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 two
were seated in chairs on the lawn. Every minute that passed and found
Theodore still away was like an eternity to the woman. She had always
hated the office hours which took him from the house, hated the
business friends who dropped in now and then and changed the
conversation from the delicate personal things she always managed to
dwell upon.
During the years she had been companion to Mrs. King, Theo's dinner
and luncheon hours were ones of joy to her. Now this day had passed
without him.
"He'll show up before long," Morse said presently. "What a lot of
worry you have over that man!... Now if you had a problem on your
hands 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 on
the grass.
"It's been a fine day," he went on boyishly, scarcely knowing what to
say.
"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 he
goes in the country for a day."
After a time, during which he looked up through the enfolding green of
the 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 geniuses
are. 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 scarcely
control 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 upon
the young millionaire with jaws apart and startled eyes.
"Well, you needn't look as if I were about to commit some crime," he
said, quizzing them with laughing eyes. "I suppose a chap can get
married if he wants to; can't he?"
"It's ridiculous," blurted Miss Merriweather.
A drawn, helpless expression had crept into her eyes, making her
appear like an old woman.
Theodore got to his feet.
"What's ridiculous?" he demanded, immediately on the defensive. "My
wanting 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 happy
without her, and mother----"
"It'll kill 'er," warned Molly significantly.
"Not at all," denied Theodore. "My mother's a woman of sense! When she
knows 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 blow
which had struck her in the face.
The two men, lolling under the trees, said but little more, and with
burning heart and unsettled mind, Jordan Morse went back to his
apartment.
He had scarcely settled himself before his telephone tinkled. Taking
down the receiver, he said,
"Well?"
A faint voice answered him.
"It's Molly, Jordan!... Listen! I'm down at the foot of the hill. Do
come here! I'm nearly frantic.... Yes, I'll wait."
Very soon Molly saw Jordan crossing the street, and she went to meet
him.
"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 wooden
benches.
"I'm shocked beyond expression," said Molly wearily.
"So am I," replied Morse. Then picking up the thread of thought which
had troubled him all the evening, he went on, "I need my boy! Every
night I'm haunted by dreams. I'd give up my plans about Jinnie if I
had him...."
"Well, I never!" ejaculated Molly.
"The trouble with you is you haven't any heart," went on Jordan. "How
you put your mind on anything but finding that child I don't know. But
I 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't
know 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 my
hands on him." He paused, drew a long breath, and proceeded, "I'll
warn you of this much, Molly. When I do find him--and find him I
will--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 their
children 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 to
strangle half the world for money to hire detectives to search for
him. But as I've said before, I'd let Jinnie alone if I had him--and
work for him with my two hands--if I had to dig graves."
Molly turned her startled eyes upon the excited man. She had never
known the depths of his nature.
"You make me tired," he proceeded with sarcasm. "What in hell do you
think Theodore could see in you when a girl like Jinnie cares for
him?"
"Why, Jordan Morse!" stammered the woman. "How dare you talk to me
like that?"
"Because it's true," replied Jordan hotly. "You're like a lot of
women--if a man looks sidewise at you, you think he's bowled over with
your 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 want
to! 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 about
Theodore?"
"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 from
Grandoken's, she won't get back, I can tell you that. But that damn
cobbler 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 Tom
Singleton told her I put 'im in a mad house! Jinnie, of course, told
Grandoken. I've got to get that cobbler--and--you've got to help me
get Jinnie----"
"Haven't I done all I could?" gasped Molly. "I can't go down there and
take her by the nape of the neck, can I?"
"No, but I will! Now let's go! I want to do some pretty tall thinking
before morning. Once let those two people be married and I'm lost."
"So am I," muttered Molly, swaying at his vehement words.
They threaded their way back to the hill, and Morse left Molly at her
gate. As she walked slowly up the road, she could see the light in
Theodore's window, and his shadow thrown on the curtain.