El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1900-02-28
PRISONER OF WAR
, A Landlord Goes to Collect His
REM and Instead Gets Col
lected Himself.

"No rent again this month This is
he third time it has happened within
the half year.. I'll go there myself and
get the money, OIL. I'll know the reason
why"
Matthew Deane was in particularly
bad humor this raw December morn
ing. Everything had gone wrong.
Stocks had fallen when they ought to
ave risen, his clerk had tipped over
the inkstand on his special and pecul-
lar heap of paper, the fire obstinately
refused to burn in the grate-in short.
nothing went right, and Mr.. Deane was
consequently and correspondingly cross.
"~Jenkins!"
ayes, sir"
go to the Widow Clarkson and tell
her 1 shall be there in half an hour and
expect confidently-mind, Jenkins, con-
fdently-to receive that rent money, or
else L shall feel myself obliged to re-
sort to extreme measures. You under
stand, Jenkins?"
Certainly, sir"
'sThen don't stand there staring k
an fdiot.' snarled Mr.. Deane in a sud-
den burst Of irritation, and jenkins dis
appeared like a shot.
lust half an hour afterward Matthew
Deane brushed the brown hair just
sprinkled with gray from his square
yet not unkindly brow. Putting on his
fur line overcoat, he walked forth in
to the chilly winte air fully determin-
ed figuratively to annihilate the de-
faulting Widow Clarkson.
1t was a dwarfish little red brick
house, which appeared originally to
have aspired to two storyhood lot, but,
cramped by circumstances, had settled
down into a story and a half, but the
windows shone like Brazilian pebbles,
and the doorsteps were worn by much
securing. Neither of these circum-
stances, however, did Mr.. Deane re-
mark as he pulled the glittering brass
doorknob and strobe into Mrs. Clark
sons neat parlOr.
There was a small fire-very small,
as if every lump of anthracite was
boarded in the stOve-and ao a table,
with writing implements before her,
sat a young lady whom Mr.. Deane at
ono recognized as Mrs. Clarkson's
niece, Miss Olive Mellen. She was not
disagreeable to look upon, though you
would never have thought of CHASING
her among the beauties, with shining
black hair, blue, long dashed eyes and
q very pretty mouth, hiding teeth like
rice kernels, so white were they.
Miss Mellen rose with a polite nod.
which was grimly reciprocated by Mr..
Deane.
Il have called to see your aunt, Miss
MeIlen."
81 know it, sir, but as l am aware
of her timid temperament l sent her
away. / prefer to deal with you my
self"
Mr. Deane started. The cool audaci-
ty of this damsel in gray, with scarlet
ribbons in her hair, rather astOnished
him.
Il suppose the money is readyY'
mo, sir; it is not"
Then. Miss O~live-pardon mel
must speak plainly, 1 shall send an Off
Ger here this afternoon to put a valua-
ton on the furniture and"-
you will do nothing of the kind.
sir~
olives cheeks had REDEEMED, and her
eyes flashed portentously. Mr.. Deane
turned toward the door, but ere he
knew what she was doing Olive had
walked quietly across the room, locked
the door and taken out the key. Then
b resumed her see
what does this meanT" calculated
b astonished prisoner Of war"
1T means, sir, that you will now
be obliged t. reconsider the question"
said Olive.
"ObligedT'
"Yes. You will hardly jump out Of
the window, and there is no other
method of egress, unless you choose to
90 up the chimney. Now, then, Mr..
Deane. will you tell me If you. a Chris
tan man in the nineteenth century,
intend to sell a poor widows furniture
because b is not able to pay your
rent7 Listen, sirr"
Mr.. Deane had opened his mouth to
demonstrate. but Olive enforced her
words with a very emphatic little
stamp of the foot. and he was, as it
were, stricken dumb.
"You are what the world calls a rich
a MI. Deane. You own rows of
houses, piles Of bank stock. railroad
shares, bonds and mortgages-who
knows what? My aunt has nothing.
/ support her by copying. Now, if this
case be carried into a court Of law, my
poor ailing aunt will be a sufferer. You