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Show tt, tit -,.,.-!r AlabasteeLmPs' 'MarqaretTurnbull. CHAPTER X Continued 17 Claude Dabbs looked at lior, saw tli:it i-lie was leaving it to him, and though be bad planned this tncetin;,' u hundred times, did not Know which beginning ti) make, lie could tbini; of nothing but bow blind be bad becn.-"Cood becn.-"Cood Clod ! Why didn't 1 see it the first time:" be thought to himself. "She's so like my mother." He turned to the girl, and said: ".Mary, will your mother be In when we tret to your hotel 7" "I think so." "Then do you think you could come to my hotel, and talk to me for a few minutes. I've gut a silling room. We could be quile private." Now Mary knew she was in for it, but she loved the nice, simple way lie was taking it. Absolutely direct. What was Mother running away from? "If 1 don't slay too long," she answered. an-swered. "Mother will be anxious, if 1 am not back in half an hour." "Then we'll do it." He spoke to the driver. They said nothing more, except to remark on the weather. At the desk, when lie received his key, Mary noticed that, as she stood a little apart, Dabbs was evidently telling tell-ing the clerk she was his daughter. She knew at once tiiat this was his careful thought for her, and did not mind in the least the manner of bis doing it. Indeed, it was a good maimer. As they went up in the elevator Claude had a sudden dread that Xed might come back and find them, and be did not want that. I'lenly of time for Ned. wneu he, Claude, found out where they stood. He opt ned the door of the sitting room and Ushered Marvin. Marv-in. She had time to think, swlflly and confusedly, that this was doing it valber well for a country grocer. He teemed unable to speak. She felt a like disability lie upon her own tongue. She sat down and waited. Claude crossed to the door and closed it. Mary instinctively felt the struggle and dilliculty going on in his : mind. He did not yet know how much the knew or did not know. .She felt sorry for hiin, and quite involuntarily tried to help. "Father" C. M. Dabbs shot out a strong arm. Mary was lifted out of the chair and held firmly. She heard a voice above her hat, imploring: "Say that again, my girl, and say it slow." "What?" asked the startled Mary, rather faintly. There was not much space to speak in. "What you called me then. Oh. my iod. girl, do you know that it's true?" Mary drew back and looked up at him. "Heavens!" she gasped. "Idd I say It out loud? I was ui"r:.M I would." "Say it!" commanded (.'. M., u:i '. fchnok her a little. "Don't Dad, you frighten me." She was inguii'ed In fj. M.'s embrace. He held her closely and she found it not in the least alarming or uncom fortable. He was murmuring to him-elf: "My little ?irl ! My Mary!" Then he held l.er off. as she bad lern. and looked al her. Mary looked into a pair of blue eyes marvelously like her o.vri. There was a softness of tears behind them, but none fell. "IoT( be frigblened. Your father doesn t mean to be ro::ch. Onl.v My .hA ! All the jears I've wanted oii. I'll never forgive i'oliy fn- ihal." MaJy rai. ed her bead wai 'iiingly. "Not h word agaiii-t Mother!" ". M.'s gra p upon her lightened cgairi. "Not a word. Duly she should Lave lold me. long ago." "Yes, 1 think so, too. Dad." Miry i. g : d. "but I can't make her . ce it." C. M. looked down al her siei nly. "1! -, long have you known?" '.'dure la l night. I haven't been able to tli'til; abo it anyi hi ug el ;o, bin Voibcr won't talk about it, and she meant me not to tell. I didn't tell, did I?" "Not strictly HpeaklnL'." t '.. M hh-fund hh-fund l.er. "You Juii said 'father," nil to yo:ir.-;ef, and I heard you." "Dear, dear," and Mary lrie to xeyntl disl leased and repentant, "v.-hat wid beeome of me when Mother J' news '!" . M.'s arm lightened about le-r, n liio,i:;h for protection. Mat y leaned on it. " I he thing thai';-, got to la- ninl'-i--i-.-oorJ bet -.vein u-i at ore e, is i h n my laolher la the SWeeto I, bf'lt looking, most wonderful neither a girl ever i.;"l. l-'ji'hi r, what were you thinking ul to I 1 her get away from you?' Claude frowned. He h d Mary back to her chair and sat down beside her. "See here," be sn'd, looking at his daughter in alarm, "I don't know how uracil Polly has told you." "Everything." "klverylhing !" C. M. started from his chair, changed his mind and sat down heavily. "Then that saves me something. We're not going to discuss dis-cuss it." Mary nodded. "Let's take everything every-thing for granted, and go right on from now. That will be the best thing." "I low can we?" "We must," Mary announced with decision. "There's got to be certain reticences." "(ih, Lord!" groaned Claude. "You don't think I want to talk over these 'certain reticences' with you." He nrentlied heavily. "No, it's I'olly." He looked at Mary as though they bad been In league for years. "How can v.e get round her?" Mary shook her head. Claude looked at her moodily. "I knew I'olly." He looked down at the carpet, busy with his problem. Siary came to him quietly, perched herself on his knee, and. put her arm about bis neck. He did want petting so badly. "Mother will simply have to take notice of my father." C. M. promptly kissed her. It was a nice kiss, on the check, and C. M. wasn't clumsy about it either. Mary's iter ill v!'Jlo J Wm. -At V-V a ft -W "Say That Again, My Girl, and Say It Slow." appreciation of bim rose. He had a certain deftness, this big- man. He wasn't clumsy nor was he vulgar. Mother might have but Chiude Interrupted Inter-rupted her train of thought. "One thing 1 can't forgive Is keeping keep-ing you from me. I can hardly, keep Item squeezing the life out of you. Mary. I'm so ghel to have you within reach, and know you're my girl. l:ut the little M.ny! I'.y .liininy! oiv sweet you mil. I have been y, your hair down your bark, or maybe tied with a big bow of ribbon, ami little .-.Happed slipper.' on your cuie'littl" feel. I'olly cheated im. ,,ul of Ih.i'. Why, look, you're a great big gill, ji, n I'm a strange man to you. and o,t may la; engaged to .Mane hnll.iiig i,l- low, for all I know, ami no r n .j your life for a father." Despite the fiat ibat he trbd to treat, it lightly. Mar fell the poignant regret In his line, and her h.-o-i .-leheil fur her father. What could sl-e no to make him know that h- bad not only a place In her life but hes heart "I'm not engaged." she assured him, as she put up her hands to her emurt little hat anil jerked It off, and slipped from his knee. "Maybe no one will ever ask me." Claude made n liltlo noise of scornful unbelief, but Mary stopped him. "Stare . hard at that picture and don't look around until I (ell you." Dabbs obeyed her, wondering a little, and Mary slipped the hairpins from her head. "Now!" ' C. M. felt something soft and silky tombing bis band. lie looked at Mary. Her hair down her back us a child would wear it, she was slandiii!' beside him, smiling fearlessly. Th years seemed to have slipped away from her. "There, poor old Dad. Pretend I'm little Mary." Dabbs laid his big hand caressingly on the silky head, but shook bis own. "You're a dear, Mary, but put it up, my girl. It isn't the same thing. Not but what I'd be content enough if 1 could have yon running in and out I my house now, but there's I'olly. I'll have to take you back to her, aud then A-hat?" Mary could not answer him. She went to the mirror over the little writing writ-ing desk and began piling up hei hair. "Shall 1 tell her I've seen you?" she asked. Dabbs watched her,- fascinated. It was wonderful to think that slender lovely thing was his daughter. "Would that be a good thing, do you think?' Mary thought for a moment, then shook her head. As she slowly put a shell pin in, she had made up her mind to tell him almut Mother. II was the best thing, to be absolutely frank. She couldn't juggle things the way Mother did: ''You'd better know about Mother," she announced. "We're saili.ig for Venire tomorrow." ' Tomorrow ! Venice !" Mary nodded as she drove home the last two pins and readied for her hat. "Mother's running away. We're running run-ning away from you, and my instinct teils me Mother will run far." Dabbs sat down on the arm of the chair, thinking. "And if I tell her I've seen you why, she'll move again, and It won't be Venice, and 1 won't be able to tell you where we are going." "You're not to tell her," Dabbs said, decidediy,. "and it will be Venice. Do you know your hotel?" "The itoyal Danielli." "Well, say noihing. I'll meet you there." "You'll meet us! Oh, Father! Can you leave the grocery store?" Dabbs nodded, smiling. "Kasy 1 can, when It's you." Mary settled her hat with a slightly saury tilt. "Then you'll tell Mother there. My! It's romantic!" Dearly would she love In see the meeting. C. M. crossed the room, tool; her by the dimpled chin and tilled bet face so that be cfiild look Into the eyes that she tried to hide with her long la-dies. "It Isn't romantic," be said. "Ami much as it would please you to manage man-age the affair, young lady, you can't I'olly Johnston and I will manage that part of it by ourselves." "Oh Father, how could you?" "I'm not so slow as I look. dauL'ti-ter. dauL'ti-ter. and I know I'olly. She was never to be driven, or coaxed cither. I'olly will have to settle It herself, mid that's the only safe way." .Mary L-ave his arm a squeeze. "I h, C. M. Dabbs, you're n wonder. If the angels had asked me. I couldn't have picked any father I'd like better." Claude looked at her gravely. "I'm rough. In some ways, girl, but If yon like mi' I haven't wasted my lire." "I only wish I was a boy. Father. How we would develop your grocery business together, and make m ,ie so that Mother would inhiiire us !" Dabbs frowned. "1 don't want you a boy. The atigels suited me. too. when liny picked you." He held Mary's hand I'yhtly In bis. "Mary, is I'olly like hat .still? slr care as much about money, I mean?" Mary sludieil her fall er as si sv.crrd: "She does and she doesn't. Mother I- n't easy ti, explain. She likes the I lilti i: -i money lirings with It and she hasn't nni-ii left ." Dabbs stalled. "How's IhalV Mary explained as much as she I now. and Dnhln frowned as she men li'tnd the borrowing Irom l.orcii Uan-a-lcy. 'Mary, shall we give her money?" Mary -.hook her head. ",, ,,mv It wouldn't lie quite 1 a le. .Mullie'r wo'ihl ii ii r i - 1 1 1 -1- away Irom us." ( in i:t-J ','w.Tlr,t'i;i'.) i : ; z : a -.- x. : & : x : x : x : z : i : t : r |