Those Lucky Pullens

Auckland Star, Volume LX, Issue 215, 11 September 1929, Page 22

Those Lucky Pullens

1 -—■ By MALCOLM DUART — ;

SYNOPSIS OP PREVIOUS CHAPTERS. Mrs. Fred Pullen hr. been ostracised by her neighbours In San Francisco because of gossip by Mrs. Hamilton, a neighbour. Mysterious and costly gifts have come to the Pullen household, following , the purchase by Mrs. Pullen of a Chinese lacquered chest, a- '. its later sale to two Chinamen. Her pretty daughter, Julia, has quarrelled with Sam Carlile, neighbour youth who loves her and who is employed by her father. A young lawyer named Parks, employed in the law office where Julia is a stenographer, las offered to Pullen (for an unnamed client) the mortgage on Mrs: Hamilton's house. He calls at the Pullen home to talk about this mortgage. CHAPTER XLI. The three Pullens remained standing ■while young Mr. Parks, after silently scanning his typewritten memoranda, put on his glasses and examined the papers again. Then he cleared his throat. "I prepared notes, Mr Pullen," he said. .■■ "It Avas necessary to be quite accurate." He looked up over the horn rims that pinched his nose in little wrinkles. "You failed-to act in time, sir. The offer to you of Mrs. Hamilton's mortgage is withdrawn. Our client has decided not to sell." "You mean we can't have the mortgage?" asked Mrs. Pullen. "Precisely, my dear madam. Pre-. cisely." Adjusting his glasses, he added, "As an item of information, I. have, learned that Mrs. Hamilton is not in the city at the moment.- In fact, she has gone away." Mrs ; Pullen drew up a chair. "Do sit down, Mr. Parks," said she. "Your"legs must be tired. Where did she go?" He .waited until the mother and daughter settled themselves on the edge of the- couch. Then he took the proffered seat, carefully drawing up the knees of his trousers. "I cannot say where Mrs. Hamilton is," said he. "An errand took me to her house to-day —a legal matter. The house, was locked. On inquiry next door I was , told that she has been gone for several days, and that Mr. Hamilton is keeping—ha, ha!—bachelor's hall." .' "I don't think it's safe to leave a man alone like that," commented Mrs. Pillion; The young attorney smiled knowingly. "On account of the flappers, Mrs. Pullen ?"■ "Flappers?" she inquired. "What would- flappers care about an old baldhead like George Hamilton? What I mean is, you can't depend on a man to wash the dishes, and he scatters things up and downstairs and all over the house.; Why——" She pointed accusingly at her husband. "One time when Julia was little I went away with her on a visit, and when I came r back Mr. Pullen had painted all the woodwork white! Absolutely white, Mr. Parks. And it took him two months to scrape that paint off again, ■> working evenings!" Her husband shifted restlessly. "I still think it looked nice that way," he declared. "As, if a man knows what looks nice in a house!" snorted Mrs. Pullen. "Men lave no taste." Julia had taken no part in the conversation up to this point. Her mother turned to her now, reprovingly. • "Speak up, child,"... said she. * "Mr! Parks will think you're not'-able to talk." "I'm sure," .said Parks .gallantly, "that Miss Ppllen is a very graceful conversationalist." ' "She's like her father," Mrs. Pullen eaid. "He would .sit all ''evening and never, say a word if-I didn't stir him up. It must,, be terrible to be that way, Mr. Parks.; , . I should thiuk it would injure the voice, not using it. Who did you say,, owned the mortgage on Mr 3. Hamilton's • house ?" "I didn!t)eay ? ", responded the young man. "You see, , ; Mrs. Pullen, counsellors at law are not permitted to reveal the secrets of their i clients. As a matter of fact—ha, ha!"—he swung his glasses gaily—"l couldn't tell' if I wanted to. Mr. Murty has never told me. who the client is. Miss Pullen ought to know." He glanced archly at the girl. A quiver of vexation showed in Julia's T>row. "He. doesn't tell me his business," eaid she. "He hasn't mentioned Mrs. Hamilton to me since the day she came to see him, and he hasn't even given me any dictation for a week. I've been typing briefs." 'Til bet , I'd find out who the client was if I worked there," pronounced the mother. "I never did favour this business of people going around with secrets, Mr. Parks. Do you? It seems so closemouthed, some way." The visitor smiled indulgently. "If it weren't for secrets, Mrs. Pullen, we attorneys would have no practice whatever. Other. ■ people have, secrets; •we expose they try to expoßerrisr Arid we collect''our money - either way." "Well; "of ; course, I suppose lawyers lave to'live, tooj" said his hostess. "But if there's, anything ithat makes -me boil, it's a secret.'" •' '•■ ' j The young man arose to go, and after shaking hands with Mrs.'" Pullen, held to Julia's fingers for a moment. "Some other evening," he promised, 'Til come to see you." He leaned forward to look into ler eyes. "I'm sure that's nice of you and Julia'll be glad to;see you," said the mother. ; . ' '■ ' « A little later;,when Parks had gone, Mrs. Pullen took occasion to reprove her daughter. "Child," i said she, "youOl never be married unless- you draw 'em on a little. This Mr. Parks is head over heels in love with'you. /Anybody can see that. Even your father could ■ see it. Why droop your eyelids give a sail smile or something, when ■'& young man promises to come and, see you?" Julia sighed heavily. "What's " the nse?" she asked. "He'll come anyway." "But he'll get tired of it, and first thing you know youil be losing him." She turned to Pullen. "Fred, you talk to her. No matter what I say she won't listen. You ought to do a father's part, Pred. You don't encourage your daughter at alii" His eyes crinkled at the corners in amusement. "All right, Elsie." He prodded the girl with his thumb, and continued, solemnly: "Cheer up, Julia— the worst' is yet to come." "You act like a fool," said Mrs. Pullen Next morning Pullen took away witl Wm his sketches of the proposed nev louse, tucking them for protection int. a mailing tube. Julia, whose mood ha< been depressed and quiet since Parks cal of the night before, was waiting for hir at the kerb when he brought the ca around. \U ,■-*<-:; -.■■•.■ tas.

Mrs. Pullen came down the steps to bid her husband and daughter goodbye. "11l get the architect to make the drawings," said Pullen. "It won't take long to get estimates —to find out what it'll cost, you know, and then we'll start building right away, -if the weather's good." "There ought to be a little place for the cat, if we get a cat," said Mrs. Pullen, as she kissed him. The man and girl drove in silence for a few blocks. Julia sat with her chin on her breast, her eyes upon the floor of the car. Her father glanced at her anxiously now and again. "What's the matter, old kid?" he asked, at last. She shook her head. "Nothing," she answered, j i ■ "Humph!" ■ He turned into Fourteenth Street. "Listen here, is Sam Carlile on your mind?" {■ . ■ Julia did not answer for a time. When she did speak, he had to lean'toward her in order to hear. "Why-should I think about Sam Carlile?" she murmured. '"Don't know," said he, "except he's thinking about you all the time." The girl sat more erect. "If he's thinking about me,; why doesn't he come around and say so?" "I reckon it's because you high-hatted him the last time you met," he surmised. "You told me about that yourself. And, besides, he knows Parks is coming to the house." The girl looked at him. with interest. "How does he know that?" .