Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1920-08-14
A SWEETHEART AT THIRTY
The Story Of . Woman's Transformation.
ny MARION RUBINCAM.
Protected by Gcorae Matthew Adams.
A TANGLED WEB.
Chapter LIV.

Chapter blV.
We heard some ono unlock the dooi
Of the carriage house under us. Lake
two criminals we slipped over to the
door, opened it-glad that tho leather
bands used rs hinges made no noise
went out under the hay, and fastened
the door behind us.
Crawling along the dusty passage
way, Violet chokcd up with the neat
and lack Of mir and sneezed violently
She covered her face with her apron
and looked at me half frightened; Wholly
excited. as We emerged, disheveled ana
covered with hayseed, from our explora-
ton.
'How long do o'you suppose he's had
that" she asked.
shook nv head. | wanted to cry
suddenly. IL was all so very pathetic
James had n natural inclination TO-
wards machinery. He was never hap
p,cr than when he had tools in his hands
believe he loved 10 have the farm machines
break down so he could repair them
To be sure, he occasionally experlmenteo
trying to improve them, and sometimes
the results were disastrous.
"Do YOU suppose he knows about II
machinery and things like that! the
uirl asked. s'Of course he always wanted
10 be an inventor. He used to talk about
!, lots when we were children. And dc
yo,l remember the carts he made from
.pools, and the funny engine that worked
when he pulled string?"
| nodded. James had saved up empty
spools for months-in fact, for couple
OF wears. Out of them he constructed
some sort of thing-for IT had no name
with string and rubber bands. 1t was
SO arranged that by pulling out cord
wrapped around large spool, he eouio
make the whole combination run-it
produced nothing but motion and useless
motion NJ that, the spools whiried arounu
and knots OF string danced In the AIR.
and the whole thing was very ingenious.
James used to play with IT whenever
he had time for it, always with broad
grin Of delight over his face as he watched
It's crazy antics.
And Violet and liked to see it-but
Jim growlcd over the time wasted making
il, and finally Father picked 1T up as
trash and threw il IN the fire.
Poor James, He had great ambitions IN
those davs-l wondered how completely
this constant suppression was affecting
him,
We shook the hay from our hair and
clothes and went back to the house. For
weeks afterwards | watched James as
closely as | could One wakeful night /
heard. or thought hcard him, slip out
of the kitchen door. And one day Violet
came 10 me and said she had told James
we had discovered his work room"
we didn't 60 TO Lena's last night
as we said" she told me. we went
on, there and he showed me the things
he was making He wants real work
room and a gasoline engine some day.
He's gong to do all sorts of fine things.
Wouldn't il be wonderful if he did be-
come an inventor? You know, he made
n clock and II runs,-out of parts OF
two old alarm clocks.
She ratified on enthusiastically.
III only could tell Mother or Father
if only they would help, she said
Really. James should have gone TO
college Its wicked TO send me-ln
never he anything
Her ewes grew round and wistful at
once | knew she was thinking of Bud
- Bud in the city, in daily contact with
Pete. and doing-she had no idea what.
Then something happened that took
our ideas from Bud and every other
problem. We were doing the bedrooms
one morning, when a perfect explosion
of oaths from the kitchen made us look
AZ each other white faced with fright.
Jim's voice came roaring up TO us
Jim was in one of his murderous RACES.
James voice came TO us, too-and Is
Tiers in pleading tones.
If Esther is being peace maker,
something has happened, !, said. And
both Of US ran down the STAIRS.
Wasting your time on such trash,
a cs-
Of oaths followed.
Hush. jim, the neighbors-"
"To-with the neighbors, jim shout
ed. do YOU think can jeep still when
/ find nv son-who ought 10 be Of some
use is wasting his time when ne ought
20 be working"
II never took time from my work.
] did it"
"None OF that" Jim drowned him
out. Stealing my tools-you did steal
them" as jim started TO protest. How'd
you get that stuff then? And digging
yourself a place through the hay and
carving matches in the barn. You light
the lantern up in that worliroom of
yours with a sarcastic infection on the
word workroom, "and you set the barn
on fire"
'lt was you set 1t on fire beforer
be roared out suddenly.
ut was not" James turned 10 him
with clenched fists and white face. 81
made this workroom this spring, and
I've got asbestos around the lantern 10
Keep IL safe. II you'd give me little
time now and then ! wouldn't have to
sneak auay-jus, TO read and expert
ment with tools"
"You answer me back" Jim's voice
Kept rising.
''Hushr' begged Esther. He won't
10 il again.
"You bet he won't. I've smashed
.very wheel he's got In the place
There was a wild cry from James
"You did? You did? Then III tell on
goul Ill tell mother about that woman
u Eastlake. -
Monday-More Complications.