| Show t LOST LOVER ETi 7 4 71 Jill ill McFarlane whose father Richard Rich ard disappeared in la World War I tails falls In to love with Spine Spang Gordon She If r. upset to find that her brother Ric bas bat fallen In love with Sandra Cal pert fert a divorcee During her absence Richard returns from the dead and vis Its W her mother Julia He tie If is using the assumed name of Captain Mickey Mackey and andIs andIs Is b stationed at the same camp as tie Ric Julia lulla It Is heartsick Richard tells Ric be knew his father In France and later threatens Sandra with exposure of an Illegal divorce If the she doesn't leave Ric alone Julia her father ln law father law John I. I and end Jill lill are horrified when the they get ret aletter a aletter aletter letter from Ric announcing his mar mar- flags Sandra wW will live Uve with them CHAPTER XV YV Julia said Jill Jill think Ric is going out out to to fight for us If U he loved this woman enough to marry her the least we can do for tor Ric isto Isto is isto to make her welcome Jill's JW's face was stony I 1 love Ric Hes He's my brother But when he be sends a female tramp here to live Uve with his mother its it's too much John I I. I had come bumbling up behind them Confounded young puppy he snorted Hes got about as much use for a wife asI as asI asI I have feeling Its this war Its It's that of desperate haste they all have that they must crowd a lifetime of living Into a few weeks or a few days Julia said She cant can't be bethe bethe bethe the dreadful creature that Jill thinks she is she wouldn't have appealed appealed appealed ap ap- ap- ap pealed to Ric I 1 saw her I 1 tell you youl I had bad lunch with her Why doesn't he send her to her own people John I I. I wondered Probably she hasn't any Probably Probably Probably ably they threw her out long ago If U youre you're going to take me to town Dooley wed we'd better go The telegraph telegraph telegraph tele tele- graph office closes at nine Go up and put on something else then You certainly cant can't go to town In a negligee and nothing much under it Tell Mamie Mamle to help you with the zippers Im I'm still shaking shaking shak shak- shaking ing all over Julia dropped on the long seat In Inthe inthe inthe the hall ball Every Inch of her body was cramped and cold Her throat oat ached Intolerably She said sald Should I have told Richard about Ric John I. I After all Richard Is his father He might have found an opportunity to talk to Ric He might have saved him from rom this folly both soldiers Soldiers go where they're may maybe maybe maybe be In Africa by this time John I. I I cant can't bring myself to turn Ric's wife away from hiso his home o e Where Would I have been in other otner war ii Ir you had nad cast me off It was you took me In Dooley I was a homeless old man living liv liv- ing in a hotel You took care of us for tor years till Ull we could make this place pay Perhaps this Is the way I must pay payback to back back to pass that help along I wish I could change Jill's attitude She's so determined when she's angry angry angry an an- gry and upset John I. I lit his pipe pulled puffed it slow slow- ly y You and I arent aren't so young any anymore anymore more Dooley Youre You're young compared compared compared com com- pared to me but youve you've lived long enough to know that things pass Maybe she wont won't like it here He chuckled Could be she wouldn't like it here at all You just relax relax relax re re- re- re lax some ways and get tough other wa ways s Keep a strangle-hold strangle on your money Ric's done a lot of bragging about his family like as not and she Bhe thinks youre you're a wealthy wom wom- an Well dont don't be wealthy when she's around How can I be wealthy when we both know that if ff they put low ceiling ceiling ceil cell ing prices on hogs this year we wont won't make a penny If u she does come come if If Jill doesn't head her off put on your seediest clothes and get her up at six o'clock In the morning Tell Mamie to churn all the cream and well we'll live Uve on country victuals victuals turnIps turnips will be ready s soon soon on I looked at them today I can cnn be plenty tiresome too If I put my mind on it Any old man gets to be windy Ill I'll talk her to death A Phone Call From Richard John I. I youre you're priceless I Julia smiled again reached for his hand as Jill came pelting down the stairs Ready Julia said I still dont don't approve of this remember JilL Its my responsibility Dooley Ill I'll sign my own name to the wire Ill get the keys Julia got up slowly lowly And just then the telephone rang sharply and longIll longIll long Ill get It It Jill sprang to the receiver Then she turned back backwith backwith backwith with an odd look Its long distance dis tance calling tance-calling calling you Dooley Maybe ehe she Isn't coming after all an It could be Ric Jill I cant can't say cruel things to Ric I Ric-I I cant can't She sat eat down at the instrument She said Hello yes this is Mrs Richard Richard Richard Rich Rich- ard McFarlane and Instantly all the color drained out of her her face and the receiver trembled In her hand band The voice that came over the wire said Dooley Is that you you Richard Richard was calling and she could not let Jill know She said Yes this is s Mrs McFarlane McFarlane Mc Me Farlane stiffly formally Richards Richard's voice came again Dooley Ive I've seen the boy He didn't know me of course I haven't told him anything Youve You've heard from him today Yes She had to hold her lips Ups stiff keep her face calm because John I. I and Jill were watching her Yes Captain I 1 h heard ard from him today He told me that he had been married why Im I'm calling you Dooley Doo Doo- ley I wanted you to know that I Idid Idid Idid did everything I could As soon as asI asI asI I suspected that he had this reckless reckless reck reck- reckless less marriage in mind I had him up before the board and arranged I Ifor for his Immediate transfer but I Iwas Iwas Iwas was too late Its an impossible marriage you think Oh Richard Richard why are we talking like this Were We're Ric's father and mother I And we must sp speak ak to each other like formal strangers But a little warmth lightened her wretchedness Richard had tried to save Ric Richard had not betrayed betrayed betrayed be be- himself It helped a little to toYes f r 1 I s' s y Yes this Is Mrs l McFarlane l be able to bell believe eve again In some small nobility in hi Richard Richard said Its a rotten mar mar- She wont won't do Dooley She's no good I knew her in the islands I 1 dont don't know just what I can do but Im I'm going to try to do some some- something thing But she's coming here That was In the letter Dooley do the best you can forthe for forthe forthe the present will you And trust me I 1 know I haven't the right to ask it but Im I'm going to try to do something something something some some- thing about this Yes she's coming there She's already on the way Then I suppose theres there's nothing we can do But thank you so much for calling Captain She wanted to cry Thank you Richard Thank you for trying to be a father tather to your son at last But Jill was listening Jill must not suspect Richard said Wait Walt Dooley I 1 just wanted to tell you Dont Don't wor wor- ry Hell He'll be all right Hes He's a fine looking boy Hes He's like you He Isn't going to be like his bis father Hell He'll outgrow this foolishness Oh I hope so sol She said Goodby Goodby Goodby Good by almost In a gasp and hung up She turned to the e others Theres no use sending any message Jill She's already on her way That was was one one ne of the captains at Ridley Field He said he tried to have Ric transferred In time tune to prevent this but he was too late So that's that The next move then Jill set her chin is to convince convince con con- vince this Sandra person that Buzzards Buzzard's Buzzards Buzzard's Buzzards Buzzard's Buz Buz- zard's Hill isn't the place she wants to live But surely we can meet this situation with some grace After all Julia protested were still sUll What is it worth to be a McFarlane McFarlane McFarlane lane Jill cried a McFarlane McFarlane lane lanel Shell She'll be a McFarlane too Dooley if you go soft on us now I swear Ill I'll tell her that youre you're a mental case Ill I'll tell her that were we're too tenderhearted to put you In a sanitarium Julia began to laugh hysterically tears running down her face Her throat convulsed her teeth chattered chattered chat chat- she shuddered and pressed her hands to her face letting tears po pour out cut between en her fingers Making Plans For Sandra Jill looked frightened Dooley Dooley dont don't Stop It this minute I II I didn't mean a word of it Dooley Im I'm going to put you to bed t now Youve You've had enough for tor one woman to bear in hi a day Grandfather Grand father and I will take care of every thing Dooley If you dont don't stop crying crying cry cry- ing Im I'm going to begin screaming I myself In a minute Im stopping gulped Julia swallowing the ragged sobs that tore at her I I dont don't dont know why I went to pieces like this I never do cry I haven't cried In years I I could kill Ric for doing this to toi i you youl He lied to me when I went down there I was furious at him But But to to do a a. a thing like this not to have any pride for his family family- Please Dooley dont don't begin again Come upstairs with me Ill I'll get you some hot milk and a sedative tab tab- tablet let She followed Jill meekly She layon lay layon layon on her bed where the dying light of September dusk came through the branches of the great trees She drank whatever Jill brought her she was grateful for the cool cloth laid over her eyes She was aware of John I I. I in the room felt his worried worried worried wor wor- ried eyes upon her wanted to comfort comfort com com- fort him and was too numb She Shedid Shedid Shedid did not talk because her spinning brain was so full of cries that must not escape her lips Ups Because her ears were hearing Richards Richard's voice again calling to the old ache within within within with with- in her touching that old tenderness that had never healed Dooley trust me 1 Oh Richard Richard why did you come now so tragically toolate toolate too toolate late When he needed you when he was little when I was so alone where were you then Richard He had no father to teach him honor no one to teach him to be strong Now its it's too late Richard forever too late latel It was with trepidation that Julia met the train next afternoon She had got Ric's room ready that morning She had Impressed upon Mamie that Mrs Richard McFarlane McFarlane Mc Mc- Farlane Jr would be tired when she arrived and It would be kinder not to cook cabbage or anything else that smelled up p the house She Sho had talked to John LIf L LIf LU If U she should turn out to be a anice anice anice nice person John I. I do o try to restrain restrain restrain re re- strain Jill a little will you I do hope we can meet this situation as nice people Jill and I will be so nice you'll admire us the old man promised Only dont don't you get in our way That smudge of smoke down the shimmering V of the rails was it another cloud that tha t would lie Ue darkly over her heart She walked out to the track She set her face in herbest her herbest herbest best Imitation of a welcoming smile Dont you dare dress up Dooley Ji Jill had Yar warned e i And Julia had countered dryly Youre still here Jill I thought you were leaving us forever If Ric's wife entered this house I 1 decided that it would be criminal crim crim- criminal I inal to desert you Youre You're such a softy Dooley that you'd let her walk all over you Jill said Ill give her two weeks But if she's still hanging around after that Imay I Imay Imay may go to Washington and get a Job Boots Palmer knows a con con- gressman All right Jill But try to be alady a a a- lady for those two weeks After that I wont won't raise any objection whatever you want to do Perhaps Julia was thinking as she watched the engine thunder toward toward to to- toward ward her Sandra wasn't too happy either Perhaps she had let love rush her off her feet and now she was being shifted off oft on people shedid shedid she shedid did not know whom she might suspect suspect suspect sus sus- sus- sus did not want her But would a woman who had been married before before before be be- fore be swept off her feet teet by a boy Jill could be wrong after all This might be a girl whom Ric had met later She held to that hope till the train ground to a stop then surrendered surrendered surrendered sur sur- rendered It resignedly I ISandra Sandra Arrives At the Farm That had to be Sandra getting I off Julias Julia's heart gave a sick flop Small blonde no girl for all the soft curls the delicate make up The face tace under the clever hat had been written upon grimly and a bit cruelly by life Ufe Julia went forward You must be Sandra Im I'm Richards Richard's mother She felt that slow blue gaze travel over her moving anxiously but the voice too young and limpid for that throat cried How nice of you youl I Iwas Iwas Iwas was afraid you might not get my telegram It came this morning Ill I'll have some one see to your bags Are all these yours They do look a frightful 10 lot dont don't they That's because since the war began Ive I've had no real home Ive I've lived In a trunk I have a trunk too Do you think It could be here Well ask Moving across the platform Julia felt the impact ol of watching eyes upon her The eyes of women she knew well women who knew to a day how old Ric was and she knew that they were seeing too with pitiless female clarity that for all the illusion ol of youth Sandra Calvert had achieved artifice had put up a losing battle batUe 1 with time tune It would be all over town In no time that Ric McFarlane had married a old hag she was certain She said Im so sorry we have to take you out in hi the station wagon but weve we've put up the cars for the duration TO BE CON CONTINUED |
