The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1912-11-07
AT CROSS PURPOSES
Two of a Trade in One Small,
Poor Family.
BY MARTHA M'cULLocH WILL
LlAMS.

A sneer disflgured Allonby's hand
Vane, his cousin, along the narrow
street. Lura was plain as he himself
was handsome, further as staidly
proper as he was wild. Therefore, he
told him self, inevitably she, not he,
would inherit Grandmother Vane's
money-grandmothe had clinging
to her blood, and had set her heart
since their childhood upon making q
match of the two
Unwisely she had tried to bring
Allonby up with that in mind. BY
nature rebellious, also by nature
beauty-loving and wilful, he had been
as nearly insolent over the matter as
his fathers son could show himself.
His father was the one thing in life
he reverenced-and discourtesy to
any woman John Allonby, the elder,
could not forgive. A real man, said
he. owed such courtesy to himself,
regardless of whether or no the
woman deserved it.
So his son had only said "Impos-
sible, granny" not trusting himself to
explain the impossibility. Dad was
told: Il wouldn't look at Lura one
| year, let alone my whole life through
| for all the money in the Bank of Eng
land-let alone granny's little hand
| full"
That was before the crash came
i by several years. The crash beggared
John Allonby the elder and brought
stroke that left him but living
shadow of himself. But when after
months of silence he could speak with
difficulty, he said "Son-it is-worth
-everything-to find you-what you
ARE" Allonby muttered something
gruff, and turned away his head,
blushing like a girl. Later when his
father slept in his wheel chair, he got
up from his desk and fondled the
withered right hand as mother
might fondle her sleeping baby.
He had not been bred to work-hts
profession, the law, meant years Of
starvation, waiting for clients. In
extremity he had turned to writing
the returns were precarious enough,
yet he could do the work, and keep
with his decr invalid. The dear in
valid must lack nothing AS to him.
self-it did not matter. small
house remained to them-the sole
relic of their once great possessions
BY the help of his fathers sometime
valet, now cook, chamberlain, gard
ner and man of all work, the estab
lishment kept going in ramshackle
fashion. Grandmother Vane's weekly
hamper helped lot; also, her weekly
dinners Allonby went to them by
his fathers express orders
1T is the least return you can de-
Gently make for your mothers moth
er's kindness" said his elder.
Lura was rarely at the dinners,
managing some way to have other
engagements. At first Allonby had
been glad.
absences They were not cousinly-
and he was bent upon keeping up a
surface of amity such as should pre-
vail among folk of one blood.
He had not spoken with her for
kthree months. An impulse he did try
to understand, sent him to cross her
path. He waited there, still sneering
little, but also smiling.
Accept my fluctuations" he said,
half extending his hand This is no
place to offer them-that l know well
but you give me no other chance" Z"
81 am not sure | understand you,"
Lura said, coloring family. She was
slight and dark, with an oval face,
and eyes deep set under heavy brows.
You surely have not heard" she
went on, breaking off uncertainty
Allonby smiled more confidently.
II did not need to hear" he said.
1T flashed over me that you and Dick
Helm were made for each other the
very minute | saw you together. Let
me know when the wedding is to be
so l may turn you out a loye-verse,
having nothing else to give"
I'm just a little afraid you will
suffer from suppressed poesy If you
wait for that occasion" Lura an
swered-and now she smiled. But
don't be DOWN. hearted-it is a secret
but Dick and Lesta Mills have come
to an understanding at last. There
is no talk of marriage yet-but dare
say you will be warned in time"
when the scoundrel has been at
your apron strings this year and
more AS your next of kin, ought
to call him to account" Allonby said.
The sneer was quite banished, the
smile sunny. 81 was jesting," he ran
on. You know that You are not
the sort of girl man plays fast and
loose with. Did you know about
Lesta all the timer"
Everything. And l did my best to
bring them together. They had quar-
relied over such little thing" Lura
answered. making as though to pass
on.
Allonby flung open the gate, say
ing, entreatingly, Dad wants to see