Rose O'Paradise

by Grace Miller White

  CHAPTER XXIV

  "HE MIGHT EVEN MARRY HER"

  "I don't see why you must have her out of the way entirely," hesitatedMolly Merriweather, looking up into Jordan Morse's face. "Couldn't yousend her to some girls' place?"

  "Now you don't know anything about it, Molly," answered the manimpatiently. "If she doesn't disappear absolutely, the cobbler andTheodore'll find her."

  "That's so," said Molly, meditatively, "but it seems horrible----"

  Morse interrupted her with a sarcastic laugh.

  "That's what Theodore would think, and more, too, if he thought anyone was going to harm a hair of the child's head."

  Molly flamed red.

  "To save her, he might even marry her," Morse went on relentlessly.

  Molly gestured negatively.

  "He wouldn't. He couldn't!" she cried stormily. She had neverpermitted herself to face such a catastrophe save when she was angry.

  Jordan Morse contemplated his wife a short space of time.

  "I can't understand your falling in love with a man who hasn'tbreathed a word of affection for you," he said tentatively.

  Molly showed him an angry face.

  "You're not a woman, so you can't judge," she replied.

  "Thank God for that!" retorted Morse.

  "We wouldn't have had any of this trouble," he continued, at length,"if you'd let me know about the boy. There's no excuse for you,absolutely none. You know very well I would have come back."

  All the softness in the woman turned to hardness.

  "How many times," she flamed, "must I tell you I was too angry towrite or beg you to come, Jordan?... I've told you over and over."

  "And with all you say, I can't understand it. Are you going to impartyour precious past to Theodore?"

  "No," replied Molly, setting her lips.

  Presently Morse laughed provokingly.

  "How you women do count your chickens before they're hatched! Wheredid you get the idea Theodore was going to ask you to marry him?"

  "I'll make him," breathed Molly, with confidence.

  "Well, go ahead," bantered Morse. "All I ask for releasing you is thatyou'll help me rid myself of my beautiful niece, Virginia, at the sametime ridding yourself, my lady, and give me my boy when we find him."

  His tones in the first part of the speech were mocking, but Mollynoted when he said "boy" his voice softened. She looked at himwonderingly. What a strange mixture of good and evil he was! When hegot up to leave, she was not sorry. She watched him stride away with adeep sigh of relief.

  She was still sitting in the summer house when Theodore King swung hismotor through the gate and drew up before the porch. He jumped out,wiped his face, saw Molly, and smiled.

  "Well, it's cool here," he said, walking toward her.

  "Yes," said Molly. "Come and sit down a minute."

  Theodore looked doubtfully at the house.

  "I really ought to do some writing, but I'll sit a while if you like.I passed Jordan on the way home."

  Molly nodded, and Theodore quizzed her with laughing eyes.

  "Isn't he coming pretty often?" he asked. "Jordan's got prospects,Molly! If his niece isn't found, you know, he'll have a fortune....Better set your cap for him."

  Molly blushed under his words, trying not to show her resentment. WasTheodore a perfect fool? Couldn't he see she desired no one buthimself, and him alone?

  "Jordan doesn't care for me that way," she observed with dignity, "andI don't care for him."

  Theodore flicked an ash from his cigar.

  "I think you're mistaken, Molly--I mean as far as he is concerned."

  "I'm not! Of course, I'm not! Oh, Theodore, I've been wanting to askyou something for a long time. I do want to go back home for a day....Would you take me?"

  Theodore eyed her through wreaths of blue smoke.

  "Well, I might," he hesitated, "but hadn't you better ask Jordan? I'mafraid he wouldn't like me----"

  Molly got up so quickly that Theodore, surprised, got up too.

  "I don't want Jordan, and I do want you," she said emphatically. "Ofcourse if you don't care to go----"

  "On the contrary," interrupted Theodore, good-naturedly, "I wouldreally like it.... Yes, I'll go all right.... I have a reason forgoing."

  Molly's whole demeanor changed. She gave a musical laugh. He couldhave but one reason, and she felt she knew that reason! What ahandsome dear he was, and how she loved the whole bigness of him!

  As she turned to walk away, Theodore fell in at her side, suiting hissteps to hers.

  "Mind you, Molly, any day you say but Saturday."

  "Why not Saturday?" asked Molly, pouting. "I might want you then!"

  Unsuspecting, Mr. King explained.

  "The fact is, Saturday I've planned to go on the hill. You rememberGrandoken's niece? I want to find out how she's progressing in hermusic."

  If Theodore had been watching Molly's face, he would have noted howits expression changed darkly. But, humming a tune, he went into thehouse unconcernedly, and Molly recognized the rhythm as one Jinnie hadplayed that night long ago with Peg Grandoken's lace curtains drapedabout her.

  Jinnie's youth, her bright blue eyes, her wonderful talent, Mollyhated, and hated cordially. Then she decided Theodore should go withher Saturday.

  That evening when Jordan Morse came in, Molly told him she would helphim in any scheme to get Jinnie away from Bellaire.

  "You're beginning to understand he likes her pretty much, eh?" askedthe man rudely.

  Molly wouldn't admit this, but she replied simply:

  "I don't want her around. That's all! As long as she's in Bellaire,the Kings'll always have her here with her fiddle."

  "Some fiddle," monotoned Jordan.

  "It's the violin that attracts Theodore," hesitated Molly.

  "And her blue eyes," interrupted Jordan, smiling widely.

  "Her talent, you mean," corrected Molly.

  "And her curls," laughed Morse. "I swear if she wasn't a relation ofmine I'd marry the kid myself. She's a beauty!... She's got youskinned to death."

  "You needn't be insulting, Jordan," admonished Molly, flushing.

  "It's the truth, though. That's where the rub comes. You can't woolme, Molly. If she were hideous, you wouldn't worry at all.... Why, Iknow seven or eight girls right here in Bellaire who'd give their eyeteeth and wear store ones to get Theodore to look at 'em crosseyed....Lord, what fools women are!"

  Molly left him angrily, and Morse, shrugging his shoulders, strolledon through the trees. Not far from the house he met Theodore, and theywandered on together, smoking in silence. Morse suddenly developed anidea. Why shouldn't he sound King about Jinnie? Accordingly, he beganwith:

  "That's a wonderful girl, Grandoken's niece."

  This topic was one Theodore loved to speak of, to dream so, so he saidimpetuously:

  "She is indeed. I only wish I could get her away from Paradise Road."

  Morse turned curious eyes on his friend.

  "Why?"

  "Well, I don't think it's any place for an impressionable young girllike her."

  "She's living with Jews, too, isn't she?"

  "Yes, but good people," Theodore replied. "I want her to go away toschool. I'd be willing to pay her expenses----"

  Morse flung around upon him.

  "Send her away to school? You?"

  "Yes. Why not? Wouldn't it be a good piece of charity work? She's themost talented girl I ever saw."

  "And the prettiest," Jordan cut in.

  "By far the prettiest," answered King without hesitation.

  His voice was full of feeling, and Jordan Morse needed no more to tellhim plainly that Theodore loved Jinnie Grandoken. A sudden chillclutched at his heart. If King ever took Jinnie under his protection,his own plans would count for nothing. He went home that nightdisgusted with himself for having stayed away from his home country solong, angry that Molly had not told him about the baby, and more thanangry with Theodore King.

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