The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1904-12-02

longer"
Jane was returningto her norma
condition.
"We must wait year, she decreed
"The mortgage will be paid then.
Rose will be through school"
you'll marry me month from to
day or not at ALL" he said compos
edly.
Jane jumped to her feet.
"Indeed! Well, l am not going te
be forced or threatened by you. Joe
Dixon, I'll not marry you until | SET
ftl'
"Jane,' he replied coolly, you are
acting under the mistake of thinking
you are necessary to your father ano
Rose. They'd get along a great dea
better without you-or more to their
liking anyway
"What do you mean?' she cried in
surprise.
"What l say. You havn't been sc
successful running things here as you
think, and there's going to be no pet
ticoat rule at my house. Today's
Wednesday. You just think over
what l have said, and Saturday
about this time I'll come over again
and prove up what l said"
Having thus spoken Joel departed
and Jane returned to the abstracted
washing of dishes With new food for
thought.
When her father was unfolding the
Wingville Weekly that afternoon she
astonished him by saying:
"Pa, havn't managed the house
we'll and kept up things since ma
died?'
Titus Tivy peered At her over bis
spectacles and paper. He did not
answer with the alacrity she had ex-
pected.
well, Jane," lie finally said, II
guess you're the best cook and house
keeper in these parts. There amt a
lazy bone in your body"
Jane was not satisfied:
"That is not what | mean. Havn't
things been as you liked? I've always
done what | thought was for the
best"
"Why, Jane'-he hesitated-"your
way may be the best, but folks don't
always want the best way. They
want their own way"
Jane said no more then, but when
Rose came in from school she said to
her:
"Rose, don't you wear the best
clothes of any girl in school?'
"Maybe l do,' replied Rose little
GROSSLY. "But what's the pleasure in
good clothes if you can't wear them
as you want tor
Again Jane was silenced.
1.-THE say" continued Rose pertly
"tbat Joel Dixon's sweet on the
new teacher"
A great fear smote Jane. Then
she rallied. If Joel Dixon wanted a
little, need, cling vine woman for a
wife he could take Lucy Wicks and
welcome But Roses speech rank.
led and fingered in her memory
through the week, and she anx:ously
awaited what Saturday might bring
forth.
1t brought Joel just as she was
starting her father for town. AS Tit
US gathered up TIM reins Jane inter-
cepted the exchange of winks between
her fa,her and her lover. This troub-
led her, and she was in puzzled rath-
er than an antagonist mood when left
alone with Joel.
cCome with me-" he said, taking
her by the arm and marching her out
of the house. Surprised, she suffered
herself to be led or rushed
through the orchard, down the bill to
where the road wound its way.
"Now stand behind this tree and
watch OUT" he said.
Wondering if he had gone crazy,
she did as he directed She saw her
father drive jogging Fleetwood up to
zigz corner of the rail fence, ge:
out, take the soapstone, wrap it in the
shawl and pitch it behind stump.
Then he unbottened his coat, threw
his muffl.r under the cushion, took off
his cap, doubled back the inside the
crown, put the letter and memoran-
dun in his pocket, got back in the
buggy and drove away.
Jane looked at Joel, light Of new
intelligence creeping into her eyes
"He has. For five years He