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About The Omaha morning bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 1922-1927 | View Entire Issue (Oct. 29, 1922)
The World Outside By Harold MacGrath THN KTOHY THI N FAH. rienlal 'i-wrt, a .llillr trnf ,t, i-.,nlrel lu supply CelllnswiiiMt Jaranilah hnrrul. who hM Jual InlmloM til. falhar 11. SM.uut n4 la uploriiig world miiaMa" as repreanatnl be Vora, wus, an advr-nniro fu ilO.esa. Hiea-art then aarrrlly araaae ell enrapl Ik slsnatsra. and Jetrv'e ropy f Hi rolilrmt vaiiUha Meantime ,lrrr falla In la. Nancy Itewinan. fi.unilllt'S whu liae lcnme a llroatlwar ata-e favorite, end Wanry. Infuimd that )i-r upra mnlilllon r vain, li.-iinia ainiuirril to Ar thur rials, I In tiackar at her com ady, only lo rrpcnt so4 ' oasm a frsniia kuat fir him, thai n mf repudiate Ar proinlae. Jrr finds Ir and nl bnata Ma piifnw. four ruffian Mark link liliu wblln to Mi'ortm Saury hum, and In hi rtnllrlum. whlln hi. I nnralits him. h real I, la lev. fr hr. A dt.rtlv. hunt Pi f.r tlw ht IH eiilsnsle tha myati-ry Unit hind l..ilir th mali-ml'iit tirt. Jrry. Ui father, whnm ilaatri In etill fin al, and itiyaiarli.ua "rlaiiii'dy r-firrtd to t U ellr Pancn.fi ,rfi, ripri that "Kennedy v,oiihi-.1 In Hillle yr ssn a.-lh.iK an rnwrnld mine In rttawart. Nanry tir.-" off kr nmm to CraIK jHtiapn, Janitor of unit of .lurry's bultdlus tn which .terry, Nii-y srol bar rhtnn Jinny Mallny all Imv room, find in th IW an nil dr.or pinto alsmflcai.tly in eurlb'd "Konti'dy," end rwll that nmn at that arn d;pper-d after having bn ruined by hi beat Irlriin. Jorry ituncludK tlt frlfiii w hl Wtl'f nd dlr n,ln to Krt rid of hla "talntrd n.illii.iK Ifo cr.fiaulta hi lwyf iiml la rlld f"il Th- lfr nl lnalta Jrrry'a father wit n honrat man TIIirtll lATII INhTAIJ-MKNT. A r Yrum Uto IimI. Sncll rlpix-'l on the yellow ohvb lof, "Kumiib. Krm my pitrtrr, I'rltlo. Citl I forn la lor m neuun. . . ClooU I-orti!" "What In It?" "Hnre, rewl it yourMcif." eitetlly. The Unly of the ttlfgram read a follown: "Jnat camo acrowi ft Jotting In notebook. Ifijd totally forgot It. When young Bancroft went to camp Sllatt gave me a ecaled letter; wnnn't sure he'd nurvlva the boy'tt going away, (iet tlie tatter from my pri vate tin In the wife and give it to IlantToft. OvemluUt. Sorry. ITide." Half an hour later Uancroft nat at Ma father's denk. hin fare hidden In hla arms, very Btlll; while Knell, hla eyr-a full of unahed tenrn to prove that only hla manner wag dry SnU dtootl with a kindly hand on the boy'a shoulder. "There'll be aunahlne enough, aft er today." he Bald. "My father! . . And n" the while he loved me!" came the boy muffled voice. "And I doubted hlmi Hut how wilh I to know? . , All thele empty yearn for both of un!" "Boy. your doubt had a pretty good bimix; you were beginning to ahake me a little. If you want to lenow." "That pitiul letter! All, all alone, and no way of letting jkhi1o un derstand. MiHiinilerHtood all his life- n mlHi r! They culled him a miner, and I was a miner's on. My father! Oh, I don't care what hap pens nu!" ralaaing hla head. "I'll tell you what fcon: we'll take TJiogenea' lantern and chuck It Into the aah ean." said the lawyer, aa Burning a llghtnesa he did not fee. "The world In full of Innocent by standers. It always has neen, and always will be. We Judge actions without the least conception of the motives that energize them. Rut It rieerpa pretty tough that Johnny Jones of Bouth Dakota, perfectly content as a cowhand, should rest hla bones In the Argonne, simply because one William Unhenzollern had grandloxe opinions of his Im portance. Innocent bystanders! Vou have been one, your father, his friend." Bancroft Jumped up and cleared his eyes. He put the letter into n Inner pocket. 'V't are you going to do, son?" "I'm going to hunt up the other poor devil of a bystander catch htm before he doea somfthlng he'll always be sorry for. God saved hud from reddening his hands with my father's blood. There's no doubt now that he entered thin window to kill my father. n Idea I'd bet ter hurry." "tHnl gw with you! tt tMitirw, t can't help." "No," But IMnrruft did net find fctewart at hia IhIkIiik Mewart bad moved cut, thouglt his txn.i'Kini", ii.i'i boel, w still In eviilsrice. Ni did ltn rtift ftn.l him at the tiftk .f (It Itulivutn llntetald t..mpnrif. buoart Md iHdd out. I tit to tt foiiprht'll l t-tM. the !. "Hthi Usunsi an.l i,ifv.ihl. was sht.rtly I t U,fr aiouUl t-e nil wJ i taai ln( It. ha wottM t w M tlwl U th p taU ' fr.nti twaiM" 4 l-il Iht truth Tht w IB' f..fi t. niM), and bi frvtrtt"' ..il.t'.fc tut t In' lr all hl, V.t SrM M (.mwf among the statu, and ha stepped, one to the other, Indifferent to the IriimoaaurKl.li abyss between, JU had now what be had previously Imitated confidence lu himself. In the future. He no longer regrellrd that he whs without creative genius. That Ills future was cut and drl-d did not libit r.-as Mm. Ills father by the strangest aiicrlfli.'o had ere. ted these millions; tils son would administer them, turn them loose In productive sallies upon broken world, build up little conmiiinlll-s of wage earners, create Jot a oth er men created music, literature, art. Why, there was nothing finer In all (his drab rth than to make oneself a useful cltlzn. That would be his business In life. He went to the theater that night. His applause was thunderous; he rusJd not keep si III In his chair; his fafie was like a beacon. He did not exactly annoy anyone, but he at tracted some amused attention. IW pie smiled Indulgently St "the young man w th a girl In the show." They could even pick out the girl. Ho far as Bancroft was concerned, he was oil alone In the orchestra and Nancy was alone on the stage.. He left bis chair at the Uninnlng of the finale, tagging iwrdons by the wholesale as he maneuvered past the cramped knees. He trod on one gentleman's foot. "I hope your oysters choke your' Knurled the victim. "That's remarkable, sir. How did you know that I had oysters In mind?" surrendering to a flash of light heiirld deviltry. , "Vou tnd on my foot," "I beg your pardon. I'm norry. But would you mind telling me Just how that would suggeste oysters?" "Get out, get out! Itefore you step on the other foot!" lianerott reached the aisle with out Inflicting upon the remnant of the row anything more serious than obstructed view. He hurried off to the nearby florist, who, he re membered, was always open late o' nights. Ho purchased two dozen American Beauties and hnfl them separately boxed. Next, he ran around to the stage entrance and boldly entered for the first time. Ho paused before the cubbyhole of the ancient Cerebus. "Got a pencil?" " A pencil? Tou can't gt.t by here, young man," fcald the watch dog, feeling his lilgnlty grossly or fronted. A pencil! "Whadda yuh think this Is, a postofflec?" "I'll give you $5 for a pencil: with a guesture and tone perhaps not unlike that used aforetime by the desperate Ttlchard, seeking to evade the wrathful Lancaster. "Well, of course " A stub was produced and paid for. On cnch box Bancroft wrote: "Supper at tho KHz, Jerry." "I'lease deliver these," he said. "All right. Hut I've dumped more roses In the Hh can for Miss Bow man than you got hairs on youi head. I never Haw you before." "And you may never see me atruln That's the sad part of life. Here today, and gone tomorrow." "Well, I'll take the flowers in; but they'll be heading for the ush can. It I know anything." These two boxes of roses tj(tt odd receptions. Jenny frownud. Nancy sighed. Jenny touched the soft petals, eye ing them with that fixity of gaze known of the crystal gazer; Indeed, she cold penetrate the future to the extente of an asurlty that these would be the first and last roses she would ever receive from Jeremiah the Queer, as ahe suddenly dubbed Bancroft: not particularly happy t.ver the gift, certain that Nancy woud possess the like or better. All right: she would wear them, ahe would go to the Ritz; but she would also give the thoughtless nut a piece of her mind for not tipping bar off so she could have dresaod for the part, Nancy sighed, but with happiness. Here wrre roses ahe might keep, flhe held them to her face and In haled the delicate perfume, Jerry was becoming thuughtful, the poor boy Whatever was she going to do with htm? Never s elrn. never a word ami yet ... . But snp iHsting tho d laratwjii had been due tit a twut nf his poor bruised head? rths l,opd hk Hn did not want to hurt Jtrty. It uom1 to b f ttaltty that she iuhh! hurt those s liked, ttrte was now Convinced lust aha had hurt Cni, not opy. perhaps, but a hurt Itavevthaiea. What a mad thing site had '' H hit Ur would always hats htrlf for t.l uliha-tievatMai Until lit. ) wsiii-d a !' tune lu pan) Ufi.t aha m fiaut MM Whether aha had htt u rtm pl er light!, ah nvf c'U.J mi'l hat aye strain. eiei-4 oil a iM-ttifemw t the tt tar atwii.a ' 1 1, irraa4 an t hian.ittt th ruar Hi her cota. hn) JiMy S-a a4 'e.t we hi lta this boy, Jenny? Thirty dollars fr roses; Hatunlay night, too. And liO visible means of support." "An a ilagner st.ckln' In his door Jam," Said Jffiny, "Get buck o' that, when you think o' him. M'o smiKilhfucs boy from the country, th' reitl article, no camouflage, with a gift 0' gab like a coUege pro fessor, an' afraid o' nothlii', klsse defunslcss glrU In hallways, ' somebody stu-ks daggers Inh.s door JsjiiIi, What's th' snswer? Well, Jeremiah lias a secret. Maybe lis knows where a lot o' money Is, an If he don't come across th' guy with th dagger Intends t' croak him. That's my Idea. Take th' alley stuff an' th' dagger; It ain't no Joke he's up against, th' poor nut. An' we couldn't get th' truth out o' him with a stick o' dynamite; afraid we might get mixed up, an' hurt. IteadyT Come on." To Bancroft she said, Immediately ; "you poor boob, what's all this big noise about?" Once Again Bancroft felt miserably young. How was he to find Htew art, who would taka pat titular cue not Pi be found'' Kurly Hutnlay morning he s'-l forth Into the blind alley. Ht.-wnrt, of course, would not return to hh lata spart"t't In Twelfth strict; but h would have to send a truck man for his belongings; and Ban croft as determined to follow tins truck, any wbillitr. It was a cold buetnwis, for the day was crisp; but Bancroft kt.pt himself warm by frequently sprlut lng to the corner and back. Up to noon there was no truck; one o'clock, two, thrre, four, and still no truckman. It finally oceurril to Bancroft to Interrogate the Janitor agatii. "Mr. Stewart? Why, he came with a truck late- last night and carted off his things. He d:dn t leave any mall address because he never received any mall here Any thing wrong with him" I'. mm oft to. nil riunko't -I Itkj,j ctii ry lu-i it Invi Koini- day. Mux V k Q o km kly thrill ran 'Who Is it?" be do- "Cpeu Mv father! And ail the wltile he loved me! "I've got a Job!" "Kine! What kind of a Job?" "A whale of a Job.' "Honestly, Jerry?" said Nancy "Cross my heart." "May we ek what It is?" "This supper ia to announce the Job. The next one will explain it. This taxi, here." "A taxi?" cried Jenny. "Why didn't y' tell ua In time so we could have dressed?" . "Nobody will mind what you wear," he auiwered gaJUuitly. Nothing more was said about the job; for by this time tha girls knew that no pressure could make this boy talk If tie had no mind to. He ordered a supper which would have mildly Interested I.ucullus, but which appalled even tha careless Jenny; and protests were without avail. He laughed, J rated, hummed with tha orchestra. But aa night wore on, more and mora hla gas traveled toward Nancy, and more and more Nancy's travelrd toward hurt. And all that Jmny taate4 from the platen of I.ut ulliu was lxtd m fruit. It was on Hundsy afternoon that (Stewart struck but blow. To find tHewart at once, brfore the hour lit which tha maa purpate4 to strike arrived, when hie r-a Would b amenable to MpUivatione Thar was one lay of bi.pe--that contract, l eeanwd to Bancroft that Hlwrt had too much Imtiy tit lite eoatnww not to n plain that ran li t. t, tliiinif h IsUivletl duituj with It. Mo the was a vague tt ti'ta of facia titawert, evett Id hie fury. But Ur wa tha eotartaiilul Maia'ity if Ntswert ittktag ftoaat Wiia4 aa.l lnaraia tho ItulN wka It aiald h taw late And 1 doubted him." Hut I've urgent bun! "Oh. no, ness to transact with him, said Bancroft, covering his bitter dis appointment. "Have you tried the Bolivian Emerald Company?" "Yes. But he tut sold out his Interest in that." "Uh-huh. A queer kind of a man. Didn't like to be disturbed; always reading. No friends. You never heard anybody laugh in bis Apartment. Yet he always had a smile for the children, even if bo didn't have any for grownups. Yes; ha cleared out late last night." "Any notion where the truck came from?" "No, Tha racket woke ma up and I Just came out to see what It was; then I went bach to bed again." "Would you mind If I had the run of the vacant rooms for a moment? Frankly, It Is a very serious necesaitty that I find Mr. fttewart prcsvntly." "Are you a deteotlver "No; a friend who hopes ta save him from a good deal of future m'sery. and to bring him bark some of his vanished laughter." "Coma on. then." said tha Janitor (m the floor of what had be the library Hnncrofl found some bita of paper which, plecwl to ilhit, made a ship Wool. This directed hint to a plef htrongtng ' a sraet eteniitahlp corporation. It rmlb-d hint a Utile t mwrt en stir Of MMiseif that he Could arrange huj aIUn" ha aatl. Ipalad IK auivrae of his W"W. Haaceoft hurHe.1 off la tha ter, wherw ha warned that ship wwwM t aaihag eerly Weda.la sj.otilef. Ihm uattt Tulf ma hi ao pa-awi;ara w.itild ha amadttM liboaid. In the slicd rated ftrauri's boawi. "HoM." but t-f pen. 1 there was noiliinit. Iiiincroft Mated f..r I.. 11, g nw.iy with bllll th. (. rloiia mil i f (lie si ii if Go.) w.re wlllii.K tlial tlilu alisnee revel of human motive kliould i coni'cli B.im rofi' ilei lileil hi would so In . .1 Not tlie A'l.nitli v. .i j-n - New Votk to l.ioihl but is supercargo i.ri one of Mm own freighter. b.-al.iiK ilow n lilo.i 1: tl.a Hi.uth H.-S ih-s By the lime he f i bed borne nearly 7 he had evolvnl 11 cum palgn which would force Hfcaart ' come to hlrn. There ana not the slltihleHt chance of the tunn i.iiiIihk l.efuru be bad mivoiopHkIii-.i hi ptir pose, or at b ast init a Ih.1.1 phif for If. What Wi.rrleil Usui rof ion sldiiiubly was the iiHMiuuiice with which Mlewart bail engiiKi l bin paMauge. Htewnrt seemed so po.il tlve of playing bis haml thro'mli that Bancroft was not piirf icitlurly roof'li-nt of I. In own taiopilgti, which was to remain In hi room, except for going across the wy for his meals, until sailing time, lie would utterly disn-a-anl nil noteii, all li-legrams und telephone rails, anything which might be construed a lure. Keveniytwo bonis if sitting t'ght; a dull buslin hs, but It wan Inescapable Anything to diaw Mlowart Into the open. lie entered bl ro.,in, and ri't sixiiier was the door cIum.-iI than ho heard the patter of feet comltiif down the ball. Tills sound had scarcely ceased when there enn another a violent I. nock 011 the disir. For a moment over Bancroft. mandi d. "Jenny!" came ihc anatu r. th' dwu!" Ho did so with alacrity and rm lief, "What'a the matter?" r'oi there was wllilnes In Jenny's eyes. "Matter?" said Jenny, entering. "S'oii haven't Iwjen butt?" "Hurl? Why, nothing Is the loader with inc. I haven't been hurt." , Jenny sat down on the bed. "Ob, T knew It! I felt It In my bonta! . . . Vou an' your ilaggora!" "Buggers:" "Sure! We foui.il one in your Inor latob th' rnornln' we earrlerf yoil in lu re. An' now you ve ilraKged Nancy Into it!" "Nancy? What are you talking ahniif?" "What about IbU?" Jenny cried, thrusting a Mht;t of lfi)-r toward him. "I found it under my door IHdn't you wnd for her. siiyiiig J"" was hurt again?" "No, Ji nny." be answered, dull now comprehending fully what loo! happened, fit e wart had si ruck, but obliquely, through Nancy, his per siilcaclty nigh Infernal. The note, hurriedly written, .-i.i an follows: "Jenny Jeriy bus been boil r. -i.in, and I am going to him. Nancy." "They got me out o' th' way, t v Mviidln o pnony can iron, m theater Sunday, on' I, like a ut boob, fell for It! You an' your dot gera! If anytbin' h.ipliens 't her"' "Nothing will happen to Nam v,' be said, sitting on the bed beet le Jenny, who was on the verge if tearful grief. "The man who kid-, nuped her will not harm a buii of her dear heud. He Uiieiin't wai t Nancy; he wants mo. And so I must KO to him. lie wan afraid I inn I t nut go to bin, If he did not Invent seme powerful incentive. It mvii entered my hind to warn J'011 two. Besides, it would have intailtd confession wlikh I not ready to make." "What's he want you for?" asked Jenny, a cleavage In her anxiety This bov f.r Nancy; Nancy boy. "What 'a' you beei Jera."' "Nothing. I'm an Inn-vent slander." "Will will he hurt youT "I don't know what he Intendu t ,1o with me. But I don't wory. 1 have something In my pocket that will conjure away his madness " "It's go" she cried, spitimti l! up. "I've K to go ab'ii. Jir.iu nreai tice would only prolong cy's discomfort And there' 10 lng anywhere mull he a. -nd me." ....it-.tn" rou' father did. th' man U takln' It out on yi "Vii Tbal's the trageilr i ' Tha poor eH thinks mv f'hn .li t Sisoeblnrr. and I hsva the ! I my pocket that my father was a ta Innocent byetun twr " Hay. we re all It smawftt l )1"! era" said Jrayy. "Nsacy au' u. 1-1 ea this, aa' m t hus - luit.bus' Are I a'il-ty f- Nl I'aa alareittiah; I aai I ' Ik tvtaae atfl ailwae wh-te '" ' ,1 .a. Mw atioa It I - ....t J.r.-n.Uh, ItaSiti ft 1 4' iaaaam aa aaaaaj or ttiis ilolii," Yum Nun go t-t ail It Aid