San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1924-04-13


urged.
''Shc told him. He nd rot tell ne
just what she said, but ] could guess
as l watched the light >back in his
eyes. Her father had opened the door
and put her out in the rain as wall
ten. He was very strict-father. As
soon as the rain was ever she wourl
go to the other end of town where
she had a friend who would take her
in. No, she did not believe as her
father and the people of the town be-
licved; her mother had taken her
away and she had. been brought up
differently. but when the mother had
died, he had brought her back.
"'My mother could not bear j.
here she said. Il am not SO brave
as she, or l would CO."
go on" said Janet again.
It's q good story, isn't it? Espe'
cially since we have our own opinions
concerning him. No king of lovers,
no Romeo. no schoolboy, could have
told such tale of first love as Eric
told me. Spilled it out. Words
tumbling over each other.
"In one look. in one half hour, It
seemed, he had turned over all the
principles upon which we live here
in New York. The primal Lad taken
him-and her. too. She was not
afraid; not frightened at what she
must have seen in him.
"'And why, when be turned yoI
out, did you come in here" he asked
finally.
"He had never before listened for
an answer as he listened for that one.
81 came because you were here,
she said.
"Well, people, began to see then
what he was up against in the way
OF intoxication. He had not touched
her: il had been all very aloof. bu!
when she told him why she had come
lie said he would have been wooden il
he had not gathered her close and held
her tight.
''Then, through the s!ackening rain
fall, he heard footsteps outside their
shelter, heard them on the soft
ground close by. saw stopped figure
straighten under their tipped roof. II
was one of the all-alike, brown-gray
men with jammed-shut mouth and
sleshes down from it; with hatc-fiile /
eyes.
This man levelled his finger q.
Eric. Now We kin have her. he said
harshly. 'Ye kin take her along o'ya.
There's no door open in this town for
such as her. They're saut against her
forever. This is no place fer her ever
again. We're done. All o. u.s."
''She sprang forward. Father =
she cried.
''He struck her with his open hand
straight across the mouth.
'Harlot. Plaything o strange
men = he accused, scornfully.
Eric said that he reached for the
man. but that she spread her arms
between them.
Nor she exclaimed. He believes
it He cannot help it. No No"
"The man did not speak again. He
stopped under the slanting boards ami
went away.
And now comes what Eric saya
was the strangest part of 1.-THE way
he took it. Rack of the glamor OF
the girls lovely face: black of the
pull of her. standing there in the
slGckening rain holding her wet skirts
about her. her neck bare; back of tho
wonder of her. there rose bank IT
his sane self-that self indifferent to
all else. There lowered steenle of
his future as he had planned it; of
his ambitions: of his wealth and
fame which were just beginning an |
for which he had worked hard. They
grew-these steeples-and pushed
closer. The girl watched him.
"She had not spoken to him since
her father had goro Gway: she had
stood aside while Eric got tho car
ont upon tho road: she had followed
him to it and stood there ciasring her
bare elbows-lips partcd like the Ra-
phnel girl-child he said. She was on
Hvious to watchers behind drawn cur
tains.
"'Now what shall You do| he
! asked her. Docs he rloan itT
"sYes. he means IL. I shnll walk
IN the next town. There will be some
him for me to do there
'T'm sorry-' he feean. all the
steo-,Ies crowdir~ around him.
"Don't be. Tn glad. II gives me
ch-nce TO be bravo pc she was
"She nut IN orc had to h"- mouth
and rrcsscd he- Inns t'~ht with 1t.
"Tt.s odd. isn't it:' she asked.
ale saws hn did not need m ask
what was odd. He knew. II was
tho sudden now thin~ which was his
ard bers. Rut t." stcaplcs were near
or. And frcn life was What he had
,lanned: it alone "ould hriry him
what ho wanted. But he asked:
"'ryill you come with me, as he
said"
"She shook her heal.
cob. 20. I am not yonr Kind
Rrt 7 love YOU he tol dher then
Won shonld have heard him snenf
r',os, three vords the dav he told m
tI;c story. Suother nan ~'i~"lr-nof
,hc Eric We know. He said it twice
I love vcu'
""~d you.' tho ci-l rcnlied.
""rhen conro with me- ho nleadef
"'No. 1t will pass. 1t cannot oe