Show ota 1 HE HEART n 4 i fa 0 joseph mccord service CHAPTER XIV continued through it all over it all the h name dale had been unable unab unabel ef to force fos from his lips back in the study how long ago that was the mem ory ry his battered consciousness de sired most of all to crush even as his fingers tried to danl mutilate mutate the th tangible evidence e and failed elaine elaine her face watching him through all this nightmare it would not be blotted out no matter how he beat at it with his bare heart I 1 that hurrying maddening procession swinging past his staring eyes where was the end A host of puzzling shadows forging forcing by taking shape at last those were pennons streaming from bobbing lance tips clearer Cle aier the half I 1 forgotten game of dreams old guests of the table round and ever present in the motley of mail a lone riser coming out again hidden behind arms that bore no device blank the shield argent dales arm was across his face to shut away the picture he rolled over and pressed his eyes deep among the dead leaves sobs broke from him elaine when that first storm had spent itself the boy who had been dale farwell roused and stared dully at his surroundings at the trees looming darkly on all sides it was the same world he had seen slip from beneath his feet he still was in it if no longer of it for the moment his mind refused to recognize the present or future he must go back a littles little reconstruct his chaos adjust himself to a perspective of some sort I 1 slowly matters began to right themselves in his numb brain it came back to him how his father that was it he had no father but he did he was the son of ward kelsey that should have been his name too no right to that other of which he had been so proud who was jonathan farwell only his mothers husband A man who had been kind to him for her sake had he this man of god who stood up tip on each sunday and told people how to be good live righteous lives hate sin and he let me live this lie he lived it too why why all these years giving himself to the task of saving souls what about his own soul what about the lady lee no use to push that out of his mind any longer the thing that mattered most of all she was waiting for him now somewhere in this soft darkness he had promised his last words had told her that nothing could ever keep them apart how could he ever tell her he never to see her again what would they tell her when she called the parsonage what would he say in the message he must send before he be went away fro from m all this that he had made a mistake mist ake that she must try to forget to have to hurt her so no right even to look at her never to hold her close the warm perfume P of her hair he stand this if only he could start on that trip to the wilderness bury himself forever another dream shattered he never wanted to see that man hear his name dare see him there were other wildernesses wilder nesses he would find them only ask to be forgotten no riding out with colors now the clouds clo lowered rain drops rattled sa s1 sharply on the leaves dale a lc rose painfully to his feet blundered on deeper into the pink stood watch alone in his kitchen until the first streaks of dawn tinged the east and albert hickman arrived with a clink of milk bottles pink had passed the hours tipped back in a chair heels resting on the table as he sat staring at the wall and lighting one cigarette after the other he had gone several times to the back porch to peer into in to the darkness and to listen then into the parlor only to hear that monotonous P pacing ac overhead ve A moment later he h e rapped n hesitatingly ta on oft the knob and peered cautiously into the room the light ligh t still burned jonathan farwell his I 1 is face drawn and haggard and suddenly old turned to face his visitor 0 dale has not come com e back were his first words not yet dominic 1 I have lost him too farwell offered I 1 in n a curiously flat voice gone I 1 the finality stirred mul grew brew to action countered talk sense he that kids no you know ehly roughly rou sit down quitter any moren you pull yourself together with unexpected und pecked docility the minister sank to a seat on the t he bed back the little li man hell come insisted you been car carrein alis around ever since he was born the kid got it all in one package what do you expect hes had to go out cut by himself and work it out same as youve been doin when he gets here hell be fixed to talk then you and him can get together why should he come to me I 1 drove him away my punishment is almost greater than I 1 can bear pinckney I 1 tried to carry it alone did I 1 do wrong did I 1 lissen dominie Domin le I 1 cant tell you I 1 reckon id have done the same as you you sure I 1 mean you never had it in black and white you know what im bryin to say what else was there to believe farwell persisted there never was anything else to believe god forgive me I 1 hoped the man was dead now he comes out of the past one of them things all if there was any doubt was the bitter retort why did that man hide himself all these years why did he not find me why there is no answer to anything in life pink came nearer he stood looking down at the crumpled figure dominie he began slowly 1 I aint very good at sayin things but aint you sorta out on yourself tonight and on the kid you nr I 1 af li 1 11 L I 1 t X V 7 a no I 1 loved her too well know pink hesitated then summed up 1 I always let you handle the church end but heres how all this hits me it if gods all you figure whys ghys he lettin our codr kid sit in in a cr crooked game no sir the kids a square shooter you cant tell me no diff different erent dope it out for yourself nine found the parsonage enve enveloped loped in silence jonathan farwell still lay across his bed where had left him several sever al hours before exhausted by the storm that had swept his heart and brain sleep at last had claimed the minister pink was in the living room where he had stretched himself on the couch to wait dales coming the chiming of the clock brought him to his feet staring and rubbing his eyes A distinct uneasy uneasiness ness possessed him when he realized that his watch had been kept in vain dale had not re returned satisfied by the quiet overhead that farwell must be resting pink stole softly to his kitchen to brew a pot of coffee As he swallowed a hasty breakfast he was formulating a plan of action he had promised miss lee to find the kid he swore a at t the sound of the door bell mutter muttering ing to himself he hurried to answer it before his employer should be roused it might b be e some word from the kid well was wa s his ungracious greeting to the stranger on the porch 1 I would like to see dr farwell barwe 11 if I 1 may before pink could frame a refusal a voice spoke from within the hall just a moment pinckney who is I 1 it jonathan farwell barwe 11 came slowly down the stairs and crossed to the front door good morn morning ing he began calmly did you wish to see me dr farwell s yes come in pink fell back reluctantly and allowed the visitor to enter eyed him uneasily as he walked into the parlor followed b by y the minister the atmosphere of the front room was as charged with sudden tenseness as 5 the two men faced each other the stranger broke the silence I 1 le he bluntly we have never met doctor farwell there in your smug righteousness and smirch her name dian didn t it no it was a colorless word occur to you t that hat dale might be but I 1 am not surprised to see you your son that he is your son now blaines EI El aines boy you poor blind fool then 11 you know im wade kelsey and to think I 1 have hated you all these years the name had no sooner left the farwell slowly passed his hand speakers ai lips Ps than the door leading over his mouth as it if he had received to the dining room was closed a blow his lips twitched abruptly by an unseen hand the but no sound came he peered up unexpected sound recalled farwell vacantly at his accuser to the duties of host 1 I am beginning to under understand stan d will you be seated kelsey remarked quietly we must thank you we can talk here get to the bottom of this pull yourself if you feel it necessary together man Is there anything we are alone I 1 mean I 1 can get you jonathan farwell walked to the farwell shook his head hall door he closed it and came then listen to me he d drew rew his back to the nearest chair dropping chair closer and seated himself himsel I 1 wearily to its cushioned seat A this is no time to mince words few brief hours had aged him perceptibly it means too much to that boy to his shoulders sagged the all of us I 1 can tell you some white face was pinched and drawn things you dont know that is what well sir brought me here perhaps this is more difficult than I 1 realized A slight hesitancy CHAPTER XV marked Kel attempt sudden sympathy filled him this man was well start with me best suffering he was ill can you make up your mind to accept what understand what brings me here I 1 tell you Is that understood he ventured 1 I suppose you know said kelsey that I 1 have met dale A slight nod of the head was far he told me so he is gone farwell wells reply said listlessly first elaine when you came to middleton I 1 today dale what would you do was a transit man with the old now I 1 am beyond hurt I 1 think youre talking in riddles man kelsey eyed the other sharply and there is no answer left farwells farrells Far wells black eyes fixed themselves on the engineers puzzled face 1 I once supposed it if ever I 1 met you face to face I 1 would kiu kill you god changes us there was a faint touch of wonder in the words 1 I think you had better explain that kelsey said it quietly enough but a dull color crept into his cheeks 1 I thought I 1 might be of some help you have enough to answer for when it comes to that elaine might be here now if you im sorry I 1 mean to say that yes she might have come here with y you ou to claim your son it is too late he is gone I 1 drove him away in gods name farwell what are you S saying kelsey sprang to his feet the lean face under the gray hair had gone as white as farwells farrells Far wells own his fists were thrust into his coat pockets as if fearful his anger might get the best of him that dale is yours was the measured reply 1 I always have known wade kelsey took a backward step an and d sank helplessly into his chair he but stared at farwell 1 I sinn sinned d more deeply than I 1 knew I 1 never told the boy always I 1 was hoping hoping then you came I 1 had to tell him all wait Kel voice was harsh he swallowed before he could ask his question are you trying to tell me that you think that you dare be believe lieve im that boys father would wold you deny him a name now it is all that you can give him more than you did for her if I 1 did not believe you utterly mad A dangerous ring crept into kelsey Kel s voice as he leaned forward As long as you have said that let me tell ell you something once and for all I 1 gave elaine a love that could mean nothing to you for you killed her 4 no I 1 loved her too well and I 1 tell you that you did you ou broke her b between your hands she loved you so well she let you drive 11 her out of your 1 life f e and now H he was on his feet again you sit G C starting out I 1 was engaged to elaine theres no good going into that she loved you more than she did me but there is one thing you will have to believe it keep me from loving her there never has been another woman in my life from that day until this if you can get that farwell sat motionless staring in mute pain at the other man 1 I dont want to be rough kelsey seemed to find the going difficult 1 I know now that elaine never opened her lips to a soul but I 1 saw though I 1 never talked with her after she sent me away she was trying to fit herself to a job that was beyond her 1 I can guess what happened after you took her away she found herself failing the job and you fright and her nerves got the better of her I 1 could piece it all together she clung to you and you gave her no help perhaps you not for me to judge AU ali I 1 know is that something snapped farwell moistened his lips with the tip of his tongue sat watching his face was expressionless elaine was in a panic when she left your home her physical condition had something to do with it of course when she was driven to take the step she go 90 back she go to her mother for fear you would find her this will sound almost unbelievable I 1 can see n now ow it was fate the same as my running across dale last week I 1 was in chic chicago ago on business A friend and I 1 dropped into a loop restaurant f for or lunch I 1 saw elaine waiting on tables this is going to hurt she was working to su support your baby ill cut it short tor for both our sakes elaine have much resistance si the lake air had been doing her no good I 1 took her to her mother where she belonged then I 1 began a search for you you seemed to have dropped from sight I 1 stumbled across your tr trail ail 0 once nce in 1915 elaine had been dead several months she hoped for you to the last wanted to put dale in your arms where he belonged now its your turn to help where were you overseas erseal we in the war then canadians TO BE CONTINUED |