Perth Amboy evening news., 1920-08-07
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Anna Carter's father sought 10
make her nature owe to his "
ways of thinking. She had inherlt-
ed from her mother a love OF peauty
that her fathers stern nature
thought a weakness and he was de-
termined by sternness to crush II
u of her. But in spite of his Ell
forts to marry her to a. man she
hated, Fate took a hand n
brought Geraldine carpenter INT
Anne's life. AT the Carpenter home
Anne met Dane Grey and thus ner
life broadened and took on color.
CHAPTER xXXII
Anne was worried about Geral-
dimes suggestion that she tell her
father the truth about the time she
spent at the Carpenters n ner
intention of going on with II Sne
had given Geraldine to understand
that she would think about it, n
h did think about it all the time.
1t was quite true that she had grown
up. Her time with the Carpenters
and their friends had broadened her
and made a woman of her. Soon
she would be nineteen, with all OF
life before her still. Would she
spend the rest of her days chained
to G~reenville, the chattel OF BIZ
Snyder, as her mother had been the
| chattel of father? And yet, Anne
knew that she dared not defy her
father. Sweet as the thought was
Of spending more time with Geral-
dine, of being able to do more with
her life, she knew one thing. II she
de1ed her father, If. she could pluck
IN courage to tell him the truth,
what then? He would Immediately
throw her out of the house Inc
small amount of money that she
had saved would carry her only a
little way, for she was not actually
trained to do any work. or course,
Geraldine would no doubt look u
for her, but Anne could not have
that. She could not depend on
Geraldine and she did not feel that
any slight service that she rendered
Mrs. Carpenter was really of enough
value to receive money for it.
While these thoughts were worry
ing her. Aunt Martha died. Anne
came home one evening in early
suring to find the windows of the
dreary little house all lighted up.
This was unusual, and as h hur-
ried into the kitchen from h back
door she was met by Mrs. Barnes,
who lived next door, and mad Ilveo
there for several ear without ever
before being inside of the Carter
what is it?" Anne asked, alarm
ed at the woman's face.
your aunt. She's in on the couch.
I'VE sem for the doctor, but l think
it's too late"
Anne, without stopping to hear
any more, was hurrying into the
next room and Mrs. Barnes followed
her.
"she was out on the porch or I
wouldn't have heard her." Mrs.
Barnes was explaining. "I was set
ting out some lemon pies hat I had
Just made, to cool, and / just looked
across and saw her fall. I came
rushing right over, and I tried to
lift her, but she was too heavy, so
I ran in next door for Mrs. Gridley,
and we got her up here on the
couch. She's over ~telephoning for
the doctor now"
Mrs. Barnes was pleasantly excit-
ed. 1t wasn't as if she had ever
known Aunt Martha, o cared
about her.
Anne stood by the couch and
looked down at the dark, still face.
She bent down and listened for
breath, but there was none. Aunt
Martha was dead! No grief welled
up in the girls heart, she could not
be sorry. Her only feeling was a
curious one. A curious regret that
the neighbors who had been frown-
ed on during Aunt Martha's life.
should have been the ones to come
to her aid when she had died. Life
was very strange.
The doctor came. Anne did not
know him, but he seemed kindly.
He examined Aunt Martha, Anne,
Mrs. Gridley and Mrs. Barnes
watching him, and finally, turning
to the girl, pronounced it an attack
of heart failure.
Her heart couldn't have been
strong" he went n Did she COM
plain, shortness of breath, or any
thing like that?"
Anne nodded. IT noticed the
shortness of breath, but she
complained"
The doctor looked at the girl curl
ously. She spoke with a cultured
expression, and she carried her head
like a queen, and yet her clothes
were gray and ugly. He did not
know her, had never heard of her
before, and in spite of her clothes
she somehow seemed out of place
in her environment. He gave her
some brief directions, said that
there was nothing o that he
could do, and took his leave.
When Jim Carter came home
Aunt Martha lay on the big walnut
bed, a look of peace or her harsh
features. Anne, left alone now, was
putting the room to rights.
Tt was characteristic of Jim Car-