Show l fr frT 1 W T AL nl 1929 a. a 1929 sS' sS Cf TillS THIS HAS ILS Xan an Croll private secretary discor- discor discovers ers era she is III In Iii love luv with her employer John Curtis Morgan attorney and de le- le to resign lIer re resignation Is Is' postponed postponed post postponed post post- because sh she he feels Morgan an will have particular need Tor for her In his de dc- dc fence of his friend Bert ISert Crawford In IndIcted Indicted In- In for tor embezzlement On the l last st day of Crawfords Crawford's trial little Curtis Morgan j 6 old year old ear son of Iris Iris' and John Curtis Morgan Innocently places paces In Nan 1 a hands handa a noto note apparently taken from tram his mothers mother's handbag The Tho note Is from tram Crawford and virtually virtually- admits his guilt and his and Iris' Iris intentions of eloping when the trial Is over Crawford leave lea town to after his ac acquittal cc- cc and arnd Iris departs departs' for or a pleasure trip a few days day later Iris Ins announces her desertion of her husband in a special delivery ry letter She omits mention of Crawford and bags Morgan not to seek her Morgan is crushed When In desperation desperation des des- ho JUI Is about to place Ills hIs son In Ina in a boarding school Nan pleads with him him lm to keep his home ham Intact While Morgan Is at the capital on business Nan lan stays tays at his hii home and organizes J tho housekeepIng housekeeping house house- housekeeping keeping so the lawyer and and his son Bon can on on She plans to become a a. long distance er supervising pur purchases put put- chases menus menus salaries et etc eU and leaves a It d dependable Irish woman Maude OBrien O'Brien her husband and small cinch boy to look after details s at the house Little Curtis lonely since his lila mothers mother's de de de- tugs at Nans Nan's heart strings She and Curtis tart start upstairs for the night when long distance calls Nan an asks herself herself her her- self It If It were Iris would she rejoice 7 NV CO GO OX ON OX WITH TilE TIIU STonY CHAPTER PTER It was John Curtis Morgans Morgan's deep pleasant S voice that came over over the there wire re to Nan Nn startlingly clear as as ns' If the Uie man hh himself stood beside herI her hel I 1 want to speak l with Miss 1 Carroll Carroll Car Car- roll please were his first words v Xan Nan sp speaking Mr Morgan she he answered joy surging in into o her heart j I Good Everything all right Nan Hows How's s the boy S Clam Clamoring to to be allowed Wallowed to speak to you Mr Morgan I I was Just taking him up to bed ed Hes lies a a- charming host Will m you o talk to him hima S SIn a minute minute minute- In Just a moment Morgan o l gan an n The governor seems very vey favorably disposed to commuting Brownlee's sentence fi from fim m deith death to lire Hie imprisonment but but he ho wants to have a talk with Dr Ashley Ashley- the alienist you know Ive I've called Ashleys Ashley's house but cut he hes he's s out of town and wont won't be back u noon tomorrow I wish you'd get in touch with him then person personally lly and nd persuade persuade per per- suade suad him to tOI make mak tha the trIp to the capital His expenses and and time tithe will willbe willbe be paid for of ot course Put it to him strong th that t it may be within his power ver to save the life Ufe of ot poor Brownlee But I can depend upon you to get him there I er Im I'm sure Ill get him there him the there e. e Nan promised l blithely Meanwhile I have your permission to make malee any changes ot or any kind lucre here lere in jn your home th that t ts s seem em best hest to me rne haven't I Go as far tar as you like Just as long as you don't dont adopt that boy of mine rn in in my my absence Morgan M laughed arid and the sound was was' the purest music in Nan Nans e cirs ears Id like Uke to tp speak t to the brat nO now nb If l' l ith h hes he's s 's still clamoring J Curtis scrambled into Inlo the chair in which Nan Naif s sat t Hello HeIla Father Curtis piped shrilly in the voice he reserved d for telephone conversations life lire Oh Little Pat H He lie s says s 's it all the time Sure Suret t Im I'm going to sleep with Nana in jn orie omie one of ot the man- man wife and twin beds I I didn didn't tease either er Indignantly Sure I IMe Me and Nana and Cops Cop's having aswell aswell a aswell swell time Listen Father Father make make Nana Nan stay here hem all th the time She works for you ou and she's gotta sotta ott do what you ou tell ell her to to hasn't she Aw w Say Father FatherS I 1 Iwanna Iwanna wanna collar colar and a leash and arid a muzzle for Cop A red collar with brass studs studs' all around it Its Its' like Jimmy Powell's Powells police d dogs dog's gs gotOh got Oh hello lello Benny BennyI I gotta police dog puppy named Cop You cart cad pl play y with him when you ou ou come to see mo ne Goodbye S 'S SHe He slammed the receiver upon the tho hook and faced Nan his liquid black eyes shining with excite excite- ment mont Fath Fathers rs r's to bring bring- me flue mea a collar and anda a muzzle and a leash for Cop Say Nana what's yb your jour r face so ted for I ought I ought t to shake you Curtis Curt s Morgan but Im I'm going to kiss you u instead Nan Nah told him laughing shakily 5 S I j Benny Hogarth's Hogarth con coming ing to see me he he chattered as they again ascended the stairs stairs' H ills His s grandpas grandpa's the governor of this state That means hes he's the boss dont don't it it Nana What a n. state Then without giving Nan time to instruct him in ln civics cs he h clattered on Bennys mothers mother's dead He H lives es with his his' grandpa and his grandma in the mansion What's a mansion 1 It Joos Just like a house Oh Oh look Estelle stelle brought up my blue silk pajamas that father gave me for Christmas your Tour pajamas are pink silk Mother wears silk nightgowns with lots of I lace She says sars more ore i tem I nun What's i tem Nana 1 Listen brat Nan laughed as I the boy began with proud independence inde to shuck uck off his da day clothes you like to go to school and find out the answers to all al your Innumerable questions Sure I want to go to school r Public school ool where the kids play pla football and baseball i can rea read reada a lot already And I I know two times four four and two t times mes eight Say lana cap can an I l E go to Public the big n new idea dea Nan Xan assured him turning lier luer head away for fora a moment from fr m the heartbreaking heartbreaking heartbreaking heart heart- breaking sight of his thin thin little body bode It WAS up to her t to se see that there should be eventually and eventually and not too eventually a eventually a little padding upon that pitifully exposed little skeleton S SIm Im going to take you to public school tomorrow morning Little Pats Pat's going to live here over the garage garages garage with Big Dig Pat and and Maude faude You and Little Pat will go to and from school together and have all afternoon to play in the thc yard with Cop Gee Curtis breathed his blackeyes' blackeyes black blackeyes blackeyes' blackeyes eyes eyes' enormous with delight and satisfaction Then I 1 aint going to have haven havea a nurse any more ana ana ami f c Not No if you'll prove to 10 tour four our father tather and me that you can take care of ot yo yourself Nana Nann said choosing her words very carefully s so that n no hint of unpleasant threat might reach the child You see Curtis a a. nurse is supposed to see you ou cat eat the kinds ot of food that will make you big and strong so that you can play football and baseball when youre you're bigger and to s 's see e that I y U bathe and w wash sh your teeth and things like that Little Pat says they have a Health Chart in ln public schools and you ou write down on It when youve you've had a bath and washed your o r teeth and cat eat cereal and spi spinach ach and a a d everything Curtis explained with the lordly air of a child who wh finds a up grown-up strangely Ignorant of ot vital matters 1 And Little Pats Pat's on the Health Chart Honor Roll and Little Pat never did have a silly S old nurse nurs You like Little Pat d dont don't you honey Nan asked I Oh sure has he's all right Hes He's Just kind of ot bossy because Im I'm littler lit littler lit lit- than he Is ls C Curtis conceded cheerfully as he climbed Into bed S 5 4 C The next morning was crammed with activities Curtis insisted on wearing his plainest and sturdiest st suit and overcoat to school school sO so I Ican Ican Ican can play with the kids he ex explained explained ex- ex to Nan bu but t the girl sus suspected pe ted that th the child was actuated by bj instinct if instinct if he were better dressed than the other children or at all picturesque as as' as s his mother had delighted d to make malee him his prospective playmates playmates' would shun him and deride him The brisk middle aged woman principal was not at all flurried by bythe bythe the app application n of John Curtis Morgans Morgan's Morgans Morgans Morgan's Mor Mor- gans gan's son fo for enrollment in ln the first grade Tie 1 child was 6 years old th the second term of ot the school year had just opened tha SO week week so of course course here he was It was as sl simple uple as that By past half-past nine Curtis l Morgan had been assigned a desk Odd amon odd odd 40 other pupils and was sitting in it It looking solemnly pl pleased ased Sed wit with hinus hims himself lt lf and his hs new world and Nan had a a. list ot of the books and supplies s he would nee need He looks like a bright little chap Mrs Morgan the first grade STade teacher Miss Anderson commented comment comment- leave Cur Curtis Cur Gur- ed as Nan was about to o Us to the and the cruelties cruel cruelties ties ties' ties ties' of the public scho school l system Im Miss 1 Carroll Carrolla Carrolli a friend of the family Mrs l Morgan rg 1 is abroad Nan explained In fact Miss Anderson And Anderson An An- d derson r on Im I'm Mr Morgans Morgan's sc secretary and I wish you'd communicate com communicate with rue hue me in n care of ot Mr l Io Morgans Morgan's ans an's e the tta Sander Sanderson b building J if H p ha have v t any special problems or or difficulties with Curtis Cur Cur- He's Hes s child you sou know kno and Of O course couse I I understand d Miss Anderson agreed S The maid will call for for him to today today today to- to day but after aHer this one one of ot the boys will see that he gets to and nd from school safely Nan added She waved to Curtis but apparently he lie wa wag a afraid to appear demonstrative ve i and and therefore a sissy siss for he ac acknowledged acknowledged ac- ac I her farewell with a stiff little nod of his head So that's that Nan an breathed d. d a deep sigh of relief I believe hes he's Just where he belongs An And naw now to get the office clean clein n up the mall mail and then get hold of at Dr Ashley a D Dr Ashley not Obly only agreed to take lake the 2 o'clock train to lothe the state capital but insisted on Nans Nan's re remaining remaining re- re to lunch with himself and his his' wife During the meal she be became became became be- be came suddenly and unusually con confidential on- on telling the grea great doctor Just just what she had done that morn morn- morn morn- In Ing with John Curtis Morgans Morgan's son Mrs hs Morgan had planned a a. private private vate school education for Curtis doctor she explained But since Mrs Irs Morgan Is going to be ab abroad oad for several months Mr Morgan asked me to do what I thought best for Curtis He has a ayery very bad reputation rep rep reputation with nurses Im I'm afraid afraid- spoiled and dictatorial A public school Is Just the pla place e fo for 01 him the doctor nodded The boys boy's bad bad temper has no doubt been the result of s subconscious an angee anger anger an- an ger gee ger against being dlf different erent He lie has wanted t to be rc regular all ular all children children children chil chil- dren do Almost for tor the first time lime since she had come to work for John Curtis Morgan more than three years before Nan Carroll worked with her eyes eyes on the clock that af at- at terno n. n She could har hardly wait to have Curtis hurtle his small ex excited excited ex- ex cited body against hers while he began to to pour out the absorbing tale of oC the days day's adventures When she did arrive at the Morgan Mor tor- gan home it took quite a bit of hunting to discover Curtis And vi when n she did find rind him hin in the apartment apartment apart apart- m ment above the garage ho he was so enthralled by bv the drama of the OBrien O'Brien family taking possession of th their Ir new that he ho scarcely gave Nan a thought Hey Curt gangway What dye think this is IS-a IS a free flee show Pitch Pitchin in and help tote up furniture if youre you're going to stand around here Little Pat was shouting to the pampered son of ot Iris Morgan as asNan asNan asNan Nan climbed the stairs With deep amusement and nd tenderness tenderness tenderness ten ten- Nan saw that Curtis obeyed t the 10 old son of ot the cook un- un questIoninglY eagerly She went back into the house Estelle the mald maid stopped her Inthe Inthe in inthe the hall ball I was just wondering Miss Carroll what to do with Mrs Morgans Morgan's clothes and things If she Is going t to be gone several months oughtn't they to be well packed up or something She i floundered to an embarrassed stop but her meaning lay Jay plainly be betWeen between between be- be tween the two girls If Iris Morgan Morgan Morgan Mor Mor- gan was not coming back should a hundred a reminders of her beautiful beautiful beau beau- body continue to stab John Curtis Morgans Morgan's heart every crery time tIma he entered his home Nan ascended th the stairs slowly sick with dista distaste te for the job that lay ahead o of her To b be continued |