Show II I The names and nd situations In this iry ny are fictitious CHAPTER Audrey kudrey shook h her hr r head Her lIer eyes ees re tilled filled with tears Not that John not that I rhe The boy clasped her hand more h t Dont cry Audrey Audre Im I'm It t worth orth crying n But t cant can't cantu u tell en me why dear Don't Dont you youe e e me rae I AUdrey covered her face Daddy I him red love o ove she whispered arish looked at h her r miserably t did not let go o oC her hand Auy Au Au- y ta lay the pillows ver very 1 Ii so thai ihal he was frightened ana anG fled nert over rr her Audrey Are you OU youline ling line worse Im rim all nU lI right she ahe whispered Jay Jar 50 10 o tired parrish sh held heid her hand still more Anyhow 0 dear I 1 lo love you Id d cJ I Ill I'll ll always do 10 anything In my myer er to o help you If It Mr Morton II U give elve me m my job back Ill I'll stay ht here so I 1 ran an see aee you no now and anI n 0 Dont Don't worry about me Au- Au I. I The She looked at him a It little more morl It Its s daddy dl John lies lie's Heso o oel iel el and hes he's been ben through so irh wh In his hili life me John ne e e- with my mother r once and a 81 she led him And AmI since he hes he's lost here herP her P e go 10 to make It It up to hint ven ent t I I considered What ha t about na What If tf he marries s her Wen Well said Audrey st slowly onas a dear girl but he be WOn wont t rry ny her I 1 intend that he shall rry merhe me ne rhe The nurse entered th tb the r room om Ime to go now flOW she flar h. h t was late In the evening e when shen Irton woke and stretching his s ns above the coverlet p pondered 1 events ot of the hours Just before Then hen the memory of ot Audrey Audrey's IllIS illa Ill Ill- IS s a returned he sprang out of ot bet bed bedI j I ran to the house telephone The tier Her who answered It told himLI him it LI Audrey had awakened earlier the day and that he would ask maid whether she could be s seen en Irton dressed In feverish haste hasted d cl rushed rushe l out Into the hall hail Near- Near I Audrey's door he heard the of or voices within The door doors s IJ U slightly ajar and ho he pushed it tHy lily open John Parrish had re- re ned and was seated by Audrey's I 1 holding flier diet hand and talking a low Jow tone Morton could see d see th thIs thI's the ls l's smiling face in the mirror ross the room toom the nurse sat sath at ath h a book hook In the little wicker ir where re Morton had held his ty hour vl vigil n. n v vVs Vs ts he stood there Audrey caught Audrey caught ht of ot him Daddy she cried that thir the nurse looked up and Morton hurried to the the- bedside sweetheart he sad sard and andelt andelt elt eIt beside her with his he hea head l on 1 coverlet Then he began to with great dr dry sobs sob that shook body from head to feet arrish looked on aghast he The nurse came to him and ched him on the shoulder You exciting our patient Hush HushU lorton apparently did not hear for Cor he still crouched by the I. I his head In his arms arms Dont Don't mind him Audr Audrey y said king up at nt the nurse Im not k any more And Im I'm so 80 happy have him here that will t t me me arrish nodded to the nurse I r Iss ss were we're all so Eo happy that noth noth- matters he said Morton torton and Parrish were having having- together three days das later laterI I 1 talking over the work that had haded ed cl up at the office AUr AUry's ys y's sickness Im I'm going to put you In charge awhile said salt Morton ton I want take Audrey back to Salt Lake LakeI I 1 get her hr established in a house that she can manage herself I think she he needs and something to interest herThen her Then after weve we've been there afew a a. afew few days and I J feel that I 1 can lea leave ve her for a time wire Ill wire you oU to come and take the office there while I return to for tor fora torI a couple of weeks wee Parrish wn was staring at him Iso Do O you mean hat that you Intend to give me charge of ot the tho office Mr Mor ton Im I'm afraid Im I'm not competent com corn Morton shook hook his his' head hend dently It If thet there's theres 3 thing about abou you that Irritates me me- Parrish Its It's I your our Infernal howl that you OU are no not competent You ou would have won In business and also in love if It only you ou had had a a. slight alight superiority complex x Instead of p Il Inferiority Interiority For h heavens heaven's a sake sn snap p out of ot It Pa Pan looked puzzled I guess jo youre you're re right he he said But nut when I 1 tried to a show ow my nty Independence ence by running around with Violet lol t Montgomery Mont Mont- gomery ry I got Into hotter water than ever eer I Morton looked up dif dif dif- t ferent r nt to show somebody how sm ema t you are never works nut But just jun going coolly ahead In an assurance of ot your own powers Is always J i c I I wish to Heaven en pUd tried that with Au- Au drew She s hes have fallen for It All ii d do Weil Vf VelI said Parrish with half halt unconscious s audacity you ou ought to know know Audrey Audrey and None and anti the rest I Morton looked at him In silence fo for foe a. a moment then ho he l laughed Well I guess I am lucky Audrey fon on an adopted daughter and nd Nona L Nona i a wonderful woman John Any man might be proud to have her love Pa looked at him curiously The butler came In with a a. telegram telegram tele tele- gram which Morton orton laid beside his plate plate- for tora fora a moment Where is Nona now asked Parrish she ahe come here heren any n more Morton stopped to think I 1 dont don't know about Nona Sons Whether to send her away or not She's a loal loyal sweet girl l I I. I think she can be a world famous dancer too John 1 He lie e was Inte by a gay lit littie little lit lit- tie tle laugh at the door And turnIng turning turn turn- Ing ng both men saw Audrey dressed In street garments for the first time since her hel Illness You didn't know I 1 was coming down did you she abe laughed The doctor said I could get u up uD this morning if It I 1 felt like It It And I do Im I'm Im I'm hungry She came forward and both Morton Morton Mor Mor- ton and Parrish sprang to help Tier her berto herto to her chair I heard what you OU said about Nona daddy and I I. I think Its It's true She Is i a a. sweet girt girl Im I'm sorry I Iwas was wat hateful to her at first when I 1 Iwas Iwas was so ao JealOus So 1 oure not Jealous any more Audrey said Morton g good od Audrey Audre puckered her forehead I Ido dont dort do t knOw w. w But I do know I feel different about Nona She loves you ou sincerely and she Is kind to those hose about her Parrish's Part face brightened and he moved moed a little near nearer r to Audrey Morton pondered with a salt smile m hl his face As he ha turned to his plate again he saw aw the telegram lying on the table tablecloth tablecloth cloth and tore It open When he had finished reading a rather ather lengthy message he e turned o Audrey Can 1 you U bear be r some rather exciting news he said Audrey nodded trying to maintain main main- tam ain tain composure But Parrish saw her Ier ier fact face go white I f Its Just this said Morton t that at we need never fear that man Smith again Why not noU said Audrey Beca Because use hes he's dead Morton re responded responded re- re I haven't told you why I went to Arizona my dear because I t didn't want you to brood over It But I 1 went to see him indicted antI and put in prison on several counts When hen I 1 left for home I I. I was fairly certain that he wouldn't bother us again This makes assurance d doubly dou u- u 1 bly 11 sure sore What happened Parrish and Audrey chorused The deputy has wired me that some rancher whose wife Smith had seduced shot him In the prison yard jard while he was WiS at work I 1 knew that there were many avengers on his trail but this particular story was unknown to me Audrey looked rather sober He tried to hurt other pe people and now he Is dead I 1 cant can't help being glad daddy Now well we'll fo forget foet el him forever said Morton tearing the telegram to bits The butler entered again this time bringing a h huge ge florists florist's box He lie laid It in front of ot Audre Audrey but Parrish hastened to open it for her Nonas onas ona's card cried the girl lifting lifting lift lIrt ing It off oft the moist green paper laid over the flowers towers And not a word written ten o on It She began to delve into the box Why Vh heres a letter for you daddy she said In a startled tone Morton hurriedly opened the en envelope en- en In Itt a moment he threw the letter down In front of ot Audrey and Parrish Harr Harn dearest It H said I have made my my myown own decision The more I 1 though of ot of our last talk the more ashamed I became of ot clinging to you when you didn't want me not me-not not at any rate I So today I signed a a. contract I with Sunshine for the London vent venture ven yen t ture ure and by the grace grace of of ot God and hard lard work Im I'm going to tomake make good I hope you ll be glad to see me succeed Give my best bet love to Audrey Audry and tell her to get well soon Also tell teU her Ill I'll not stand between you and her any more Goodbye e and go good d luck NONA Parrish's face turned dour as he finished the note But Audrey cried out In In wondering pleasure as she drew out a ft bu bunch ch of Ot American Beauty roses Morton watched them both close closeS ly 11 y Au Audrey laid the flowers down downIn In n a moment lo and picked up up the note again Daddy Dadd she said rather slowly this leav leaves s you freeto free marry me l nut his hand suddenly on het her shoulder Morton rose from the table and they his lead ead It Is time for forme me me to speak he said aid You two two young creatures Jove ove each other Yo You must have each other My y time Ume of ot love was past twenty years ago I I will tell you about It Audrey looked at him him wonder- wonder P Parrish drew dreher her to a couch cotton and Morton stood before re them thenE rye Ive told Audrey John that I loved oved her mother and that her mother ran away ay from her father ve Ive told her how I followed them and found her muther the the first AUdrey dead deserted and how I 1 I brought the little Audrey away with me to be my adopted daughter It was while digging her moth- moth erse erse ree grave that I 1 found a a. wide of ore ore ore-an an Ironic stroke of for for- tune une tune Something that was fresh and nd simple and loving In me was vas burled buried in that grave Audrey Interrupted why you ou need me daddy and why I am amnot amnot amnot not going to leave lea you OU to marry John Morton forton went on D Do you know i I you OU Audrey It was to save ave you OU from any disgrace ac that might hang about your babyhood I wanted to shield you ou from that I knowledge nole e forever ore r. r But I have not nt a awe me to zo it seems me the ne whole I stor story must come out Audrey you ou know I told you I your mother left her husband alone when she ran away with Smith Audrey nodded speechless Parrish Par Par- rish had put his arm around her but now he stepped back Morton held out his arms to herI herI herI her I need not have adopted you ou sweetheart sweetheart sweetheart sweet sweet- heart he said I did that to hide from you OU something something something-something something I Iam Iam Iam am going to 0 tell ten you now I 1 wanted to hide It from you and from all alt the world They hey waited for fr him to togo go on Ills His HI face was drawn and he breathed laboriously I cannot ever marry you Audrey Audre Audrey Au Au- drey he said lIe He drew a deep breath If you and John love each eacho o other ther you must not consider me meI I Iwas was the husband nd Audrey whom your our mother lef left leff- back there with t tie the e baby He lie was shaking as Audrey took his hands I marry you you you- OU He threw his head backI back backS I am your f father ther The End Copyright 1326 NEA Service Inc |