Worcester Democrat and the ledger-enterprise. (Pocomoke City, Md.) 1921-1953, 1940-11-15

| of her for your sake! And to do That,
I needed the man Green! Do you thank
me? Never! But I did get the goods
on her, and I'm going to tell Rupert!
I'm sick and tired of doing things to
save other people, and then being
made the goat!"
Laurel sank back in a chair dead
ly pale.
eff if you tell your father any
thing against Gaby, and he turns
her out of the house, she oh,
Jean, she'll tell everything!"
"Well"-violently pulling her dress
over her head - "seems that's the
best thing for everybody, Laurel! It's
got to come out sometime"
"But not now, when he's so angry
with you darling!" her mother plead
ed, on rush of tears. "He'd turn
us all out of the house for for
having deceived him! Don't you see
I. :. I must wait for the right OPP
portunity? That it must come from
me myself"
"Then get on with it'll" was the
nerve-wracked response. "I'm sick of
being bullied! Sick of playing second
fiddle to Gaby even if she is my half
sister! Why didn't you stay with her
and bring her up as a decent Ameri-
can instead of letting her become a
;. a tricky adventures
"How cruel and ungrateful you are,
Jean!" Laurel had never known her
tears to fail as weapon with Jean.
They must not, now! She sobbed
pathetically.
Exasperated beyond measure, Jean
ignored this spoilt manifestation. She
snapped: "You accuse me of not
thinking of other peoples feelings,
but it's you who's been darned selfish,
to say the least! AS Gaby told me, did
you have any consideration for her
or her father? And you married
Rupert without even telling him of
their existence!"
AauICt HiOduSUs Olu IL 1OI
your sake! I wanted a home
safety for you >"
"And a soft snap for. yourself!'
Jean added.
Laurel put her hands over her face
and rocked in her chair. Jean, having
released the pent-up torrent of her
own bitterness, relented and ran to
her.
"After all, darling, if you hadn't
done what you did,leaving Gaby and
him, wouldn't have been born! And
I'll admit that up to now, life has
been sweet! I promise you I won't
say anything against Gaby to Rup-
ert-at least, not now. Come on, dry
your eyes, and let's face the music!"
ooh, you're just like your own
father, Jean! He he had so much
courage!"
Jean produced her handkerchief and
wiped the tears from her mothers
pretty face. Laurel gulped: "The
thing we have to do-and quickly
is get Gaby married, and then she'll
be someone else's responsibility!
Don't - don't you think that nice
young Walter Mallory is in love with
herr"
A fresh stab to the heart. Laurel
Numbered on: "And the only way
cut for you, Jean, too, is husband"
But Jean forced resentment back.
She loved and pitied Laurel, and she
knew she'd always stand by her.
So on to the library, for Rupert's
ultimatum
Rupert was furious with his step
daughter.
"To find you in such a condition
at that hour Of the night, in that
place, with that mani"
"But I wasn't in any condition ex-
cept that my forehead was cut, Dad!
l hadn't even had one sip of brandy!
I fell asleep from exhaustion {.
and the shock of the crash!"
"You were reeking of brandy,
Jean! And Captain Murphy told me
it was all over the car, too! You'd
narrow escape from being burned
alive! Why had you brandy with you?
He glared at her.
"It-it was Mr.. Green's flask. He
got it because" She stopped. She
couldn't tell her stepfather: because
he'd been in a fight in a roadhouse!"
"He got it for his own evil rea-
sons. How dare you go out with a
man of that type? Suppose he had
been killed? You'd have had to appear
at the coroner's inquest, and your
reputation would have been ruined!'
"I'm-sorry," Jean said helplessly.
"Sorry?" he barked. "Have you
no sense of decency? Of what's fit
: ting for a fri of your position? Do