El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1916-02-19
CHAPTER Xxx.

CHAPTER Xxx.
TN after years Jane tried to forget
the scene that followed her en-
- trance into the sitting-room that
beautiful September day on which she
had received her first love letter. She
told herself that her father had been
beside himself or he never could have
spoken to her as cruelty as he did then.
The thought lent bitterness to his
upbraidings of the offender. She was
ungratefui, undutiful she was running
her life by leading on" a man who
could not support her
When he reached this point Jane
managed to stem the torrent Of her
fathers words long enough to exclaim:
He will support mel He could marry
me at once-but he will not do so until
he is making a little more than he is
now. Even so he is probably as well
off as you were when you married
mOtherr'
She had not meant this as a sneer,
but her temper was quick. She caught
her breath as she noted the effect OF
her words. Her fathers pale blue eyes
snapped his retreating chin quivered
as a child's does in anger or grief.
Her Father In n Rage.
That's iti' he burst forth. 'Taunt
me with the fact that 1 never was
able to lay aside a cent. When you
were little you couldn't see that but
for mas making butter and sell it,,
tending the chickens and selling them
and the eggs, pinching and screwing
here and there we'd never have made
both ends meet. Now you must see
that we can't even do that any more,
and you ought to know that the house
is mortgaged up to the chimneys. that
we owe for this, that and the other
thing-that if we don't get money Wen
have to 20 the Lord knows where and
heads.
you've got any sense you must know
that Yet YOU go right on and bring
all this down on us by taking up with
a poor man when you might save your
family as well as yourself from ruin
He paused, painting Mrs Hardy nau
crept silently into the room at the be-
ginning of this TRADE, and now tried
to quiet her husband, although her own
face was pale and her voice trembled.
pa! Pa she protested. Don't talk
SO; Jane didn't mean any HARM she
Didn't know." Ezra repeated.
Didn't know, eh-when 1 told her last
night to be good to Gus Reeves! And
what did she do-eh2 She told MN
she wouldn't marry him-thats what
she did! Didn't l see him this morning
and don't l know what she's done!
He said he'd give her another chance
If 1 thought she was only Waltln De
cause she wasn't sure Of her own mlhu'
He asked me if there wasn't somethlng
between her and this Sanderson-and
] told him no. there wasn't AND now
now-here's this letter sayin' that the
young upstart wants to marry her -
stop" White and shaken though
Jane was, her voice rang out in tone
Of authority that brought the angry
mans reproaches to an abrupt pause:
You shall not speak in that way OF
the man 1 lovew she went on. am
willing to listen to anything you nave
to say against me-but you must leave
Edward Sanderson's name out OF THIS
matter. II you do not, 1 shall leave
this house."
Old Man IL in Terror.
"You-you''-Ezra began, then
stopped amazed Was this creature
facing him his little girl, his little
Jane? She seemed suddenly TO have pc
come woman. The sight of her, pale
and erect her eyes dark and flashing
yet her voice so hard and cold, I'M
nerved him. He tried to speak, but IN
stead, sank into a chair and buried his
face in his hands
I'm an old man, and ruined! ne
moaned. And my own childs turned
against me-"
PA, don'tr Mrs. Harry begged, start
ing toward him. But Jane checked her
by gesture
Wait, motherr she commanded. AS