WEBVTT 1 00:00:00.760 --> 00:00:05.599 Chapter twenty nine of Cloudy Jewel. This is a LibriVox recording. 2 00:00:06.280 --> 00:00:09.720 All LibriVox recordings are in the public domain. For more 3 00:00:09.720 --> 00:00:15.599 information or to volunteer, please visit LibriVox dot org. Recording 4 00:00:15.679 --> 00:00:21.600 by Terra Mendoza. Cloudy Jewel by Grace Livingston Hill, Chapter 5 00:00:21.640 --> 00:00:28.960 twenty nine. Meantime, Allison was dashing over fallen trees, climbing rocks, 6 00:00:29.000 --> 00:00:32.359 and pushing his way between tangled vines and close grown 7 00:00:32.439 --> 00:00:36.280 laurel up and up through the College woods and a 8 00:00:36.280 --> 00:00:39.520 cross country in the direction of the quarry, a still 9 00:00:39.640 --> 00:00:43.640 wonderful place, like a cathedral, with a deep dark pool 10 00:00:43.679 --> 00:00:46.560 at the bottom of the massive stone walls. There were 11 00:00:46.560 --> 00:00:50.880 over arching pines, hemlocks, and oaks for vaulted roof, with 12 00:00:51.079 --> 00:00:55.079 the fresco of sky and flying cloud between. It was 13 00:00:55.119 --> 00:00:58.840 a wonderful place once when they had climbed there together 14 00:00:59.240 --> 00:01:01.840 and stood for a long time in silence, watching the 15 00:01:01.880 --> 00:01:05.159 shadows on the deep pool below, looking up to the 16 00:01:05.319 --> 00:01:08.480 arching green, and listening to the praisings of a song 17 00:01:08.560 --> 00:01:12.640 sparrow up above in some hidden choir. Jane had said 18 00:01:12.760 --> 00:01:15.480 that this was a place to come and worship, or 19 00:01:15.519 --> 00:01:18.680 to come when one was in trouble, a place where 20 00:01:18.680 --> 00:01:21.680 one might meet God. He had looked down at her 21 00:01:21.719 --> 00:01:25.799 sweet face upturned searching for the little thrilling singer, and 22 00:01:25.879 --> 00:01:28.760 had thought how sweet and wonderful she was, and how 23 00:01:28.799 --> 00:01:31.519 he wanted to tell her so and would some day, 24 00:01:32.159 --> 00:01:35.319 but must not. Yet He hadn't thought much about what 25 00:01:35.480 --> 00:01:38.400 she was saying. But now it came back, and he 26 00:01:38.519 --> 00:01:40.799 knew that she must have gone here with her trouble. 27 00:01:41.079 --> 00:01:43.159 He need not have worried about the quarry in the 28 00:01:43.200 --> 00:01:46.040 deep dark pool. He kept telling himself all the way 29 00:01:46.120 --> 00:01:48.599 up that he need not. But when he reached the 30 00:01:48.680 --> 00:01:50.480 top and came in sight of her, he knew it. 31 00:01:51.280 --> 00:01:53.920 Knew also that he had been sure of it all along. 32 00:01:55.000 --> 00:01:58.480 She was sitting on a great fallen log, quietly, calmly, 33 00:01:58.640 --> 00:02:00.719 with her back against an old night our old branch 34 00:02:01.120 --> 00:02:04.239 that rose in a convenient way, and her head was 35 00:02:04.280 --> 00:02:08.000 thrown back and up, as if she was seen wonderful 36 00:02:08.080 --> 00:02:11.319 visions somewhere among the green and the blue and white above. 37 00:02:12.240 --> 00:02:14.319 It was as if she had reached a higher plain 38 00:02:14.800 --> 00:02:18.360 where earthly annoyances do not come, and felt it good 39 00:02:18.400 --> 00:02:21.000 to be there. There was almost a smile on her 40 00:02:21.039 --> 00:02:25.360 beautiful lips, a strong, sweet, wistful smile. She had not 41 00:02:25.439 --> 00:02:27.919 been looking down at the deep, treacherous pool at all. 42 00:02:28.560 --> 00:02:31.039 She had been looking up, and her strength had come 43 00:02:31.240 --> 00:02:35.000 upon her. So for one long instant, the young man 44 00:02:35.120 --> 00:02:37.879 paused and lifted his hat, watching her in a kind 45 00:02:37.919 --> 00:02:41.400 of awe. Her face almost seemed to shine, as if 46 00:02:41.439 --> 00:02:44.800 she had been talking with God. He remembered dimly the 47 00:02:44.840 --> 00:02:48.759 story of Moses on the mount talking with God. He hesitated, 48 00:02:49.240 --> 00:02:53.759 almost to intrude upon a solitude so fine and wonderful. Then, 49 00:02:53.919 --> 00:02:58.840 in relief and eagerness, he spoke her name, Jane. She 50 00:02:58.960 --> 00:03:01.360 turned and looked at him, and her face lit up 51 00:03:01.400 --> 00:03:06.919 with joy. Oh, it is you. Why how did you happen? 52 00:03:07.599 --> 00:03:11.280 I came to find you, Jane, Leslie told me everything, 53 00:03:11.919 --> 00:03:14.479 and I have hunted everywhere. But when you were not 54 00:03:14.520 --> 00:03:17.800 at college, I somehow knew you would be here. I 55 00:03:17.879 --> 00:03:21.840 wanted to find you and infold you, Jane, wrap you 56 00:03:21.919 --> 00:03:24.520 around somehow with my love and care, if you will 57 00:03:24.599 --> 00:03:27.080 let me so that nothing like that can ever hurt 58 00:03:27.120 --> 00:03:31.319 you again. I love you, Jane. I suppose I'm a 59 00:03:31.360 --> 00:03:34.360 little previous in all that, being only a kid as 60 00:03:34.360 --> 00:03:37.039 it were, and neither of us out of college yet, 61 00:03:37.520 --> 00:03:40.080 But I sha'n't change, and I'll be hanged if I 62 00:03:40.159 --> 00:03:42.319 see why it isn't all right for me to have 63 00:03:42.360 --> 00:03:45.319 the right to protect you against such annoyances as this. 64 00:03:46.639 --> 00:03:49.439 He was beside her on the log now, his face 65 00:03:49.479 --> 00:03:53.639 burning eagerly with deep feeling, one arm protectingly behind her, 66 00:03:54.199 --> 00:03:57.680 the other hand laid strongly possessively over the small folded 67 00:03:57.719 --> 00:04:01.319 hands in her lap. Perhaps I'm taking a lot for granted, 68 00:04:01.400 --> 00:04:05.080 he said, humbly. Perhaps you don't love me, can't even 69 00:04:05.199 --> 00:04:07.800 like me the way I hoped you do. Oh, Jane, 70 00:04:07.840 --> 00:04:11.039 speak quick and tell me, darling, can you ever love 71 00:04:11.120 --> 00:04:14.800 me enough? You haven't drawn your hands away? Look up 72 00:04:15.080 --> 00:04:18.920 and let me read your eyes. Please. No, she had 73 00:04:18.920 --> 00:04:21.800 not drawn her hands away, and she did not shrink 74 00:04:21.839 --> 00:04:24.519 from his supporting arm. And she was the kind of 75 00:04:24.600 --> 00:04:30.439 girl who would not have allowed such familiarities unless. Ah, 76 00:04:30.519 --> 00:04:33.160 she had lifted her eyes, and there was something blindingly 77 00:04:33.240 --> 00:04:38.600 beautiful in them, and tears, great wonderful tears, so sweet 78 00:04:38.600 --> 00:04:41.240 and misty that they made him glad with a thrill 79 00:04:41.279 --> 00:04:45.439 of beautiful pain. Her lips were trembling. He longed to 80 00:04:45.519 --> 00:04:48.160 kiss her, yet he knew he must wait until he 81 00:04:48.199 --> 00:04:54.879 had her permission. Allison, listen, you are dear, wonderful, but 82 00:04:54.959 --> 00:04:57.879 you don't know a thing about me. I know all 83 00:04:57.920 --> 00:05:01.720 I want to know, and that is a great deal, you, darling. You. 84 00:05:02.439 --> 00:05:05.079 And now he did kiss her and drew her close 85 00:05:05.120 --> 00:05:07.680 into his arms and would not let her go, even 86 00:05:07.720 --> 00:05:13.279 when she struggled gently. Allison, listen, listen, please, I must 87 00:05:13.319 --> 00:05:17.560 tell you. Wait. She put her hands against his breast 88 00:05:17.560 --> 00:05:20.399 and pushed herself back away from him where she could 89 00:05:20.399 --> 00:05:24.079 look in his face. Please, you must let me go 90 00:05:24.160 --> 00:05:27.319 and listen to what I have to say. I'll let 91 00:05:27.360 --> 00:05:29.680 you go when you tell me yes or no. Jane, 92 00:05:30.439 --> 00:05:34.199 do you can you love me? I must know that first, 93 00:05:34.920 --> 00:05:39.319 then you shall have your way. Jane's eyes did not falter. 94 00:05:40.279 --> 00:05:45.240 She looked at him. You promised you know, Yes, Allison, 95 00:05:45.319 --> 00:05:49.920 I love you. But no, you must not kiss me again. 96 00:05:50.720 --> 00:05:54.600 You must let me go and listen. You promised, you know. 97 00:05:55.560 --> 00:05:59.319 Allison's arms dropped away from her, but his eyes held 98 00:05:59.360 --> 00:06:02.279 her in a law look of joy. All Right, Darling, 99 00:06:02.680 --> 00:06:05.120 go to it, he said, with a joyous sound in 100 00:06:05.120 --> 00:06:09.639 his voice. I can stand anything now. I know it 101 00:06:09.720 --> 00:06:12.199 seems to good, be true, and it's enough for me. 102 00:06:12.319 --> 00:06:16.959 But hurry, a fellow can't wait forever. No, Allison, you 103 00:06:17.040 --> 00:06:20.240 must sit back and be serious. It isn't really happy, 104 00:06:20.279 --> 00:06:23.800 you know what I have to tell you. Allison became 105 00:06:23.879 --> 00:06:28.079 grave at once. All Right, Jane, only, I can't imagine 106 00:06:28.079 --> 00:06:31.959 anything terrible enough to stop this happiness of mine unless 107 00:06:32.000 --> 00:06:34.959 you're already married and have been concealing it from us 108 00:06:34.959 --> 00:06:38.480 all this time in spite of herself. Jane laughed at that, 109 00:06:39.319 --> 00:06:42.519 and Allison breathed more freely. Now the tenseness was gone 110 00:06:42.519 --> 00:06:46.279 out of her voice. His hands went out and grasped hers. 111 00:06:47.160 --> 00:06:50.600 At least I can do this, he pleaded, And Jane 112 00:06:50.639 --> 00:06:54.560 lifted her eyes, now serious again, and smiled tenderly, letting 113 00:06:54.560 --> 00:06:59.040 her hands stay in his passively. Listen, Allison, my father, 114 00:06:59.839 --> 00:07:04.040 I know, Jane, dear, I heard it long ago. Your 115 00:07:04.079 --> 00:07:07.000 father was a forger. What do you suppose I care? 116 00:07:07.639 --> 00:07:12.600 He probably had some overpowering temptation and yielded, never dreaming, 117 00:07:12.639 --> 00:07:15.040 but he would be able to make it right. You 118 00:07:15.079 --> 00:07:17.839 can't make me believe that any parent of yours was 119 00:07:17.879 --> 00:07:23.519 actually bad, And besides, if he was, it wouldn't be you. Allison. Listen, 120 00:07:23.800 --> 00:07:27.240 broke in Jane, gravely, stopping the torrent of words with 121 00:07:27.319 --> 00:07:30.680 which he was attempting to silence her. It isn't what 122 00:07:30.800 --> 00:07:34.600 you think at all. My father wasn't a forger. He 123 00:07:34.720 --> 00:07:40.519 was a good man. He wasn't, exclaimed Allison joyously. Then 124 00:07:40.560 --> 00:07:44.680 whatn't thunder? Why didn't you tell him so, Jane? He 125 00:07:44.759 --> 00:07:47.120 tried to draw her to him, but she still resisted. 126 00:07:48.160 --> 00:07:52.879 That's just it, Allison. I can't. I never can. Well, 127 00:07:52.920 --> 00:07:55.560 then I will. You sha'n't have a thing like that 128 00:07:55.639 --> 00:07:59.319 hanging over you. But that is just what you must 129 00:07:59.319 --> 00:08:02.319 not do. And you can't do it either if I 130 00:08:02.360 --> 00:08:04.399 don't tell you about it, for you wouldn't have a 131 00:08:04.519 --> 00:08:07.560 thing to say, nor any way to prove it. And 132 00:08:07.680 --> 00:08:10.879 I won't tell you, Allison, ever, unless you will promise. 133 00:08:12.480 --> 00:08:15.959 Allison was sobered in an instant. Jane, don't you know 134 00:08:16.079 --> 00:08:18.720 me well enough to be sure I would not betray 135 00:08:18.759 --> 00:08:22.759 any confidence you put in me. I thought so, said Jane, 136 00:08:22.759 --> 00:08:26.920 smiling through her tears. Dear, said Allison, in a tone 137 00:08:26.959 --> 00:08:31.160 that was a caress full of longing and sympathy. Jane 138 00:08:31.199 --> 00:08:34.200 sat up bravely and began her story. When I was 139 00:08:34.320 --> 00:08:37.720 twelve years old, my mother died. That left father and 140 00:08:37.799 --> 00:08:43.120 me alone, and we became very close comrades. Indeed, he 141 00:08:43.279 --> 00:08:47.519 was a wonderful man. Allison's fingers answered with a warm 142 00:08:47.559 --> 00:08:51.399 pressure of sympathy and interest. He was father and mother 143 00:08:51.480 --> 00:08:54.000 both to me, and more and more we grew to 144 00:08:54.080 --> 00:08:57.600 confide in one another. I was interested in all his 145 00:08:57.720 --> 00:09:01.759 business and used to amuse my asking him about things 146 00:09:01.759 --> 00:09:04.960 at the office when he came home, the way mother 147 00:09:05.120 --> 00:09:09.080 used to when she was with us. He used to 148 00:09:09.120 --> 00:09:12.320 talk over all my school friends and interests, and we 149 00:09:12.399 --> 00:09:16.960 had beautiful times together. My father had a friend, a 150 00:09:17.039 --> 00:09:19.879 man who had grown up with him, lived next door 151 00:09:19.879 --> 00:09:21.720 and went to school with him when he was a boy. 152 00:09:22.559 --> 00:09:26.399 He was younger than father and well, not so serious. 153 00:09:26.919 --> 00:09:29.960 Father didn't always approve of what he did and used 154 00:09:29.960 --> 00:09:32.720 to urge him to do differently. He lived in the 155 00:09:32.759 --> 00:09:35.039 same suburb with us, and his wife had been a 156 00:09:35.039 --> 00:09:38.559 friend of mother's. She was a sweet, little childlike woman, 157 00:09:39.120 --> 00:09:42.720 very pretty and an invalid. They have one daughter, a 158 00:09:42.759 --> 00:09:45.879 girl about my age, and when we were children we 159 00:09:45.960 --> 00:09:48.799 used to play together, but as we grew older, Mother 160 00:09:48.840 --> 00:09:52.039 didn't care for us to be together much. She thought 161 00:09:52.679 --> 00:09:55.240 it was better for us not to and as the 162 00:09:55.320 --> 00:09:57.399 years went by, we didn't have much to do with 163 00:09:57.440 --> 00:10:00.679 one another. Her father was the only one who kept 164 00:10:00.720 --> 00:10:03.559 up the acquaintance, and sometimes I used to think he 165 00:10:03.639 --> 00:10:05.879 worried my father every time he came to the house. 166 00:10:06.759 --> 00:10:09.480 One day, when I was about fourteen, he came in 167 00:10:09.519 --> 00:10:12.360 the afternoon, just after I got home from school, and 168 00:10:12.440 --> 00:10:14.279 said he wanted to see Father as soon as he 169 00:10:14.320 --> 00:10:17.559 came home. Couldn't I telephone Father and ask him to 170 00:10:17.559 --> 00:10:19.879 come home at once, that there was some one there 171 00:10:19.919 --> 00:10:23.559 wanting to see him on important business. He finally called 172 00:10:23.600 --> 00:10:26.440 him up himself, and when Father got there, they went 173 00:10:26.480 --> 00:10:29.519 into a room by themselves and talked until late into 174 00:10:29.519 --> 00:10:33.279 the night, when at last mister, that is, the man 175 00:10:33.759 --> 00:10:37.240 went away. Father did not go to bed, but walked 176 00:10:37.279 --> 00:10:39.519 up and down the floor in his study all night long. 177 00:10:40.559 --> 00:10:43.879 Toward morning, I could not stand it any longer. I 178 00:10:44.000 --> 00:10:46.720 knew my father was in trouble, so I went down 179 00:10:46.799 --> 00:10:49.679 to him, and when I saw him, I was terribly frightened. 180 00:10:50.440 --> 00:10:53.600 His face was white and drawn, and his eyes burned 181 00:10:53.679 --> 00:10:56.279 like coals of fire. He looked at me with a 182 00:10:56.279 --> 00:10:59.279 look that I never shall forget. He took me in 183 00:10:59.360 --> 00:11:02.200 his arms and lifted up my face away. He often 184 00:11:02.240 --> 00:11:04.519 had when he was in earnest, and he seemed to 185 00:11:04.559 --> 00:11:08.840 be looking down into my very soul, little girl. He said, 186 00:11:10.120 --> 00:11:13.519 we're in deep trouble. I don't know whether I've done 187 00:11:13.600 --> 00:11:16.519 right or not. There was something in his voice that 188 00:11:16.600 --> 00:11:19.320 made me tremble all over, and he saw I was 189 00:11:19.360 --> 00:11:23.639 frightened and tried to be calm himself. Jane, he said. 190 00:11:24.639 --> 00:11:28.120 He always called me Janey when he was deeply moved. Jane, 191 00:11:28.600 --> 00:11:31.679 it may hit hardest on you. And though I met 192 00:11:31.720 --> 00:11:35.000 your life to be so safe and happy. I tried 193 00:11:35.039 --> 00:11:37.559 to tell him it didn't matter about me, and for 194 00:11:37.679 --> 00:11:40.200 him not to be troubled, but he went on telling 195 00:11:40.240 --> 00:11:43.440 about it. It seems the father of this man had 196 00:11:43.440 --> 00:11:45.720 once done a great deal for my father when he 197 00:11:45.799 --> 00:11:49.360 was in a very trying situation. And father always felt 198 00:11:49.360 --> 00:11:53.320 an obligation to look after the Sun. Indeed, he had 199 00:11:53.320 --> 00:11:55.759 promised when the old man was dying that he would 200 00:11:55.799 --> 00:11:58.440 be a brother to him no matter what happened. And 201 00:11:58.519 --> 00:12:01.679 now the Sun had been speculating and got deep into debt. 202 00:12:02.240 --> 00:12:05.120 He had formed some kind of stock company, something to 203 00:12:05.159 --> 00:12:08.679 do with Western land and mines. I never fully understood 204 00:12:08.679 --> 00:12:11.480 it all, but there had been a lot of fraudulent dealing. 205 00:12:12.080 --> 00:12:16.320 Although Father only suspected that at the time, but anyway, 206 00:12:16.639 --> 00:12:19.200 everything was going to fall through and the man was 207 00:12:19.240 --> 00:12:21.440 going to be brought up in disgrace before the world 208 00:12:21.759 --> 00:12:25.120 if somebody didn't help him out, and Father felt obliged 209 00:12:25.159 --> 00:12:27.960 to stand by him. Of course, he did not know 210 00:12:28.039 --> 00:12:30.480 how bad it was, because the man had not told 211 00:12:30.519 --> 00:12:33.200 him all the truth. But Father had taken over the 212 00:12:33.240 --> 00:12:36.440 obligations of the whole thing. He thought he might be 213 00:12:36.480 --> 00:12:38.919 able to pull the thing out of trouble by putting 214 00:12:38.960 --> 00:12:41.120 a good deal of his own money into it and 215 00:12:41.200 --> 00:12:43.559 make it a fair and square proposition for all the 216 00:12:43.559 --> 00:12:47.039 stockholders without their ever finding out that everything had been 217 00:12:47.080 --> 00:12:49.799 on the verge of going to pieces. You see, the 218 00:12:49.799 --> 00:12:52.559 man had put it up to father very eloquently that 219 00:12:52.679 --> 00:12:55.559 his wife was very ill in the hospital and if 220 00:12:55.559 --> 00:12:58.679 anything should happen to him and he were arrested, it 221 00:12:58.720 --> 00:13:01.240 could not be kept from her and she would die. 222 00:13:02.000 --> 00:13:05.159 It's true, she was very critically ill, had just been 223 00:13:05.200 --> 00:13:09.679 through a severe operation, and was very frail. Indeed, Father 224 00:13:09.720 --> 00:13:12.759 felt it was up to him to shoulder the whole responsibility, 225 00:13:13.360 --> 00:13:16.039 although of course he felt that the man richly deserved 226 00:13:16.039 --> 00:13:19.919 the law to the full. Nevertheless, because of his promise, 227 00:13:20.120 --> 00:13:23.759 he stood by him that night. The man was killed 228 00:13:23.799 --> 00:13:27.759 in an automobile accident soon after leaving our house. And 229 00:13:27.840 --> 00:13:30.120 when it developed that the business was built on a 230 00:13:30.200 --> 00:13:34.120 rotten foundation and that Father was in partnership. You see, 231 00:13:34.120 --> 00:13:36.919 the man had been very wily and had his papers 232 00:13:37.000 --> 00:13:39.559 all fixed up so that it looked as if Father 233 00:13:39.679 --> 00:13:43.240 had been a silent partner from the beginning. Everything came 234 00:13:43.279 --> 00:13:47.000 back on Father, and he found there were overwhelming debts 235 00:13:47.360 --> 00:13:50.559 that he had not been told about, although he supposed 236 00:13:50.559 --> 00:13:54.120 he had sifted the business to the foundation and understood 237 00:13:54.120 --> 00:13:56.879 it all before he made the agreement to help him. 238 00:13:57.240 --> 00:13:59.240 Perhaps if the man had lived, he would have been 239 00:13:59.240 --> 00:14:02.000 able to carry him his crooked dealings through and save 240 00:14:02.080 --> 00:14:05.200 the whole thing with what help Father had given him, 241 00:14:05.360 --> 00:14:08.399 and neither Father nor the world would ever have found out. 242 00:14:08.879 --> 00:14:12.879 I don't know, But anyway, his dying just then made 243 00:14:12.879 --> 00:14:15.600 the whole thing fall in ruins and right on top 244 00:14:15.639 --> 00:14:19.240 of Father. But even that we could have stood. We 245 00:14:19.320 --> 00:14:22.480 didn't care so much about money. Father was well off, 246 00:14:22.840 --> 00:14:24.720 and he found that if he put in everything, he 247 00:14:24.799 --> 00:14:28.320 could satisfy the creditors and pay off everything. And he 248 00:14:28.360 --> 00:14:31.080 had courage enough to be planning to start all over again, 249 00:14:31.720 --> 00:14:34.200 but suddenly it turned out that there had been a 250 00:14:34.279 --> 00:14:37.120 check forged for a large amount, and it all looked 251 00:14:37.159 --> 00:14:40.039 as if Father had done it. I can't go into 252 00:14:40.039 --> 00:14:43.080 the details now, but we were suddenly face to face 253 00:14:43.159 --> 00:14:45.840 with the fact that there was no evidence to prove 254 00:14:46.159 --> 00:14:48.600 that he had not been a hypocrite all these years 255 00:14:48.639 --> 00:14:52.039 except his own life. He thought for a few days that, 256 00:14:52.159 --> 00:14:55.799 of course, that would put him beyond suspicion, but do 257 00:14:55.879 --> 00:14:59.240 you know, the world is very hard. One of father's 258 00:14:59.240 --> 00:15:02.279 best friends, one he thought was a friend, came to 259 00:15:02.360 --> 00:15:05.080 him and offered to go bail for him for my sake, 260 00:15:05.120 --> 00:15:06.840 if he would just tell him the whole truth and 261 00:15:06.919 --> 00:15:10.200 own up. There was only one way, and that was 262 00:15:10.240 --> 00:15:12.720 to go to the man's wife and try to get 263 00:15:12.759 --> 00:15:16.039 certain papers which Father knew were in existence because he 264 00:15:16.080 --> 00:15:18.879 had seen them, and which he had supposed were left 265 00:15:18.919 --> 00:15:21.120 in his own safe the night the man talked with him, 266 00:15:21.279 --> 00:15:24.360 but which could not be found as the wife had 267 00:15:24.480 --> 00:15:27.039 just been brought back from the hospital and was still 268 00:15:27.039 --> 00:15:30.159 in very critical condition. Father would not do more than 269 00:15:30.200 --> 00:15:32.200 ask if he could go through the house and search, 270 00:15:33.159 --> 00:15:36.840 and that woman sent back a very indignant refusal. Charging 271 00:15:36.919 --> 00:15:39.200 father with having been at the bottom of her husband's 272 00:15:39.200 --> 00:15:42.440 failure and even the cause of his death, and telling 273 00:15:42.480 --> 00:15:45.240 him he had pauperized her and her little helpless daughter, 274 00:15:45.759 --> 00:15:48.360 and the daughter began treating me as a stranger. Whenever 275 00:15:48.399 --> 00:15:52.480 we chanced to meet, Allison's face darkened and his eyes 276 00:15:52.519 --> 00:15:56.000 looked stern and hard. He said something under his breath angrily. 277 00:15:56.559 --> 00:15:59.080 Jane couldn't catch the words, but he drew her close 278 00:15:59.120 --> 00:16:02.399 in his arms and help or tenderly. And were those 279 00:16:02.440 --> 00:16:06.519 papers never found, dear, he asked after a moment, Yes, 280 00:16:06.919 --> 00:16:10.519 said Jane, wearily, resting her head back against his shoulder. 281 00:16:11.279 --> 00:16:16.559 I found them after father died. You found them, Yes, 282 00:16:17.679 --> 00:16:20.320 I found them slipped down behind the chest in the hall. 283 00:16:21.240 --> 00:16:24.360 It was a heavy oak chest, a great carved affair 284 00:16:24.440 --> 00:16:27.360 that had belonged in the family a long time, and 285 00:16:27.440 --> 00:16:30.600 it was seldom moved. It stood below the hat rack 286 00:16:30.639 --> 00:16:33.480 and the alcove in the hall. And I figured it 287 00:16:33.519 --> 00:16:35.519 out that the man must have meant to keep those 288 00:16:35.559 --> 00:16:39.279 papers himself so there would be no incriminating evidence in 289 00:16:39.320 --> 00:16:42.120 father's hands, and that he must have picked them up 290 00:16:42.200 --> 00:16:45.840 without father's noticing and started to carry them home, But 291 00:16:45.879 --> 00:16:48.639 that when he was going away putting on his overcoat. 292 00:16:48.720 --> 00:16:51.159 He had somehow dropped some of them behind that chest 293 00:16:51.240 --> 00:16:54.799 without knowing it, because they were not all there. Two 294 00:16:54.879 --> 00:16:58.159 of them were missing. Father had described them to me, 295 00:16:58.480 --> 00:17:02.200 and three, the most important ones with the emptied envelope, 296 00:17:02.279 --> 00:17:06.160 were found. The other two were probably larger and looked 297 00:17:06.160 --> 00:17:08.519 like the whole bundle, which explains how he came to 298 00:17:08.519 --> 00:17:11.240 think he had them all. But the two he had 299 00:17:11.559 --> 00:17:13.720 and must have had about him when he was killed, 300 00:17:14.039 --> 00:17:16.880 would not in themselves have been any evidence against him. 301 00:17:17.440 --> 00:17:21.000 So my father was arrested. The tears choked Jane's voice 302 00:17:21.000 --> 00:17:24.240 and suddenly reined into her sweet eyes as she struggled 303 00:17:24.240 --> 00:17:31.000 to recall the whole sorrowful experience. Oh my darling, cried Alison, tenderly, 304 00:17:31.039 --> 00:17:36.240 holding her close. Father was very brave, he said it 305 00:17:36.319 --> 00:17:39.240 was sure to come out all right, but he wouldn't 306 00:17:39.240 --> 00:17:43.400 accept bail, though it was offered him by several loyal friends. 307 00:17:44.559 --> 00:17:47.480 He saw that they suspected him, and the papers all 308 00:17:47.480 --> 00:17:53.200 came out with big headlines. Church Elder arrested. Allison's voice 309 00:17:53.279 --> 00:17:56.559 was deep with loving sympathy as his lips swept her 310 00:17:56.559 --> 00:18:00.759 forehead softly, and he murmured my poor little girl. But 311 00:18:00.880 --> 00:18:05.400 Jane went on bravely. That was a hard time, she said, 312 00:18:05.440 --> 00:18:09.440 with trembling lips. But God was good. He didn't let 313 00:18:09.480 --> 00:18:12.680 it last long. There came an old friend back from 314 00:18:12.720 --> 00:18:15.119 abroad who had known Father ever since he was a boy, 315 00:18:15.720 --> 00:18:17.880 and who happened to have been associated with him in 316 00:18:17.920 --> 00:18:20.720 business long enough to give certain proofs that cleared the 317 00:18:20.759 --> 00:18:23.920 whole thing up. In a week, the case was dismissed 318 00:18:23.960 --> 00:18:26.720 so far as Father was concerned, and he was back 319 00:18:26.720 --> 00:18:29.759 at home again and restored to the full confidence of 320 00:18:29.759 --> 00:18:33.759 his business associates, that is, those who knew intimately about 321 00:18:33.759 --> 00:18:37.319 the matter. If Father had lived, I have no doubt 322 00:18:37.359 --> 00:18:39.759 everything would have been all right, and he would have 323 00:18:39.799 --> 00:18:42.680 been able to live down the whole thing. But the 324 00:18:42.759 --> 00:18:46.599 trouble struck him hard. He was so terribly worried for 325 00:18:46.680 --> 00:18:49.640 my sake, you know. Then he took a little cold, 326 00:18:49.680 --> 00:18:52.799 which we didn't think anything about, and suddenly, before we 327 00:18:52.920 --> 00:18:56.000 realized it, he was down with double pneumonia, from which 328 00:18:56.000 --> 00:19:00.640 he never rallied. His vitality seemed to be gone. After 329 00:19:00.720 --> 00:19:03.920 he died, the papers said beautiful things about his bravery 330 00:19:03.960 --> 00:19:08.000 and courage and Christianity, and people tried to be nice. 331 00:19:08.599 --> 00:19:11.200 But when it was all over, there were still people 332 00:19:11.200 --> 00:19:14.440 who looked at me curiously when I passed and whispered 333 00:19:14.480 --> 00:19:19.039 noticeably together. And that man's wife and daughter openly called 334 00:19:19.039 --> 00:19:22.039 me a forger's daughter and said that my father had 335 00:19:22.079 --> 00:19:25.359 stolen their income, when all the time they were living 336 00:19:25.359 --> 00:19:28.039 on what he had given up to save them from disgrace. 337 00:19:28.720 --> 00:19:31.319 The daughter made it so unpleasant for me that I 338 00:19:31.400 --> 00:19:34.680 decided to go away where I was not known, although 339 00:19:34.680 --> 00:19:37.240 I had several dear, beautiful homes open to me. If 340 00:19:37.319 --> 00:19:39.839 I had chosen to stay where I might have been 341 00:19:39.880 --> 00:19:42.000 a daughter and treated as one of the other children. 342 00:19:42.799 --> 00:19:44.480 But I thought it was better to go away and 343 00:19:44.559 --> 00:19:48.240 make my own life. But you had evidence. Did you 344 00:19:48.359 --> 00:19:51.400 never go and tell those two how wrong they were 345 00:19:51.599 --> 00:19:53.839 and how it was their father, not yours, who was 346 00:19:53.880 --> 00:19:58.640 the forger? No, not exactly, said Jane, lifting clear and 347 00:19:58.720 --> 00:20:02.799 troubled eyes to his face. You see, that was part 348 00:20:02.880 --> 00:20:06.039 of father's obligation. It was a point of honor not 349 00:20:06.160 --> 00:20:08.880 to give that man shame away to his wife. He 350 00:20:08.960 --> 00:20:12.480 had promised, and then the man was dead. He could 351 00:20:12.480 --> 00:20:15.000 not be brought to justice. What good would it do? 352 00:20:16.200 --> 00:20:18.200 It would have done the good that those two women 353 00:20:18.240 --> 00:20:21.400 wouldn't have gone round snubbing you and telling lies about you. 354 00:20:22.160 --> 00:20:25.960 Oh well, after all that didn't really hurt me, And 355 00:20:26.119 --> 00:20:28.920 that brazen girl wouldn't have dared come here to the 356 00:20:28.960 --> 00:20:33.079 same college and make it hot for you. Allison, how 357 00:20:33.119 --> 00:20:35.720 did you know? Jane sat up and looked into his 358 00:20:35.799 --> 00:20:39.519 eyes startled. I knew from the first mention that it 359 00:20:39.599 --> 00:20:42.960 must have been Eugenia Fraser. No girl in her senses 360 00:20:42.960 --> 00:20:45.000 would have taken the trouble to do what she did 361 00:20:45.079 --> 00:20:48.680 to day without some grievance. Oh, that girl, she is 362 00:20:48.759 --> 00:20:52.839 beyond words. Think of anybody ever falling in love with her. 363 00:20:53.240 --> 00:20:56.240 I'd like the pleasure of informing her what her father was. 364 00:20:56.920 --> 00:20:59.799 Of course, though it wasn't her fault. She couldn't help 365 00:20:59.839 --> 00:21:02.559 her father being what he was, but she could help 366 00:21:02.599 --> 00:21:05.680 what she is herself. I should certainly like to see 367 00:21:05.680 --> 00:21:09.799 her get what's coming to her. Don't aliceon, please, it 368 00:21:09.839 --> 00:21:12.759 isn't the right spirit for us to have. Perhaps I'd 369 00:21:12.799 --> 00:21:14.680 be just like her if I were in her place. 370 00:21:15.400 --> 00:21:19.599 I see you being like her, you angel, and Allison 371 00:21:19.720 --> 00:21:21.640 leaned over again to look into the eyes of his 372 00:21:21.720 --> 00:21:25.400 beloved Well, dear, we'll get the right spirit about it 373 00:21:25.480 --> 00:21:28.680 somehow and forget her. But I mean she shall understand 374 00:21:28.759 --> 00:21:32.000 right where she gets off before this thing goes any further. No, 375 00:21:32.799 --> 00:21:35.960 you needn't protest. I'm not going to give away your confidence. 376 00:21:36.480 --> 00:21:38.440 But I'm going to settle that girl where she won't 377 00:21:38.519 --> 00:21:40.599 dare to make any more trouble for you ever again. 378 00:21:41.160 --> 00:21:43.079 And the first thing we're going to do is announce 379 00:21:43.119 --> 00:21:45.920 our engagement. I feel like going up to the college 380 00:21:45.920 --> 00:21:48.720 bulletin board write this minute and writing it out in great, 381 00:21:48.759 --> 00:21:53.839 big letters. Allison Jane sat up with shining eyes and 382 00:21:53.920 --> 00:21:57.400 her cheeks very red. Then they both broke down and laughed, 383 00:21:57.680 --> 00:22:01.960 Jane's merriment ending in a serious look. Allison, you really 384 00:22:02.039 --> 00:22:04.839 want me now that you know what people may think 385 00:22:04.880 --> 00:22:08.599 about my father, Jane, I've known all that since I 386 00:22:08.640 --> 00:22:12.000 first saw you. Our beloved pastor kindly informed me of 387 00:22:12.039 --> 00:22:14.799 it the night he introduced us, so you see how 388 00:22:14.839 --> 00:22:17.480 little weight it had with any of us. I had 389 00:22:17.519 --> 00:22:20.279 no knowledge but that it was all true, although I 390 00:22:20.319 --> 00:22:22.319 couldn't for the life of me see how a man 391 00:22:22.720 --> 00:22:25.440 who was unworthy of you could have possibly been your father. 392 00:22:26.160 --> 00:22:28.279 But it was you and not your father. I fell 393 00:22:28.319 --> 00:22:31.200 in love with the first night I saw you. I'm 394 00:22:31.279 --> 00:22:33.519 mighty glad for your sake that he wasn't that kind 395 00:22:33.559 --> 00:22:36.319 of man, because I know how you would feel about it. 396 00:22:36.720 --> 00:22:39.039 But as for what other people think about it, I 397 00:22:39.079 --> 00:22:42.359 should worry. And Jane, make up your mind right here 398 00:22:42.400 --> 00:22:44.680 and now that we're going to be married the day 399 00:22:44.720 --> 00:22:48.039 we both graduate. See, I won't wait a day longer 400 00:22:48.079 --> 00:22:51.240 to have the right to protect you. The tall trees 401 00:22:51.319 --> 00:22:54.200