Beverly banner. [volume] (Beverly, N.J.) 1877-1964, 1925-05-22

| its lawn sprinklers trying to raise the
sun-baked grass from the dead, and its
concrete sidewalks, Brena's mother
had noticed look in his eyes of a
haunting fear
Il wonder what would become Of
you and Brena if anything happened
to me-" he had said in explanation.
Nothing will happen to YOU" Bre-
mas mother had gayly answered.
Come into the house. I've something
to show YOU"
ITO show me?"
"Yes-a happy little home with the
rent all paid up till last February.
Nothing will happen to you"
But the fear was written upon his
countenance deeper and deeper. like
a tracing often repeated. lie said to
his wife on one occasion, You say
this fear is new. No, dearest; l have
carried it about for many, many
years"
Long after her mother had gone
Brena had seen that look in her ia
theirs eyes.
Perhaps he is afraid he will lose
his place with the oil company, she
had said to herself many times.
Opportunity enough was given her
in those days to speak for herself
She had gone beyond any school train
ing not only in independence but in
learning; nevertheless she remained a
child-a lonely, sensitive child in the
heart of her ripening womanhood. Her
fathers austerity and her own peculiar
shyness made the pair appear to the
Texan neighbors aloof, strange, like
persons over whom some shadow hung.
And her father considered alone? He
too, even to her, was in spite of all his
giant desire for tenderness, also aloof,
strange, and over him some shadow
also cast its menacing shape,
Perhaps this shadow was explained
when Demetrius, the learned and i'm
practical, the heroic and the humbled
exiled gentleman of Athens, stepped
in front of a moving train one evening
as he was trying to cross the tracks
which run through the Dallas streets,
and then lay staring up at the sky, his
hair and beard brushed back as If he
faced a tempest.
1t was the doctor who carried the
news to Brena. He stood beside the
engraving of the Acropolis in it's frame
battered with many packings and un-
packings and many hangings and re-
movals and many journeys in the bot
toms of trunks.
you do not weep?" he inquired.
NO. said Brena, looking at him
with her blanched face.
The doctor was little dried up
southerner, whose manner straddled
between his Kentucky birthright and
the Prussian medical schools where
he had acquired his education.
He was noble man." he said, "He
was haunted man, as Well"
Brena said nothing
IF he had lived another six months,
he would have been totally blind. Only
l knew that. He would tell no one.
And what would have supported you
both then, eh? The public funds,
reckon"
The woman, who was still child,
shivered.
He was sorely tempted-your ia
ther," said Doctor Gregory. HE had
insured his life and he would have
killed himself to provide for you Yes,
that was his plan He asked me about
it. Such man! Hesitating to blow
his brains out because of what? Honor.
Not TO defraud soulless corporation,
en-? Not doing it, either. Too virtu-
ous Too just Splendid Magnifi-
cent Like his own forehead-noble,
classic /"
Brena covered her face with her
hands.
"Ah, well,' said the doctor, "it was
well to know such man. You must
be brave-a good girl, eh? Your father
may have been killed in answer to his
prayers. One cannot grope his way in
front of moving train.
Did he die-without-a word?" she
asked
mo; ] was going to speak of that"
said Gregory, chewing harder than
ever on his ever-present toothpick. He
was conscious for time-quite con-
scious. He said that you never knew
how much he loved you-some awk-
wardness, he said, prevented He
asked me to tell you that something
would protect you from danger He
didn't say what Something would
He said that you must not be afraid"
The doctor sighed and looked about
the room with its few books, pictures,
ornaments--the shabby remnants Of a
life Of discriminating TASTE high pur-
poses and poverty.
There isn't much for you to begin
on he said, refiectively. Five hun
bred life insurance The rest had
gone because he didn't pay the premi-
ums. Too honest to take it by blow
| Ing his brains out-a noble man the
| timbers of noble human craft deserv-