Show CA N C hao 0 0 S by margaret weymouth jackson Q bi bo bbs merrill co THE STORY stony renewing a childhood attachment ernestine Url lIrlie celand landi of a wealthy family Is attracted by will todd news newspaper paper artist her sister bitter lillian urges urge oher her to break off the affair but ernestine refuses A runaway marriage fol lows iowa lor fig wins gians concentto consent to become his wife will a and nd ernestine begin their marr married d ufa life in hambla surround aur round ings ines john poole wilts best basi friend gives a birthday party for or ernestine at lauby castanos Pas Pa tanoa stanos r rei gort ernestine and will have their first quarrel as a result wills father dies suddenly lillian and loring are married wills naother mother illos dies almost am inedia mediately tely after Erne stines baby I 1 Is born changes in wills office fall to bring advancement urnestine ernestine again Is looking forward to motherhood I 1 CHAPTER VIII continued ernestine had aided john poole toi to come down for the two sundays they were tit nt the lale lake she had come ta to love the man as much as will did and had grown into the way of bignor ing has bad habits ile he was admirably sober the first sunday tie he caroe came down down to them and will and poole spent the day in the be wood path and on the water making ridiculous sketches in the sand carry tarrying ind peter about with them but the second sunday was a day of misfortunes ernestine was III anti and could scarcely rise that morning and it seemed to her that will was ampa tient and unsympathetic loring telephoned that ho he had stripped his gears and put the car in the garage he would have to come on the train and ernestine realized with dismay that john poole would be with him lillian brought the two from the station in li her er car john 4 poole was already fuddled cuddled with drink and elaborately polite and it was easily seen that loring lorang was n as in a state of nervous exasperation tits ills fare was flushed his brow furrowed furm wed ive got to go right over to pas tanos to see a man coming out there today he said to lillian as soon as they had had sunday dinner if you are going to see ruby ill go with you said itald mr air poole 1 I have a most important matter to discuss with mr Pa stano moa alos Im important t he has a nephew leq ye I 1 know as will laughed he lias has forty seven nephews but this Is a most particular one this boy Is tri t study modeling ile he Is to be the exception an artist in a family of clever criminals pm to see mrs hashino pas anno about him I 1 ill go with you lie ile rose find and tool took a familiar hold on lorings Lorl arm will con can take you over in the boat after while loring said 1 I must hurry and castano cant talk to both of us at once no 1 I want to go with you fou in aisted elsted mr poole c loring ho no longer made the faintest bainte st effort to conceal ills his disgust your de desire Is he said and will laughed and came around the table to tits his friend and boss and tool took bold of him youre coming with me you yon old warhorse war horse lie he said youre drunk ill wager vager you hav ezit done a lick of work all week well go over to see ruby while loring want you john so come along with me john poole turned and detained detainer detain eJ loring who was trying to escape you dont want me no said loring nervously live ive had bad enough of you too wu much ch I 1 doni ever want to see you sou aga again in as lon long glias ins I 1 live come coate outside and fight with ith me and nd I 1 will beat you iou and then well go to pasta Pa stanos nos together 11 loring was curious fur lous 1 I wont fight with you you old foell for G ds da sake take fako him M off me why did you bring him down here anyhow dont be so hard fiord with him said will smiling wanly hes got a little money he might come in hand handy csome some day youve changed your mind about friends of bf mine before castano and alston far or instance instante In loring turned to lillian who stood silent and grave arave by her table if this Is what 4 1 I am to expect here its the jast sunday sun jy I 1 come down will Willi 1 I flushed so ernestine Is in bowl now lie be said slowly perhaps haps you leave already consummated consummate your intention of cheating her out of lier privileges in tills this house bouse as elsewhere i anybody coned cheat Ernest ernestine ludi I 1 exclaimed loring she was wag cheated once and for good cren raen she married you yon slie she er f life then and now she aret endure anything because one alie lacks protection and la Is handicapped to boot will took took a step forward his big hand raised and though he still smiled bill face was evil ile he spoke low and rapidly and with an indescribable act of vituperation inan great big staffed shirt you yoo ou safe e player and bribe ipa cove terl do you yon v chatz the matter A I 1 asted in definitely loring haq had swollen to rage find and then hiji he had collapsed lintl tl h he stood lookin gat will with a dread dreadful tul haunted face it if was strange st iange ernestine thought after afterward ivard that none of them oem felt eien then that loring vas afraid of will there was some other eleni element ent which gave will tremendous advantage before the blaze in an wills ies eyes before his cursing breathless phrases I 1 orang fell intia strange dejection the two men looked at each other in n the still ness nesa that ahat swirled around them alt all will IIII turned nf last aatto to ernestine abo get your things kitten and get gei the baby ready he said in a gentle voice well avell nil all go back together ill go to the hotel and get atall a taxi to take us io to the depot we can get the afternoon train gather your thinks things up again john with tears running down her face ernestine obeyed him loring went off cursing under his breath and sir air poole followed him to shout unheeded threats and maledictions male mali dictions 1111 lillian lat helped Ernes ernestine tide boget to get ready both of them crying its the end said Ernest ernestine lub we can never seo see each other again now nowa our lives etre separated indefinitely and lillian was thinking what will mamma siy say ill call you ftp up when I 1 get in town write to roe me ernestine dont let them tear us apart P my aly life la is with will yours with loring said eald Erne ernestine Alne and wept afresh trying to stem siem the tears hying notto bare care but feeling the nervous uncontrollable necessity tor for weeping in the train going back bach to chicago 1 I she still cried now and then why does loring liate hate us so she asked at last in a low tone especially me why does he hate me lie ile seems to want to wound me to strike at roe me iles hes lone done it before but ive never harmo him wy why does he be hate me win will nate hate you exclaimed will and looked at her strangely his dark blight eyes searching hr her pale face for guile ile iio hate y you 6 U ernestine but forget him im fw glad something thin has happened only made mad eus us unhappy anyhow 01 it was as nice to be home again ernestine went about her little house with a feeling of bf comfort and joy will was not due at the until ahe end of the vIl icek eeli but on monday as ernestine was as finishing up a washing for the baby he got dressed to go downtown As she kissed him goodby and watched him go then turned back to the routine of home ernestine felt a sense of well being blot out yes ten ter lays days turmoil she resolved not to taink about it nor to worry it seemed ed to tier her that IV will III trad find barely had time to go to town and come colne back again before he stood in the kitchen doorway do onay tits his eyes ees upon tier her with such a look in th them em that site she gave gae a little cay ry and her hand flew fiew to her throat will weats M hats happened ue ile put his hat down slowly lie he hung his head unable to speak to her ter betat but at last ho he got it out ive lost my job will ile he said eald no more tell me what halip happened ened craps ernestine sat down weakly in a clider by the kitchen table and gave gava a fool Ish sound sounding ing laugh 1 unarm eros P she exclaimed and grinned it at him film im glad You would FX r 4 t 1 4 V will and poole pool spent the day in n the wood pathana path and on the water never have ach and now get a job where appreciate you ia ernestine I 1 be said nud find choked chaired cho ired ill make good for you 1 I I 1 seo bee some day i ur mr poole had not been at the ob ep when will was dismissed by mr als ton it was some days dais before he learned the details and gave them to ernestine the fellows had all surrounded will with affectionate greet lug on on tits lits arrival in the office ones pt edly they had it at once planned to eat supper in a a crowd somebody produced dice to 6 determine immediately who would have to pity they squatted on theIr heels in a close ring between the sloping desks and tommy tuck tucker er cried a fierce schoolboy jig gers at them will alil held heldt the lie dlce dice and lie he straightened up and turned about boldly rattling the bubl cubes es in his big hand band and faced mr air wiston air olston made work of him almost lt it seemed to will 0 or r so he said as though be were glad of the chance within ten minutes minute after his arrival will walked out of the sini offices his possessions done up in a paper pac package hilge under its hla arm while half a dozen indignant but futile youngsters young mourned after him hut but John Poole would it you fire my he help ali and you fire me he told alston and ho he left bag and baggage nobody had thought of this mr air wiston remonstrated with jilin auf but would satisfy john joan poole except wills reinstatement and that hat wiston would not concede 1 lind added to io his litwa own anxieties a sense of responsibility about 1 john poole of concern over krnea aln tines s break with ahal thai an anit rt 4 of f her family which was in oi or near chicago mr air poole lets let it be knoop know tn in news paper elides circles that lie he and lils lila assistant adre available hut but to ills als asmont astonishment S h babad lie had no offers lie ile wit ans olda he had been identified with t alie e sun g ti for many years the suns rivals iv were re huby busy developing their own ov n artists and establishing them it was only a year yea e or two longer it was said ifor for jolin johni poole and anyhow lie he would probably pio bably b be e back at the sun within a mouth month it was dull dall in chicago that flint summer mamma was still in europe and ernestine felt eliat she could not confide in lillian about aul wul there were times when she was frightened about her own health she felt taint faint inthe in the heat she could not eat eai at all she had not felt feli this way may before peter was wai born but then slie she bad had been strong n and nd well she understand this lier her feet were swollen until she could not wear h her er shoes mis airs an and d mrs airs pry pryor or expressed their anxiety only will engrossed in tits his own troubles tion bles was unaware of tier her frailty she presented to mr air poole and to will a superb calm and a facetiousness that was easier for her than tragedy tru gedy will found some work for tin an advertising ver agency which lie brought home to do he be might have taken one of the joh joho o jinvit had bad offered him from time to time but papa was in europe and loring in charge of his bis affairs Ernest ernestine life could not forgive will for playing Pa baseball in the st streets ibets with john pryor and a half a dozen other half grown boys when tie lie came back from his fruitless jam jaunts its after work ile he care slie she thought an annl 1 l longed to wound him film to sti ike through lili his carelessness slie shi e grew almost morbid perhaps kell hell have acas reason h tr to waken hake t to understand that lifes ajob for a mon man will took five dollars almost algosi the i last of their cash one m orning morning early in august and went out looking very clean and spruce ai I 1 with the light of adventure in tits his cy cyp e ril ill find work i today oday ors or s stay ta y on out t till I 1 do lie he told ernestine nine anti and kissed her on both cheeks peter pete r clung to him ecstatically peter loves boves will the better she thought pressing any thorn at liand hand against tier her heart after he was vias gone she to ner trun ana gt got out olit bankbook she had find obtained that day owr twp years ago when site she had come out here and fo found und wills father fa alier dead here was a secret source of supply of her own she looked at af her bank balance it was enough to pay for herself and the new baby if she went into a two iwo bed ward as doctor grey had planned for lie her r this was her money will would have to manage for himself and peter she decided to go and get the money and have cash in the 06 house if anything bappe happened ried but she would not let will know she had it she auf the small bankbook on the dining room table and went about the clean and tidy house washing dishes setting betting the rooms in order there was a long letter from mamma in the morning mall mail ernestine did not finish reading it fur for site she had to go and lie Ile down on her bed seized with such pain that she could ic scarcely arcely forbe forbear ae crying out she felt within herself no light at all no buoyancy no spark of life she was dull leaden i submerged she felt she elight 0 aught to IFO make s some ome effon to resist this spiritual inertia but she was too III sie she wondered if her child would le be born too floon soon thought goaded lier her into action 7 she rose and gathered from tier her little baby garments long since washed and mended and laid away she f made the things she ehe might need for abi tho baby into n bundle bundie and put it in her dresser drawer she sha would get her money she would arrange her own affairs with com pe tence when the call came caine she ehe would be ready B but ut she oust must rest first she made herself a pot of fresh tee tea asked mra Sili luss to look after peter mer anti and nt at 1 length to in them the early afternoon she elie started off on the long walk to the street car she rode interminably withdraw ing ng w tier lier spirit from tile conc concussion on of the tient waves that came up from the stone pd pavement into the street car Valk tug in a mist she reached the bank b enk and went inside she se opened her purse but found among its contents fib no bankbook cilc like e a picture in a dream u she could see the leather r square quare of it on the dining room table in the little house house she had left it itt at home if she bhe had been in in normal condition she would have realized that U was quite possible for her to establish her identity at the bank she had made many small deposits TheFt the teller eller would have t remembered heri her but as she stood in disappointment the world grew black before tier her eyes and for a straining moment moment fully conscious but blind she stood in silent terror the blind blindness hess passed and she picked up her purse and went out of the hank bank turned half instinctively toward mrs bennetts Ren Ben hefts A strange girl girk was at the door a colored girl who roll edher ayea at mis Den bennetta out maam will you wait valt ernestine left without a word bord and w went ent bath back to the boulevard the darkness the blindness till was coming i P down on her again 81 slie 0 felt that she was going to She could not hold 0 o nany longer there was mas nothing with which to cling she no I 1 longer cared the great bulk of thebus U ig was moving down toward her gigantic menacing slie she felt that it ft w bould derUsh cartish her and moved back a little on the sidewalk her eyes fixed upon the mon monster which seemed to swell and gro grow |