My wife had informed me that Claves kept up the house, paid for the groceries and half of the installments, while her father paid for the other half, but never bought anything to eat, nor sent any money home, only bringing eggs, butter, and chickens when he came into the city three or four times a year. But Claves' name was not on the contract for the home, only her father's name appearing. Her father was extremely vain and I had not pleased him because I was independent, and he did not like independent people. She also told me that her father always kept up a row when he was at home, but always charged it to everybody else. The next morning, just before we started for the depot, I said: "I'll step into the bank and get a check cashed and give Orlean some money. I haven't much, but I want her to have her own money." "Never mind, my son, just never mind. I can get along," said the Reverend, keeping his head turned and appearing ill at ease, though I thought nothing of that at the time. "I wouldn't think of such a thing!" I answered, protesting that he was not able to pay her way. "I wouldn't think of allowing her to accept it." "Now! Now! Why do you go on so? Haven't I told you I have enough?" he answered in a tenor voice, trying to appear winsome. Feeling that I knew his disposition, I said no more, but as we were passing the bank, I started to enter, saying to my wife: "I am going to get you some money." She caught me by the sleeve and cried excitedly: "No! No! No! Don't, because I have money." Hesitating a moment and repeating, "I have money." "You have money?" I repeated, appearing to misunderstand her statement. "How did you get money?" "Had a check cashed," she answered nervously. "O, I see!" I said. "How much?" "Fifty dollars," she answered, clinging to my arm. "Good gracious, Orlean!" I exclaimed, near to fright. "We haven't got that much in the bank." "Oh! Oh! I didn't want to," and then called to her father, who was just coming with the baggage: "Papa! Papa! You give Oscar back that money. He hasn't got it. Oh! Oh! I didn't want to do this, but you said it would be all right, and that the cashier at the bank, where you got it cashed, called up the bank in Calias and said the check was all right. Oh! Oh!" she went on, beside herself with excitement, and holding her arms out tremblingly and repeating: "I didn't want to do this." I can see the look in his face to this day. All the hypocrisy and pretense vanished, leaving him a weak, shame-faced creature, and looking from one side to the other stammered out: "I didn't do it! I didn't do it! You--You--You know, you told her she should write a check for any money she needed and she did it, she did it." Here again my desire for peace over-ruled my good judgment. Instead of stopping the matter then and there, I spoke up gravely, saying: