The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1916-05-05
CHAPTER vi.
What Next?


CHAPTER VI.
What Next?
The feelings which revolved
around the dead body Of old Mrs.
Croft can be better imagined
than described. In the midst of
the confusion Jane moved quietly,
little white and with lips truly
saddened.
The doctor, q ponderous gentle
man of great weight in all ways,
was very grave. The doctor said
that he had warned the daughter
of such a possible ending 20 years
before. Heart failure was al
ways imminent" he declared Sc
yerely.
Il didn't know that she had
heart disease" said Jane.
No blame attaches to you,"
said the doctor, veering suddenly
about as to the point in discuss
ion: nobody can blame you. |
shall exonerate you completely"
At this magnanimity on the
doctors part even Susan had to
smile a little. But as soon as he
had gone she voiced her uneasi-
ness to Jane.
It'll be sort of awful IL they
can't find Katie, though" Susan
said; she left no address, and
think it's almost silly to try to
hunt her up. I'm only too pleased
to pay for the funeral. I'm sure,
and there won't be any real rea-
son for her returning"
Jane shook her head. "Who is
to go down and pack up that
house," she wondered.
"Oh, the house can be rented
furnished. It's a nice home for
anybody" said Susan, land the
rentll buy her a lovely monu-
ment."
The funeral was fixed for the
third day, and some effort made
to trace the daughter-in-law. But
that lady evidently didn't care to
be found.
Its hardly any use going to a
great deal of expense to hunt her
up Lorenzo said to Jane, "be-
cause the house is all there is,
and a thorough search with de-
tectives would just about eat it up
alive"
He probably was not wholly
disinterested in his outlook, for
the next bit of news that shook
the community was that Lorenzo
Rath had taken Mrs. Croft's house
and moved in!
But Lorenzo Rath didn't care
about any of the gossip; he was
so happy over his home. "Ill
have a woman come over and
cook occasionally" he explained
blithely to Jane and Susan, land
III get all my illustrating off my
hands in short order"
DO you illustrator" Jane
asked.
Yes. that's my bread-and-but-
ter job"
"It'll be nice to have you in the
neighborhood," said Susan placid
ly.
Jane went out to get supper.
1t did not take any urging on
Susan's part for Lorenzo to accept
her invitation for that same sup
per.
The table talk was cheerful
carried on for the most part by
Susan and her guest. Susan was
so happy that she could not help
lauding Jane, and particularly
James phisophy of life.
After the meal was over the
aunt set out on one of the little
neighborly calls she so enjoyed
making again, and left the young
people alone together.
There was silence for a time
and then Lorenzo turned abruptly
from the window through which
he had been looking-at nothing.
You've gone long way,
Jane." he said, you've got big
grip on life and its meaning. But
whatever you may preach, you
only prove what / feel, that the
old-fashioned, sweet. home-keep-
ing, winning and winnable girl is
gone. only she's gone in a differ
ent way from what most people
understand. When she still ex-
lists, she exists for herself-notl
for a man."
Jane felt her eyes fill suddenly.
why do you say that?"
Because you prove 1t. A man
might adore you, but he couldn't
hope to get you. Could he?"
Her eyes dropped. DO you
think that it's all any harder on
the man than II is on the girl?"
she asked. "If men feel bad
nowadays over the changes, how
do you suppose 1t Is with the wo-
man, untitled to fight and forced
into the battle? A woman isn't
built as a man IL; she's created
for>another kind OF work, much
harder and lasting, much longer
than any mans labor. There'sl
always a pitiful story behind nine
out Of every ten bread-winning