Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1906-05-24
For Spot Cash
BY Martha
Mcculloch Williams
Copyright. 1905. by Homer sprague

| HTNt Norris read from an old
commonplace book, adding,
with a little laugh Lord, how this
generation discounts that fine piece Of
Bulwer's sentimentalityl Women now
adays have got past signing anything.
Instead they say things, and, behold,
| the things are done"
(Which means, if anything, that
you're dead sore" Marvin retorted,
pulling hard at his pipe Il don't won
der at it. he went on, You were so
Immortality certain Baby Curran would
make ducks and brakes Of her venture,
when, 10, she's succeeded in a way to
astonish everybody"
Wrong, as usual" Norris comment
ed. Marvin shook his head, with a
lazy laugh, saying: George. but I'm
glad Daddy Curran left nothing but
debts and a livery stable to his flock
of children. There was nothing for
Baby to do except keep on with the
business
aThere was. She might have mar
ried me, Norris interrupted. "She
knew I'd look out for her stepmother
and the kids
.sNo doubt" Marvin broke in, but
that isn't Baby's way. Don't you re-.
member how at school she wouldn't
be told in class or have her sums done
| for her? Honest independence Is her
ruling passion-so much SO, indeed, |
feared to have her go into this. Dad
| DIV Curran never thought of doubling
anybody's word until he had to.
thought Baby was off the same piece.
So she is, but she's got something else
| In her. Her spot cash conscience, she
calls It. / heard her explaining to old
| Major Axtun that the way to avoid
bad debts was to have no debts at all
| and let the bank do all the bookkeep-
| ing"
| Norris drummed hard on the table.
s'Tm a fool to keep on caring" he
burst out. .She puts me aside like
last years bonnet; won't hear to mar
rying me until the debts are paid and
Benny boy through school and ready to
step into her shoes. That means four
years at least. Meantime there's the
devil to pay with my people. They're
not purse proud, but who can blame
them if they don't want to welcome as
| a daughter headstrong young woman
who has made herself the talk Of the
county, not even though she did it with
the best intentions i. the world2 MY
| mother was at me yesterday, asking
| me If wanted wife who had grown
sharp at bargaining with half the horse
| dealers and transfers In the country
side 1t seems Baby is setting up to
buy saddle stock"
81 don't know anybody with bet
ter right. She knows horses better
than the most of us" Marvin inter-
posed. aAnd. all things considered, it
is a good thing. She has her market
ready made, as it were. Those city
folks take everything of class she can
/ find them and pay her handsome
profit"
..You seem to hold brief for her,"
Norris said slllkily, CLEAN Of sus-
picion in his eyes. 1T might be we'll
for you to join hands with her. You
might make more at horse dealing than
you ever did at the law
every likely-if / had Baby's chance.
But certainly shan't scheme to take
it from her. Marvin said steadily
then, flushing little, he added: 4
would be only too glad to join hands
with her in anything and for life. But
she has let me know that's out Of the
question. When she set you free she
left herself bound, little as you deserve
it,
The last word was flung over bis
shoulder. He had risen and was strid-
ing toward the door Norris looked
after him, half angrily, half shamedly.
then glanced about the handsomely ap-
pointed office with scowling sheer.
| His grandfather had been governor,
| his father was senator, his mother
led society in Allingham. Naturally
she looked high for her only son, much
higher than a bankrupt's daughter, who
i had taken upon her shoulders an I'M
womanly burden. Still she had not set
herself openly against her sons choice.
She had even approved, though mildly,
his intention of constancy. How. then,
should he suspect that she was plan
ming to upset that intention7 The
hinge Of the plan was Miss Althea Ros-
well-a beauty, Miss Althea, If one
could have overlooked her nose. I'm
! fortunately 1t stood out so boldly over
looking it was impossible, even in the
1 effulgence OF her many dollars It was
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