Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1920-08-17
A SWEETHEART AT THIRTY
The Story of Woman's Transformation. ;.
BY MARION RUBINCAM.
Protected by George Matthew Adams.
HEARTBREAK.
~ w

HEARTBREAK.
Chapter LVI.
Thoroughly alarmed by Violet's cry,
I hurried down the pathetic, ridiculous
passage James had cut through the hay
to his retreat. l went through tho door,
and into the dark room. :.
jim said he had Smashed it"-what
he meant l could not tell then. But.
saw now, even in the faint light, that the
engine had been torn or thrown down, and
that tools and wheels and straps and
other pieces of all the things James work
ed with, were lying all over the place.
Evidently jim, perhaps searching for
some tool, perhaps even hunting the
barn for the hen that concealed her nest,
stumbled on this passage. lie would
wonder, first, why the hay had not been
piled UP close to the stone WALL knew
him so well / could tell his various re
actions He would be angry at the waste OF
space. He would crowd in, wondering
how much space was wasted. Then seeing
the boards overhead that held away the
hay and formed the passage, be would
suspect something and keep up his IN
vestigations-
Then, of course, there was the door
well enough concealed to any but
sharp-eyed person like vi, or to man
with his suspicious aroused. And OF
course, he would be hot, choked with
dust, and angry when he reached the
workroom. To man with his temper,
this was like pouring oil on smoulderlng
fire. He would find his tools there, sus-
pect James had stolen them-we never
convinced him that the boy did not
and, siezing the first heavy tool, he
would demolsh the place. And this was
exactly what had happened.
went through trembling. In the
! dim light / saw Violet bending over
dark figure-and the sound of sobblng:
! The whole thing was so confused, and
/ l was so upset and nervous from the
quarrel, that | was sure James had
killed himself and Violet was bending
over him, crying.
But it was James who was crying,
! and Violet was sitting with her arms
around him, grooming those odd mean
ingless syllables that women use when
they want to comfort.
James sat up in a moment, suddenly
ashamed of having shown his feelings so.
I'm sorry. I'm fool" he apologized
"No dear, you're not vi protested.
! ssNow, tell us all about 1t. Aunt Enid
and / found this place, but we did not
breathe a word to anyone"
/ There's nothing to tell, James said,
IQllping little to choke down the tear
| that still wanted to. come. Some OF
these things / bought, some were given
! to me. l learned lot working over at
| the garage. | can run car rs well as
| anyone around here, and l can repair
one too
James spent most of his leisure at the
garage In the neighboring village. l
heard. too, that sometimes they paid him
I for doing odd jobs In the evenings dur
ing the winter. In this way he had made
/ enough money TO buy some of the books
| and tools--for Jim would not think of
) paying him a salary for his work on the
place.
II had an idea for an engine" he
! went on. 81 thought it was 8 little simpler
! than the ones they are using now-an
engine for an auto, he explained. IF amy
! idea worked out all right. there would be
| less chance for things breaking down.
ESQ / set up the stuff hare and worked
kavenings-I had it fixed so no light could
e&he fields He pointed to the Sits for
ventilation, through which some day
I light was coming In.
Fathers been up In the air for
(; week over lost monkey-wrench,' he
went on. al suppose that got him start
ed hunting around the barn, because be
thought il was left up here when we
tightened the bolts on the hay rake, but
! didn't have it. don't know where it is 7
He stood up surveying the wreck Of
his workshop.
owe for most of these things" he
said. but they'll let me work it out.
III give you all my money and well
get some new things and II make Father
Glve you q real loom to work II" VI
said eagerly.
mo, don't want it, James answered,
his shoulders dropped, his face was
swollen from tears and from the emotions
be had been through.
"But YOU can make another engine"
Il don't Want to make another en-
ginel don't want to ever see any Of this
stuff again"
In the sudden unreasonable anger
saw his fathers temperament coming
out in him, and | was very much worried.
James dear, wouldn't you like 10 60
to the city this fall, and study-engl-
neering of something?" vi was generous
but vague-'and III stay home. Aunt
Enid viii give you the money, instead
of giving it to me, and you can pay her
back sooner than i could"
How could study, when ] haven't
even finished this nigh school hereI
James said. "He wouldn't even let me
finish that. It's not fair, it's not fair,
And / won't stand itl / know what I'll
do"
He swung about on vi now, all de-
termination.
you go on with your college. I'm
glad someone at least can get away
from this family. / know what I'll do
I'll run away. I'll show him he can't
keep me down and spoil my life. III
run away