Part 26 (2/2)

The thought of Sim Howell mocking Jim Narnay reminded her of the latter's unfortunate family. She had been only once to the little cottage near Pine Cove since Narnay had gone into the woods with Trimmins and Jack Besmith.

Nor had she been able to see Dr. Poole, amid her mult.i.tudinous duties, and ask him how the nameless little baby was getting on; although she had at once left a note at the doctor's office asking him to call and see the child at her expense.

The peril threatening her father and the peril threatening Nelson Haley filled Janice Day's mind and heart so full that other interests had been rather lost sight of during the past eventful week.

She had not seen Frank Bowman since the time they had separated on the street corner by the drug store, late Sat.u.r.day night, when she had taken Hopewell Drugg home.

Bowman was with his railroad construction gang not far off the Lower Middletown Road. But Janice had been going to and from school by the Upper Road, past Elder Concannon's place, because it was dryer.

This morning, however, Frank heard her car coming, and he appeared, plunging through the jungle, shouting to her to stop. He could scarcely make a mistake in hailing the car, for Janice's automobile was almost the only one that ran on this road. By summer time, however, the boarding house people and Lem Parraday hoped that automobiles in Polktown would be, in the words of Walky Dexter, ”as thick as fleas on a yaller hound.”

Janice saw Frank Bowman coming, if she did not hear him call, and slowed down. He strode cras.h.i.+ngly down the hillside in his high boots, corduroys, and canvas jacket, his face flushed with exercise and, of course, broadly smiling. Janice liked the civil engineer immensely.

He lacked Nelson Haley's solid character and thoughtfulness; but he always had a fund of enthusiasm on tap.

”How goes the battle, Janice?” was his cheery call, as he leaped down into the roadway and thrust out a gloved hand to grasp hers.

”I guess, by now, Simmy Howell has learned a thing or two,” she declared, her mind on the scrimmage she had just seen.

”What?” demanded Bowman, wonderingly.

At that Janice burst into a laugh. ”Oh! I am a perfect heathen. I suppose you did not mean Marty's battle with his schoolmate. But that was in my mind.”

”What's Marty fighting about now?” asked the civil engineer, with a puzzled smile. ”And are you interested in such sparring encounters?”

”I was in this one,” confessed Janice. Then she told him of the occurrence--and its cause, of course.

”Well, I declare!” said Frank Bowman, happily. ”For once I fully approve of Marty.”

”Do you? Well, to tell the truth, so do I!” gasped Janice, laughing again. ”But I know it is wicked.”

”Guess the whole Day family feels friendly toward Nelson,” declared the engineer. ”I hear Mr. Day went on Nelson's bond Sat.u.r.day night.”

”Yes, indeed. Dear Uncle Jason! He's slow, but he's dependable.”

”Well, I am glad Nelson Haley has some friends,” Bowman said quickly.

”But I didn't stop you to say just this.”

”No?”

”No,” said the civil engineer. ”When I asked you, 'How goes the battle?' I was thinking of something you said the other night when we were rounding up that disgraceful old reprobate, Hopewell Drugg,” and he laughed.

”Oh, poor Hopewell! Isn't it a shame the way they talk about him?”

”It certainly is,” agreed Frank Bowman. ”But whether Hopewell Drugg is finally injured in character by Lem Parraday's bar or not, enough other people are being injured. You said you'd do anything to see it closed.”

”I would,” cried Janice. ”At least, anything I could do.”

<script>