San Antonio light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1911-1993, 1925-09-12
GIRL REALIZES
SITUATION SHE
IS AGING
Alone on Dark Threshold,
Heroine Is Uncertain
Course to Take.
CHAPTER XIV

O1Ce nora Lee, ledrIlllli
of life, had flung hersel,
down on a hillside and wept
thinking her mother WASH
good.
Now she sat in the fal
corner of a limousine, &
loathing and fury in hei
young heart because the
world would dare to pass
such judgment.
An ugly old woman with malice ant
cruelty marring ever, line of her fac
was good; and Margaret, gentle ant
beautiful, was "bad." She wanted t.
rush through the streets and scream
out against all people who were up
holding these vile and unjust stand
ards. She wanted to shout the trutf
about right and wrong; awaken tn
dull old world; grab it by the scrufi
Of the neck and make it see.
She shrank farther if possible from
Andrews wife. ..
GOOD, BAD"
Lily suddenly noticed the wide
space between them. She was drawing
short, sobbing breaths and now began
to complain: "Why are you sittin:
over there as though e.. were the leper
That's the way. Your kind are al
ways the out and injured! Mine was
the home invaded. mine the honor out
ragged. but you pretend to be the mar
tyr. You're tine one wronged.".
Nora Lee glanced from the window,
The rain had ceased but big drops
rolled down the glass. She traced their
course with her finger.
''You obstinate little beggar. ] might
have been indulgent to you, but you'll
see now"
Nora Lee blew on. the window pane
and wrote. "Good-bad-"
What are you doing there"
She wouldn't answer.
Lily sat stiffly upright. She
touched tie white camellias OF the
girlish black hat. Her lips puckered'
IAN ugly old woman I'm called an
ugly, wicked old woman. Oh-old, am
THE POUND OF FLESH"
Nora Lee offered sharply: yes. you
are! And you better stop shifting.
We're almost there. Its the next
crossing"
They went down into the. vaults,
]. Jily becoming alert and following ag'
gressiyely at Nora Lees heels. The
guard was to make the trade.
When he counted out the bonds and
there were but thirteen, she grew
white with convulsive rage. She struck
her hand against Nora Lees m, arm.
"What do you mean by this! There
should be fifteen" ,,
you knew that bond was cashed
the other day. You couldn't have ex-
pectcd it TO be here"
Replace my $4,000. ! give you
one.half hour. Get it from your ac-
"The money is gone. can't replace
IT, "The money gone? Ny money?
You'll get it. You only .cashed the last
bond four days ago. 1t can't be all
ut Is spent and you needn't shout
so. That's all the bonds ] have: That $
everything / have and all you'll get !!
ONLY HOUSE is LEFT. ..
"You have the house. You can mort
gage it." ,r
Nora Lee stared at her blankly,
wondering il the woman were dement,
cd. The word mortgage" called to her
mind every melodramatic tragedy she
had read in books and seen on the
screen, II it had not been for the let
ters with her mothers name written
in Andrews exquisite script she would
have turned with some angry epithet
and left Lily whimpering and raging
there.
Instead she said to herself aghast ::
II wonder il she can make me mort
gage the houscT ..
You can mortgage il. No, ! won't
wait. II would be just the price of youi
10 skin ont of town. But thousand
dollars can't be gone in four days.
What did you do with itT' She con-
fronted Nora Lee with the shrewish
Inns tucked together. you have that
money. You're trucking me-"
Nora Lee felt the guards puzzled
scrutiny. She returned hotly: i
haven't got it! Go upstairs and ask.
ATTACHMENT TEREAT.
"You keep your account here? III
attach it. I'll march you through the
streets as n thief Ill get to the bot
tom of this. / know you have that
money. I'll go upstairs and find out. -
She became so noisy and lnsistent
that finally they went to the cashiers
window and Nora Lee asked for her
balance. The clerk wrote on small
slip of paper and handed it to her.
Andrews wife grabbed it. Seeing the
figures she made n stiff, hating rush
back to the vaults.
Nora Lee followed and she was
frightened. But Lily said to the guard
as though he had insulted her, Give
me those bonds !"
Shall I. miss?'
Nora Lee nodded and held out her
hand for the letter. She counted them,
stuffing them in her blouse. Astonish-
ing tears rushed to her eyes. She
smiled. saying in n vague, graceful
manner. 1T was kinl in you, sir, to
act for us"
Lily snapped her purse on the
bonds. buttOned the sealssin coat up
TO her chin. "You must be proud OF
yourself, Nora Lee, cheating me out Of
$4,000"
ANOTHER ROBBERY"
"You should know, Lily Cornish,
cinrn rnn rnhheh me out Of six fines