St Genevieves Academy - Le Flambeau Yearbook (Asheville, NC)

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, X ,ZX ,pg Y-' X X flff' ff X ff iff? fl f I fn W, Nw-V Q W, f--- ki Q-X..---Ku X -fXf f , -W W ' I, , ly pu. I ,f f. fV f I , I A lu. A -I .fffi-X- , I , 4' , ., l,f' i' v.i,f - f!ff !'4 ,1 , uf :H!7!,..!'i f f, mat ' -f w z, I I .. i f f ples, and revealing an ugly gash, Won't you get me some hot water? Nippie, hurry off for Dr. Hardy. Don't waste any time. After it was over, and the dcotor had left, Jack, too, turned to go. I live at this address, he said, putting his card into her hands. If you need me before tomorrow, call there. I'll be back in the morning. Unable to say any more, he went out, leaving Nippie with the weep- ing mother. Don't worry, said Nippie, every- thing will be all right, I'm sure. Re- member, we're ready to help you at any time. I'll drop in soon to see Denny. Thank you, sir-thank you. Gee, wasn't that hard luck? said Nippie, after they had Hnally started. Jack made no answer. Say, it'll be tough for you when your governor finds this out. He won't. I shut up the policeman. Now, don't 'l'UlI blab ! Me? Don't worry. Funny, wasn't it, that her name was Hogan? Wasn't that the name of the lady without the roof ? Yes-same name, said Jack, with an inward throb of relief that Mrs. Ho- gan had apparently not recognized him. Going into the house one morning about a Week later, Jack hurriedly took off his coat. But in quite a different manner did he cross the hall and ap- proach Mr. Boyd's study. He put his hand up to knock, then stopped and turned away. But Mrs. Hogan's words of yesterday came back to him, as they did every time he tried in his mind to avoid this scene: Denny will die unless I get money to take him South. He stood still, rubbing his hands together, and trying in vain to think. Even if he sold his horse, his watch, the car, he wouldn't have money enough to keep Denny in the South for a year. Then, there might be extra doctor bills. He might ask Nippie and the boys-but nog that would be imposing on them. They had already given him so much. He had to tell his father-it was the only thing left to do. He kicked aside the rug impatiently, and came back to the door. A deep, gruff voice bade him en- ter. Jack did not give his usual cheery, Hello, Dad! but stayed by the door silent till Mr. Boyd, a large, middle-aged man of rather stern countenance, spoke. Well, what's the matter now?-more money, I suppose. Yes, Dad, I- Jack, said his father, this has got to stop. You spend entirely too much at that fraternity with those- But, Dad, that's not what I want it for. It's important and I need it badly. Well, what do you want it for, that's so very 'important ?' I suppose it's some silly- No, Dad, it's for-for Denny Ho- gan, answered Jack, his face flushing. Who's Denny Hogan ? He's the son of a poor woman, sir, and I have to give him money. I-I ran over him while I was out driving about a week ago. Jack dared not look at his father. I What ? demanded Mr. Boyd. How did that happen? You weren't driving, were you? Whose car was it? It was-mine, sir. Already he was

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., ,-ff' .' t-fx-f ! .mxvzf c ' .,,fT1?1Lf',- 3't7- , . ,f .f . - f 'fv'fwL24fg7.C fy, -t7fm7,m'.fwffw,. -flfff, 11 .-1fwfff.frff1W . f I I ,f .. ff ,ffwfffzffzf , - 4 . f' ff! f I f z:M'?iz ..MMZiWZ.f.'if.fff' -ft . Turn the wheel, then-quick I But it was too late. Before Jack realized it, there was a curious crowd standing around the car, and he could hear Nip- pie's excited voice, Get some water, can't you? Move aside, please, and let this child breathe. Meanwhile, a po- liceman had roughly elbowed his way through the crowd, calling out gruffly, What's the trouble? Move away and give the kid some air! Jack, who till now had remained si- lent and motionless, jumped up and drew the man aside. It wasn't our fault. Just as we got almost on the child, the brakes broke. , - Even if they did, you were speed- ing. I want your number, young man. We were not speeding. Ask my friend here-ask these people. They saw us, answered Jack, aroused. Then he dropped his voice again, My father is J. A. Boyd, the steel merchant. He wouldn't like a thing of this sort to get in the papers. The stalwart fellow looked surprised, and moved aside with some deference, as he heard the name of the well-known millionaire. I didn't know it was you, sir, I- Well, said Jack, slipping some- thing into his hand, suppose you don't say anything about this at headquar- ters ? ' I won't, sir, it wasn't your fault, replied the other, a bright smile illumin- ating his face as he saw the size of the bill. One of the ragged youngsters offered to guide them to the child's home if they would take him in their toy. Jack turned on the motor, the crowd dis- persed, and the boys started off. Their little guide was most obliging. At each corner he called out in a loud voice and pointed a dirty finger in the direction which the car was to take. Meanwhile, Jack sat erect, looking ahead, his thoughts away from the little fellow beside him, yet taking in the directions and mechanically obeying them. It was several minutes before he looked around, took a firm hold of the wheel, and for the Hrst time noticed Where he was. On each side of the hard white road were stretches of bare lots, with houses few and far between. He realized that they were in the suburbs, not far from the fraternity house. And just a block away was the tumble-down home of Mrs. Hogan- Turn right in here--slow down, 'cause it's hard on your car. With a horrible contraction of the heart, Jack stopped at the door, and, getting down, took gently into his arms the child whom he now knew to be Denny Hogan. The poor woman inside, not knowing what to make of this excitement, came running forward just as he entered the door. What's the matter-what's been happening to my Denny? Unable to speak, Jack turned abruptly and carried Denny over to the bed. Nippie came to the rescue. It was an accident. The brakes on our car broke, and before we could stop, we hit your little boy. He seems better now. I don't think he's seriously hurt. Oh, it'll kill my baby, she sobbed, running over to the bedside. Please don't be alarmed, said Jack, pushing the hair from the child's tem-

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f f D 1' VX L77 '-f ' 7f'f'l'!V 'f' 'jayvffll ff, 2?f'47f'1.v' ,. I - ff' .7 fx 3' I f 'I M. . ff M1 llafm,W.,, , answering one question he had prayed to avoid. Yours ? in angry astonishment. Yes-I bought it about three weeks ago, answered Jack, trying to evade his father's eye, and we were out driving, and the brakes broke and we couldn't stop. And now Denny's sick, and- 'fJack, didn't I forbid you to get a car? Besides, where did you get the money ? From the boys at the frat, sir. From the boys? Why would they give you their money ? Well-I took it from them, he an- swered in despair, I didn't mean to. I really wanted it for Mrs. Hogan. But why for Mrs. Hogan ?,' In response, Jack told his father all. After he had finished, Mr. Boyd re- mained silent for a while. Poor Jack was in utter misery. He felt as if he had stood in that same spot for ages. What would his father do? Several minutes passed in unbroken silence, be- fore Mr. Boyd's decisive voice finally spoke. Well, I refuse to give you one cent. Now, there's only one way out of this for you. You'll have to give up your next year at college. But, Dad, I can't. Why not? You just play at going to college. You don't study. You don't do a thing but try to keep up with the pranks of the rest of them. College isn't supposed to be just fun. Besides, you won't get the money to pay this debt in any other way. Dad, that's rather hard, don't you think? Can't you let me sell my horse and- . I said no, Jack, and I mean it. Do as you please about the rest. Jack threw his hat down on the table, and walked to the other side of the room. He stood there with head bent. Give up Dartford! All the sup- pers at the frat house, all the fun with Nippie and the fellows -why, he'd rather do anything else. But what else could he do? What would Mrs. Hogan do without the money? And what would happen to Denny? Gradually, instead of pushing the thought away as he had before, he came to his hard decision. Perhaps it was better, after all. He swallowed hard, and came back to his father's desk. Well, Dad, he began, I -I suppose it's the only thing to do. Very well, Jack, returned his father, unmoved. I'll give you the check today. Now, don't do a thing like that again. I'm ashamed of you. He turned to his work and began writing again. Thank you, sir. And Jack went out, softly closing the door. Gee, he said to himself, running down the front steps on his way to see Mrs. Hogan, 'Tm darn glad that's over! Meanwhile, Mr. Boyd sat still beside his desk, his head bent on his hand. His face was stern and hard, his eyes looked sad and disappointed. He had known Jack to be wild, infatuated with college life, and always ready for any fun, but it had never entered his mind that lm' son would steal. It had been a bitter revelation to him. But presently, other thoughts came. He turned away, the hard lines relaxing. Yet it mm tough on the boy. He's