Rose O'Paradise

by Grace Miller White

  CHAPTER XXXI

  WHAT THEODORE TOLD HIS FRIEND

  "He's been gone all day," mourned Molly miserably to Jordan Morse.They had finished dinner; Molly had put Mrs. King to bed, and the twowere seated in chairs on the lawn. Every minute that passed and foundTheodore still away was like an eternity to the woman. She had alwayshated the office hours which took him from the house, hated thebusiness friends who dropped in now and then and changed theconversation from the delicate personal things she always managed todwell upon.

  During the years she had been companion to Mrs. King, Theo's dinnerand luncheon hours were ones of joy to her. Now this day had passedwithout him.

  "He'll show up before long," Morse said presently. "What a lot ofworry you have over that man!... Now if you had a problem on yourhands like mine----"

  The soft chug of a motor cut off his ejaculation.

  "He's coming, now," he said, getting up.

  Molly responded coldly to Theodore's friendly salute from the car.

  As Mr. King walked quickly toward them, Morse called laughingly,

  "We had just decided you'd been kidnapped."

  "Nothing like that," answered Theodore, "I've been in the country....Sit down, Jordan; no use standing up!" And Theodore seated himself onthe grass.

  "It's been a fine day," he went on boyishly, scarcely knowing what tosay.

  "Lovely," agreed Molly, and Jordan supplemented this by asking:

  "Have a--pleasant ride?"

  "Yes, delightful! One doesn't realize how murky the city is until hegoes in the country for a day."

  After a time, during which he looked up through the enfolding green ofthe trees, he proceeded calmly,

  "I took Miss Grandoken on a picnic."

  Morse's sudden glance at Molly warned her to control herself.

  "She's an odd child," continued Theodore, "but, then, all geniusesare. I don't know when I've so thoroughly enjoyed myself."

  Morse's "That's good," was closely followed by Molly's curt question,"Where'd you go?"

  "Just up the lake a ways. We took some picnic stuff----"

  "And her fiddle, I suppose?" cut in Molly sarcastically.

  "Of course. Jinnie's not Jinnie without her fiddle."

  "She does play well," admitted Jordan.

  "More than well," interpolated Theodore. "She plays divinely."

  Then again they fell into an oppressive silence.

  Molly was so curious to know the events of the day she could scarcelycontrol her impatience.

  Suddenly Mr. King announced:

  "I'm going to marry Jinnie Grandoken."

  Molly and Morse slowly got to their feet. They stood looking down uponthe young millionaire with jaws apart and startled eyes.

  "Well, you needn't look as if I were about to commit some crime," hesaid, quizzing them with laughing eyes. "I suppose a chap can getmarried if he wants to; can't he?"

  "It's ridiculous," blurted Miss Merriweather.

  A drawn, helpless expression had crept into her eyes, making herappear like an old woman.

  Theodore got to his feet.

  "What's ridiculous?" he demanded, immediately on the defensive. "Mywanting to be happy?"

  "Not that quite," replied the woman, "but surely you can't----"

  "I can and I will!" exclaimed Theodore decidedly. "I couldn't be happywithout her, and mother----"

  "It'll kill 'er," warned Molly significantly.

  "Not at all," denied Theodore. "My mother's a woman of sense! When sheknows her big boy's madly in love with the sweetest girl in the world,she'll take it as a matter of course."

  Miss Merriweather turned toward the house.

  "I think I'll go," she said in strained tones.

  She had almost reached the veranda when Theodore called her.

  "Molly!" he shouted.

  "Yes?"

  "Don't tell mother. I want to surprise her."

  "Very well," and the woman went on again, trembling from the blowwhich had struck her in the face.

  The two men, lolling under the trees, said but little more, and withburning heart and unsettled mind, Jordan Morse went back to hisapartment.

  He had scarcely settled himself before his telephone tinkled. Takingdown the receiver, he said,

  "Well?"

  A faint voice answered him.

  "It's Molly, Jordan!... Listen! I'm down at the foot of the hill. Docome here! I'm nearly frantic.... Yes, I'll wait."

  Very soon Molly saw Jordan crossing the street, and she went to meethim.

  "Let's walk," she said fretfully. "I can't breathe."

  "If you feel like I do," replied Morse moodily, "I pity you."

  He led her to a small park where they sat down upon one of the woodenbenches.

  "I'm shocked beyond expression," said Molly wearily.

  "So am I," replied Morse. Then picking up the thread of thought whichhad troubled him all the evening, he went on, "I need my boy! Everynight I'm haunted by dreams. I'd give up my plans about Jinnie if Ihad him...."

  "Well, I never!" ejaculated Molly.

  "The trouble with you is you haven't any heart," went on Jordan. "Howyou put your mind on anything but finding that child I don't know. ButI notice you manage to keep close on Theo's heels every minute."

  "I love him," admitted Molly.

  "Don't you love your son, your poor little lost son?"

  "Of course, Jordan! Don't be stupid!... Of course I do, but I don'tknow where he is."

  "And you're making very little effort to find him, that's evident.You've seen him, and I haven't, yet I'd give half my life to get myhands on him." He paused, drew a long breath, and proceeded, "I'llwarn you of this much, Molly. When I do find him--and find him Iwill--you won't get a chance to even see him."

  "Oh, Jordan!" gasped Molly.

  "That's right," he insisted, with an ugly shrug. "I tell you, Molly,I've always been impressed with the idea mothers cared more for theirchildren than fathers, but I'm over that now since knowing you."

  "Oh, Jordan!" repeated Molly faintly once more.

  Not heeding her appealing voice, he rushed on, "I'd be willing tostrangle half the world for money to hire detectives to search forhim. But as I've said before, I'd let Jinnie alone if I had him--andwork for him with my two hands--if I had to dig graves."

  Molly turned her startled eyes upon the excited man. She had neverknown the depths of his nature.

  "You make me tired," he proceeded with sarcasm. "What in hell do youthink Theodore could see in you when a girl like Jinnie cares forhim?"

  "Why, Jordan Morse!" stammered the woman. "How dare you talk to melike that?"

  "Because it's true," replied Jordan hotly. "You're like a lot ofwomen--if a man looks sidewise at you, you think he's bowled over withyour charms. Good Heavens! It's sickening!"

  "I didn't ask you here to talk like this," said Molly.

  "What if you didn't?" snapped Jordan. "_You_ can talk now if you wantto! I'm going home in five minutes, and I want some money before I go,too."

  "I'll give you some to-morrow. Now what're you going to do aboutTheodore?"

  "Well, he won't marry Jinnie," replied Morse slowly.

  "How can you help it?"

  "That's what I'm going to figure out. If I can get her away fromGrandoken's, she won't get back, I can tell you that. But that damncobbler and Theo'll make such a devilish row----"

  "You needn't be profane," chided Molly.

  "A woman like you's enough to make any man swear.... Now listen to me.The very fact that Jinnie ran away from home shows me that TomSingleton told her I put 'im in a mad house! Jinnie, of course, toldGrandoken. I've got to get that cobbler--and--you've got to help meget Jinnie----"

  "Haven't I done all I could?" gasped Molly. "I can't go down there andtake her by the nape of the neck, can I?"

  "No, but I will! Now let's go! I want to do some pretty tall thinkingbefore morning. Once let those two people be married and I'm lost."

  "So am I," muttere
d Molly, swaying at his vehement words.

  They threaded their way back to the hill, and Morse left Molly at hergate. As she walked slowly up the road, she could see the light inTheodore's window, and his shadow thrown on the curtain.