face, groaning to herself.
He had grown so manly and handsome
in the past two years, and he was
the one person she desired for her son-
in-law. He was rich, too, which only
added to his attractiveness.
“You might explain a little more,
my boy,” Doctor John spoke up in a
deep voice.
An embarrassed
Philip’s lips.
“There isn't any secret about it,”
laugh fell from
the Salvation Army for a year, longer
perhaps. and it would be too much to
ask me to go all by myself.”
Lines appeared between
Paul's brows. At last the day had
“I'm going abroad for
Doctor :
come when he must give up the girl |
. who had taken a rare place among
those he held dearest. He noticed
with a quick sigh that Tony’s eyes
deepened softly, and her red lips were
. parted in a smile.
dover,”
|
vou and Kathic'
! a week from today.
“It'll hurry up our marriage a lit-
le.” Philip continued, *“but—but—"
The sound of a chair scraping back
from the table broke off his state-
ment.
“Then we'll adjourn and
remarked Doctor John.
ask a mighty big thing, Phil,
vou demand our little girl without
more warning.”
“Little girl,” sneered Mrs. Curtis,
after the four had left the dining
room. It happened, much to her sur-
prise. that Doctor John sought her
out within the hour.
talk
“You
“Those children have won Paul and |
little |
Sarah,” he said a
* [hey’re going to be married
It won't be much
me over,
| grimly.
' trouble to prepare the house, will it?
“Pll go and tell her !
You needn't make a fuss. It'll be
very quiet. Tony can buy everything
«he needs in New York on her honey-
moon.”
In the rage that overtook her, Mrs.
Curtis wished tke speaker dead at
her feet.
“The house isn’t mine, Cousin
John,” she said maliciously, “but, of
course, I'll do what I can, although
Katherine isn’t at all well. I fear the
child is gotng to be ill.”
Doctor John found Katherine with
her eyes dull and heavy, prescribed
for her, and, before leaving the room,
announced :
“Paul and I are going over to Syra-
cuse tomorrow afternoon to make a
few purchases, but we'll be back on
the night train. Stay in bed, Kathie,
until morning, and you'll be all
right.”
The moment he had disappeared,
Katherine sprang up.
“Tomorrow they're going away!
You heard, you heard, mother?” she
cried. “Now then, where's Reggie?”
“Darling,” advised Mrs. Curtis,
moved to tears by her daughter's dis-
tress, “I have a premonition!
better not interfere at all.
He isn’t worthy of a love
like yours, We've got a nice home—"
“Nice home!” hurled back Kath-
erine, wildly. “Nice home! Look what
she's got! Just think of her and then
of me! Oh, God, that such misery
could be in the world! I'll never for-
give you, mamma, if you don’t keep
your promise to me.”
“Don’t say that, darling, don’t,”
groaned Mrs. Curtis. “I'll see your
brother, and who knows,” she bright-
ened and smiled through her tears;
“who knows but what that horrid girl
will be gone by tomorrow night?”
that boy!
CHAPTER XVI.
we'd |
Oh, child, .
if you could only get your mind off
it!
i
when
In the Balance.
Reginald Brown and Uriah Devon
were seated in close conference along |
the path that led to the Dirty Mary.
Reginald had rehearsed all he had
learned from his mother.
“Unless we do it tonight, Ry,” said
he, “it’s all up. What do you say?”
Uriah broke off a blade of grass
and drew it with a squeak through
his crooked teeth.
“We'll get the kid.” he snarled.
“Mother's awful worried, though,”
Reggie continued, “but I told her, ‘No
risk no gain,” and I'd go a long ways
on the road of risk to get Tonnifel
Devon.”
“Well, we'll get ‘er,”
Uriah, with a far-away look
bloodshot eyes.
“After I'm married to her,” took up
the boy, “you’ll tell me who she is,
eh?”
“Yep,” replied Uriah,
down to the scow now.
in his
“I'm goin’
Good-by, and
, We go away.
his wife out of sight under a rose
bush.
“I'm goin’ in and get Tony, Ede,”
he explained. “Twas a promise I give
the kid, she could see you alone first.
Just sit here, ’til I come back. Yen
don’t want to see Pendlehaven, eh?”
Edith shuddered and shrank back.
“No, I don’t,” she whispered. “i
just want to talk to the baby a min-
ute. I want her to forgive me before
We been cussed mean
to that kid, Uriah.”
Devon made a grunting assent, left
Edith sitting behind the rose bush
and slipped up the steps of the
. house.
monotoned
A little while before, Reggie Brown,
well filled up on brandy, had descend-
{ ed to the library to wait for Devon.
I If he hadn't had this thing on, and the
importance of it hadn’t weighed on
him all the long day, he'd have gone
; to bed, his head ached so, but his de-
be sure to tell your mother to put up
the sign we spoke of if everything's
clear for me to butt in.”
Edith Devon looked up from the
boat deck as her husband approached.
He s=t down on the bench Leside her,
a grizzly smile on his face.
“Ede,” he asked, ‘seen any change
in me lately?”
“Yes. I have,” she returned.
ain’t boozin’ haf so much,
been
me.”
“Mebbe it’s because I've got re-
ligion,” Uriah explained. “Religion
makes a man repent of all his cussed
acts. I'm sorry now, Ede, for the
way I've treated you and the kid.”
He couldn’t have uttered words
more welcome to Edith Devon. For
the first time in years, she leaned her
“You
and you've
kinder and Dbetter-lieurted to
It Took Some Effort on the Man’s Part |
Not to Shove Her Away.
head against him. It took some effort
sire to capture Tony Devon kept the
fumes of alcohol from completely be-
fuddling his brains. Inside the library.
. he stood swaying near the door, tap-
|
on the man’s part not to shove her:
away.
“And matters have took a mighty |
big change in the last two days.” he |
continued. “Ede, I know, for years
you been worryin’ your life out about
Tony. 1 fixed it up.”
Mrs. Devon was on her feet almost
before the last words fell from her
husband's lips.
“How fixed it up, Riah?’ she
gasped.
“Now don’t get panicky if I teil you
something,” Uriah cautioned her, sly-
ly, “but I went to Pendlehaven and
told him I copped the kid, and not
you, and I says: ‘Mr. Pendlehaven,
you've had ’er for two years, and she's
your brat. Now keep ’er!™
Edith fell back on the bench as if
the man had dealt her a blow.
“The kid's awful fond of you,” he
continued impressively. “and 1 up
and tolé ‘er you was livin’, and to-
night yca're goin’ to see ‘er.
“She's goin’ to get married to a
rich young feller,” he went on. “Ain't
vou glad. Ede?”
Wasn't she glad! No words could
express Edith’s feelings at that mo-
ment. How many times her heart
had ached for a sight cf the pretty
child she’d had so many years.
“Didn’t Pendlehaven say nothin’
about sending us up for li?" she asked
timidly.
“Not a thing,” retorted Uriah. “Not
by a d—d sight, he didn’t! He was
, too glad to know Tony was his, to
make any fuss. Anyhow, she wouldn't
let 'im. Why, my God! That little
kid kissed me!”
Edith exclaimed in delight.
“I’ve told you more'n once, Uriah,”
she said, leaning against him again,
“Tony’'d like you if you'd let ‘er.
When we goin’ to see er, Ry?”
“Qh, after a while,” said he. “After
, supper! She’s awful busy gettin’ ready
for a swell blowout. Lord, but she’s
pretty!”
“She always was that,” unswered
Edith, and she fell into a deep revery.
Unobserved by his wife, Uriah De-
von made ready to leave the Dirty
Mary for some weeks. So absorbed
was Edith In her thoughts that she
paid no heed to her husband’s sly ac-
tions. He knew they would not dare
to return to the boat with Tony until
after she had been forced to marry |
Uriah would glad- '
Reginald Brown.
ly have abandoned his wife forever,
{
but in making his plans, had foreseen
that, if they met with much opposi-
tion from Tonnibel, the woman, un-
der his threats, could handle her. At
nine o'clock they started for Ithaca,
Uriah carrying a small black bag, and |
in his pocket his revolver.
They entered Pendlehaven place
through the service gate, and, when
they passed the garage, the man no-
ticed with satisfaction that Reginald’s
automobile was standing ready for
use. Close to the mansion, he placed
ping his pocket from time to time to
make sure he was armed. Then he
stumbled across the room, threw him-
self on the divan and in another mo-
ment had forgotten in a drunken
sleep that there was any such person
in the world as Tonnibel Devon.
Meanwhile, Mrs, Curtis was walking
the flcor upstairs, half mad with anx-
jety, and Katherine, in a state of
nerves, was smoking one cigarette af-
ter another.
“God! When she's gone,”
forth the girl,
ness means!”
“So will I” echoed Mrs, Curtis.
“It's almost time for me to go down,
isn’t it? I hope that man won't dis-
appoint us.”
“Don’t fear about that,”
Katherine.
than we are.
broke
“I'll know what happi-
sneered
“He’s even more anxious
So’s Reggie, but I don’t
{ envy you telling Tony her mother’s
alive.”
“l think you might do it,” com-
plained Mrs. Curtis with a sniffle. “All
the anxiety and worry of this thing
has fallen on me.”
“That's because you're so clever,
i my sweet,” retorted Katherine, sarcas-
tically. “Oh, go on down and don’t
act as if you were afraid of your own
shadow. Say, Rege was drunk as
anything at dinner.”
“Disgustingly so,” sighed the moth-
er as she went out. “I hope to the
high heavens he’ll straighten up some
day.”
First Mrs. Curtis stole down to the
library. There she found Uriah De-
von, standing with his hat in his hand,
and, as he saw her, he made a grin-
ning bow.
“Where's Rege?” he asked eagerly.
“Upstairs, I think,” replied Mrs.
Curtis in a low voice. *“He's had too
much to drink. Did you bring your
wife?”
“Yep; she’s outside,” was the man’s
answer. “And the kid? Does she
know Ede’s still in the land of the
livin’ ?”
“No, but I'll tell her now,” returned
Mrs. Curtis desperately. “Here's the
five thousand dollars.” She thrust a
roll of bank notes into his hand. “I'll
send Tony right down,” ended the
woman and she went swiftly out.
Uriah glanced about the room in
anticipation. He intended not only
to take Tony with him, but every-
thing else of value he could lay his
hands on. Edith had often described
the valuables kept in a wall-safe in
this very room. Mrs. Curtis had no
more than closed the door before, re-
volver in hand, he began his search.
An exclamation of delight almost es-
caped his lips when he discovered the
safe-door was unlocked. He grinned
at the carelessness of the rich as he
flung into the black bag the boxes of
jewelry, completely stripping the safe
of its contents. He didn’t take time
to look over his haul! That would
come later.
All tarough the day Tonnibe! Devon
had told her joy over and over to her-
self. Now, almost ready to retire, she
was sitting reading the Bible. It
seemed most appropriate that on this
night she should sing with the Pget
the Psalms of Thanksgiving,
A knock at the door caased her 1
close the book and put it on the ta-
ble before she called: “Come in."
At the sight of Mrs. Curtis she rose
to her feet, startled.
“I've good news for you. child,”
choked the woman, and Tony went
forward eagerly.
“What?” she demanded.
ip—"
“Now, don't get nervous. my dear,”
came in quivering interruption. “But
—but you were not correctly inform-
ed about your mother. She’s—she’s
downstairs.”
A violent emotion overtook the girl.
She knew then she had never really
believed ‘what Uriah told her.
“Is Phil-
“My mother!” she breathed, her
eyes deepening in color. “My dear
little mother! Oh, let me go to her!”
“She's in the library. This is &
happy day for you. my dear—for—all
of us. Youd better dress. hadn't
you?”
Tonnibel hadn't even heard the last
words. She fled down the stairs and
into the library, panting for breath.
Her cup of happiness was full to the
brim, now that Edith had come back
to her. She halted, closed the door
and ran into the room.
“Edie, mummy dear!” she called
softly, so overcome she could not
raise her voice.
Then Uriah Devon stepped from be-
hind the grate-screen and came to-
ward her.
“Daddy,” cried the girl, “where's
mummy? Where's my mother?”
(To be continued).
"m
——The “Watchman” gives all the
news all the time.