| Show I U 1 a ce e N NEA Service In bY LAURA LOU BROOKMAN BEGIN MERE TODAY Y Judith Cameron typist In tn a Ne e York Tork publishing house houlle married her hr em m Arthur Knight ht Knight ht la Is a aI widower with h a daughter Ton Tony IS in I arts end and a eon aon Junior IC liO at school OL OLI I A blissful honeymoon In Bermuda I Is Interrupted by a cablegram that Tony Is on h her r way war 1111 to America Judith and Arthur sail BAli to meet her Tho girl Snores ig ignore S- S 1 nore nores her hr stepmother Later she ahe tells Judith she ahe must inUIt leave the hours houp Knight overhears and compels compel Tony to apolo apolo- The girl mends a much of or her times time's time s 's with Mickey Mortimer blue blase amusement seeker pecker whom she ho met In Paris lie lle la Is separated from his hh wife and deep In a flirtation with Tony An Aa days rUra pa pass a tats ut of armed neutrality exists between Ton ron Tony and Judith lady Andy Craig Craigo a young man Knight I- I halt had helped through college calls on Ton Tony lt hasi been bun In love lov with her rather hor-rather rather hopelessly hopelessly for tor a a. long while Craig cornea comes to the hou boue e frequently and Ton Tony In Ina mood of spite trim tries to convince her ller father rather the young man I- I I carrying on an affair with Judith When Knight deales de de- ales this angrily Tony tricks Judith and And Andy Craig Into a luncheon engagement ement an end and brings brines her father rather upon the scene Icene There TheN I In III an nn estrangement and then a reconciliation between bet Judith and andI I Knight Ton Tony and Mortimer are arrested ar arrested ar ar- rested for reckless driving Knight brings hl his daughter home For days t Hi th h. h girl Is sullen Bullen An and rebellious Her ller father storms torms Affairs Affair reach such luch a II teh that Judith appeals to An Andy Oral Craig Knight sees the pair together but later Judith rudith denies that she spent pent th the afternoon afternoon after arter- noon In town n Knight Kni-ht tries to overcome o his hll rone I nl U. U brings Judith flowers nn and they upend an evening happily together until Apdy Craig Cral nil cans rots rots- GO CO OX ON WITH T THE E STORY STOUT I CHAPTER v With obvious IOUS eagerness J Judith hurried hUrTie-d to greet reet tho the visitor how Andy Andy hor how nice of or you OU to cornel comet Til Tho tall young tall young man In the doorway door way n smiled broadly His us coppery hair f seemed scorned brighter in contrast with lilt his hl sober obEr dark blue suit Andy's Andys And s face was rudd ruddy too because the night outside was Tras cold BreastIng BreastIng Breast Breast- Ing the wind had put him In fn fine m mettle Andy And Crai Craig came Into the tho room room bringing with him an air of or out of or doors and youthful energy Good evening Good c evening Mr r Knight Inight Glad to see you And Andy said Arthur Knight Take this chair here by th the fire And Andy Craigs Craig's six feet teet of oC bone bono and sinuous muscle stooped and ad adjusted adjusted ad- ad itself to tho the low overstuffed teat seat t. t I lI I jU just t dropped In Jn he said to see seo If Ie Ton Tony felt like running Into town to sew sc a t play pIny or something of Telephoned this morning and sho she said I might ht call call all allOh Oh said Knight ht rather abruptly abrupt abrupt- ly hr you wanted to sen Ton Tony Sor Sorry She isn't feeling well You dont don't think shed she'd care caro to go SO goon on all out I t 1 1 Crai Crate Craig turned toward Arthur Knight nigh t. t Lis Listen cn Arthur Int Interrupted Ju Judith Judith Ju- Ju before either man had timo time to speak further Why Rhy Wh dont don't you OU go o upstairs and see if Ir you cant can't persuade per per- made suade Ton Tony to come down I think It ft would do her r good g to get out It'll be b much better for you OU to talk to her than to send Harriet Judith Knight thought that she ires being tactful Sho She overlooked the fact clearly apparent to her that she he was 18 seeking to eliminate him from the scene Knight looked doubtfully at Ju Judith Judith Judith Ju- Ju You want me mc to so go 0 and talk to her Please Arthur Yer Very well wen said th tho tha man rising Ill do what I can but I dont don't promise shell she'll come As he ht turned In the doorway lie be caught a a. glimpse of his wife sinning smiling sinn smil in ing radiantly listening to what rain rai was as saying anS' anS Two furrows formed In Arthur Knights Knight's ht brow He placed a l hand band on the tho railing of the stairs and slowly ascended C S Each day of or Tonys Tony's voluntary withdrawal from the rest of the household ho bo had dropped in to talk with willi her Generally th these c talks had bad ad ended In angry argument on both sides Tonight fully full expecting another tempestuous scene ho r rapped softly om There was a muffled sound which came cam from within Its T I T. T Tony your Tony your J. J Knight said as 21 ho opened the tho door Then rhea ho he stepped back in amaze amare- ment The room be lie had been about to enter r was as pitch black Tony Ton the tho man called Vh Wh haat at a-at It Il wa was a very small very very- dismal voice olce which 1 answered Tho voice camo came from somewhere in the right hand corner of or the room room loom What hat In tho the world world what what are arc you ou doing in fn hero here In to the thc dark There Thero was no answer at nt all to this Knight brushed his hi hand along the wall near tho the doorway He Ite had forgotten where tho the electric switch was Tony Ton ho he went ent on where herc the devils devil's that 11 light ht switch On tho the 1 More groping Sudden Suddenly ho he found the th electric button pressed It Th The room filled with dazzling electric radiance For an Instant Arthur Knight t blinked Then his vision cleared He Ile glanced to torn toward rn tho the rl right ht whence hence Tonys Tony's had como come an and d tHere he sa saw her Tho The tin tiny huddled figure fardown far face o down among amon the cushions of or th the e chaise lounge loungo was clad in something some sonic thin thing pink It was soft stuff cling clinging lug ing in and ruffled and it made the girlish figure Ure ef very small and pathetic pathetic pa pa- looking Tonys Tony's dark curls usually tolled coiled and pulI pulled d Into a low lots knot on n her neck hung loose All Al 1 that could be bc seen of oC her head bead was wa s tho the mop of or disarrayed hair and sh she sho e I seemed 2 d to be bo using her arms a as a pillow She wore flopping pin pink ac c satin mules on her bare baTe feet recto No Xo such detailed Impression o ohis of oC f his daughters daughter's appearance was conveyed con con- eed to Arthur Arthul Knight He saw sag s. s her ller saw that she looked pathetic c and miserable and suddenly felt fel t very r much to blame Ton Tony ho he repeated In a a. gentler gentle r voice olce Please dont don't feel so badly In answer tho the girls girl's shoulders shoulder s shook with passionate to I sobs You Tou mustn't take tak on this wa way y pet he said make yourself your yourself our sel self sick Tell Ten daddy what's hats th tl the to matter The pink shoulders l d once again then la lay quiet Sti 1 11 ran Tony refused to look up Tell daddy everything e A Arthu tr J coax coaxed d. d Come on on Ton Tonj Sit up and tell me all an about It H Ho G had completely olt i n Andy Craig who ho was wal waiting downstairs down don stairs to see ec 1 If f Tony Ton would co go o wit with h Mm trim to an entertainment Knight s 's only concern now was his daughter r It took considerable wheedling before she succumbed First tho 0 girls girl's fingers curled 1 around ono one 0 of ot f her fathers father's hands and she clung clung- to it trustingly Th Then n she turned he her r head and he s saw w that the brown browneyes browneyes eyes eyes- were swollen with weeping and tho checks cheeks tear Fi Finally Fl Fl- naIl nally Arthur I Knight gathered his daughter Into his arms rested lien her head hed against ASt his shoulder shoulders shoulder stroked and patted her as 38 ho had years years and years before wh when n childish tragedies tragedies trase dies had befallen Tony had ceased crying u no now She Sho rubbed her eyes es with a wisp of or rose chiffon supposed to be a n. handkerchief She hid her face tace against her fathers father's arm alm and then sho she looked up at him Oh Im I'm so erable mis-erable choked Tony Knight But you mustn't be You mustn't bet be The Tho girls girl's words seemed to unleash unleash un un- leash lensh themselves all of at a n. sudden Thc They came indistinctly halt half sobbed half spoken r I I cant can't help It dald daddy she walled I 1 cant can't help It Oh Ive I've been lying here in the dark wanting to d dle and end everything I dont don't want to go 10 on living any longer longcr You YOU youre youre you're so 50 good to me mc dadd daddy and Ive I've been so cross and hateful and ever everything's gone sone wrong rong Im I'm so 80 ashamed of nil all tho the dreadful things thinS's Ive I've done and nobody no nobody no no- I body loves me or ai anything Nobody Nobody No No- bod body care cure anything about me me- me Hush Tony You YOli mustn't say things s lIko that Why you know that I I love Jo you you lobo lovo you jou OU with allm all m my heart And your brother lother loves you ou So does docs Judith We Ve all alt lovo 10 you ou and want you to forget ct all the thc things s That arc are past t and gone gone But Dut sho could not be comforted so easily 1511 You hate me Tony insisted You hate me because Ive I've been abad a n. aad bad ad wicked girl il rl and I deserve it hd dont don't want to to go u on living hiS Words seemed to bo ho useless B Byway By I wa way ay of oC varying his argument Knight i 1 t lifted cd the girlish g face placed laced a kiss on each celd andone and one no more mOIe Intended for th the cheek somewhere on a n. very shiny nose You dont don't mean n a word of oC that he h c said soW softly You know you OU dont ont Come on now put now put some cold old water on your eyes ees and smooth your yom our hair and then well we'll sit and talk awhile Ob Obediently lon Tony arose and withdrew withdrew with- with drew rew on the clattering ridiculous satin footwear It was ten minutes before she was back ack bac Evidently E tho the shock hock of oC what the ic mirror showed had been enough to o inspire repairs Sho camo came into tho 10 room with her hair still stin hang- hang lug InS ig but com combed ed and tI tied lied d back with witha a pink ribbon Tho Tim cheeks checks which had been tear marked larked were smooth and powdered Her cr lips still wistful were tinted a violent flame From tho the floating chiffon draperies there exuded a a. I poignant olg haunting fragrance Do I look better now she sho he asked Much better beltEr Very sweet r indeed indeed in- in deed eed Ton Tony do you OU know I had completely forgotten otten what It was I Iamo came amo up to talk to you about Th The Tho girl savo him a 9 shrewd searchIng glance Then rhen her pose pole of or Innocence returned Sho She shook her head cad Knight smiled Well ell the fact Is Js theres there's a young man man downstairs and hes he's been waiting all this time to know if It oud you'd go bO In 11 town with him to see some some show or other Who is it it if Tony asked sweetly Andy Craig Her Iler father was Wa surprised Howd you OU know It was And Andy Oh becane ho lie telephoned this morning aid asked if Ie he could come ome Then he telephoned later too too-to oo to Judith I listened until I 1 found out who the call can was for Arthur Knight mado made no answer Presently no spoke with a n. gaiety which Inch strove trO not to stem seem strained Well shall shaH I so go down an any ana tell tiro tho 10 young man you'll be with him shortly Ton Tony hung her head I 1 dont don't to go so dadd daddy she sho said aid after atEr a moments moment's pause lause I want ant to stay here with you Knight smiled Oh Olt now come come You cant can't expect your old father to believe o athin a a. thin like that that that- But I m mean an It It dadd daddy Really Ido I Ilo Io lo do o Please tell ten Andy Im I'm not feeing feel feel- lug Ing ng well enough h to go out but Youre quite sure sure- sure Yes she interrupted Quito sure ure Tell him dadd daddy and then come back ac upstairs and talk to me Arthur Knight ht carried out his daughters daughter's request Ho Ire went downstairs down- down stairs tali s where rc Judith and And Andy were ero chatting be before foro the fireplace Knights Knight's face was grave gra rae as lS ho confronted con- con fronted them and reported that Ton Tony ony declined to leave her room Im going oln to sta stay with her awhile n. n t while ho he told Judith Poor kids kid's been having havinga a bad ball evening You Wont vont mind will you OU 7 Oh no his assured him graciously Anyhow J Im I'm going to tomako tonako snake nako Andy nd sta stay and entertain me mc Arthur Knight nodded Then he went wont upstairs again to his daughters daughter's daughters daughter's daugh daugh- ter's room Ton Tony took his hand and drew him down to the cushions beside her Listen daddy sho whispered I I want you to promise me mo some some- thins thing Anything at all that I can dear What h la is it il I 1 want to go 0 away Why h Ton Tony I tho l thought ht you Oll told mo me you were going to bo Lo perfectly content to stay home this winter I J 1 know daddy dy But that was heror bc- bc ore all this scandal Oh you ou dont don't you know know you really dont don't know how terribly I foci feel She was ns wiping nt at h her r eyes again with Ith tho the rose rOie handkerchief Arthur Knight surrendered There there Tony 0 Of Or course you youcan OU can go o awa away If H you like Florida how how- would that do do Miami Miami- Tony Jook looked d up her face wreathed wrath d In angelic smiles Oh It h t would be wonderful Just wonderful but not Miami Palm Beach Please let mo me go o Certainly Of course dear But Buton Buton on ono one condition Ju Judith must go with you ou Suddenly Knight spoke with determination I r think she sho n needs need the chan change e too Ton Tony Yes Judith must go o with you ou A A. sullen gleans showed showN In Ton Tony eyes hut hul It ft passed Its a n. bargain barsan she said smiling Shake An hour later Arthur J was swag telling Judith all nil about it Il But neither Knight ht nor hI his young youn wife seen Accra the tho brief paragraph among the tho morning papers paper's social news which Ton Tony Knight at that very moment was rereading Mr Frederick K Mortimer said the chronicle has departed for Palm Beach where he will spend several weeks eks To be continued |
