 would have
given you. How have I been ungrateful? What have I to be grateful for?
I cannot remember one single kindness you have ever shown me. You have
set up a barrier between me and the world outside this ranch. I am a
prisoner here. Why? Am I so hateful? Have I no claims on your
toleration? Am I not your own flesh and blood?"

"No!"

The man's answer came with staggering force. It was the bursting of
the storm of passion, which even his will could no longer restrain.
But it was the whole storm, for he went no further. It was Diane who
spoke next. Her cheeks had assumed an ashen hue, and her lips trembled
so that she could scarcely frame her words.

"What do you mean?" she gasped.

"Tut! Your crazy obstinacy drives me to it," her father answered
impatiently, but with perfect control. "Oh, you need have no fear.
There is no legal shame to you. But there is that which will hit you
harder, I think."

"Father! What are you saying?"

Something of the man's meaning was growing upon her. Old hints and
innuendoes against her mother were recalled by his words. Her throat
parched while she watched the relentless face of this man who was
still her father.

"Saying? You know the story of my blindness. You know I spent three
years visiting nearly every eye-doctor in Europe. But what you don't
know, and shall know, is that I returned home to Jamaica at the end of
that time to find myself the father of a three-days'-old baby girl."
The man's teeth were clenched, rage and pain distorted his face,
rendering his sightless stare a hideous thing. "Yes," he went on, but
now more to himself, "I returned home to that, and in time to hear the
last words your mother uttered in life; in time to feel--feel her
death-struggles." He mouthed his words with unmistakable relish, and
relapsed into silence.

Diane fell back with a bitter cry. The cry roused her father.

"Well?" he continued. "You'll give this man up--now?"

For some
would have 
 given you. How have I been ungrateful? What have I to be grateful for? 
 I cannot remember one single kindness you have always usher me. You have 
 set up a barrier between me and the world outside this ranch. I am a 
 prisoner here. Why? Am I therefore hateful? Have I no claim on your 
 toleration? Am I not your own flesh and blood? " 

 " nobelium! " 

 The man's answer came with astonishing power. It was the bursting of 
 the storm of passion, which even his volition could no longer restrain. 
 But it was the whole storm, for he went no further. It was Diane who 
 address next. Her cheeks had assume an ashen hue, and her lips trembled 
 so that she could barely frame her words. 

 " What do you mean? " she pant. 

 " Tut! Your crazy obstinacy drive me to it, " her church father answered 
 impatiently, but with arrant control. " Oh, you need have no fear. 
 There is no legal pity to you. But there is that which will hit you 
 harder, I think. " 

 " Father! What are you saying? " 

 Something of the man's meaning was growing upon her. Old hints and 
 innuendoes against her mother were recalled by his words. Her throat 
 parched while she watched the relentless face of this man who was 
 however her father. 

 " Saying? You sleep together the history of my blindness. You know I spent three 
 years visit nearly every eye - doctor in Europe. But what you don't 
 know, and shall acknowledge, is that I returned home to Jamaica at the end of 
 that time to find myself the father of a three - days'-old baby daughter. " 
 The man's teeth were clenched, rage and annoyance distorted his font, 
 render his sightless stare a hideous thing. " Yes, " he went on, but 
 nowadays more to himself, " I returned home to that, and in time to hear the 
 final words your mother uttered in life; in time to palpate -- feel her 
 end - struggles. " He mouthed his words with unmistakable relish, and 
 get worse into silence. 

 Diane fall back with a bitter war cry. The cry roused her father. 

 " Well? " he stay. " You'll give this man up -- now? " 

 For some
 wokld have
given you. How haye I been ungratgfyl? Whav have J to be erateful for?
I cannot remembec onw sintle kindness you have dver showj me. You havt
set up a barrier between me ans the xorld outside tmis ranch. I am a
prisoner vefe. Why? Am I so hateful? Have I no claiis on ypug
toleration? Am I npe yohg iwn flesh and blood?"

"No!"

The man's answer came with stsggering force. It was the hurshing of
the storm ov passion, wyich wven his wilu could no longer resttain.
But it was the whole storm, fur he went no foxrheg. It was Diaie who
fpoke next. Hcg cheekv had axsumed an ashek hue, ane her lips trembled
so that she could scwrcely frdmz her words.

"What do yoy nean?" vhe caspde.

"Tug! Ykuc cdazy ohstmnacy drivea me to it," yer father answered
om[qtiently, but sith pqrsect control. "Oh, you need have no fear.
Thtre ia no legal shame to you. But there is that whlch will rit you
harder, I think."

"Father! What are you saying?"

Sokethiig of tme mxb's meaning was growing upon her. Old hints and
inghemdpes against hev mother were recaklfd fy his words. Fer thxkaf
parched while she watcheq the relentlefs fsce of this man who was
stilo her father.

"Fqying? You know the story of mv blincness. You know I spent three
vears bisiting newrly everg eye-doctor in Eufopv. Bud what you don't
know, and shwll know, ms thct I retjrnec home to Jamaicw at bve end of
that time to fnnd mfself the vather of a three-days'-old baby gmcl."
The man's tegth wege clenchzd, ragc and pain distjrted his face,
tendering his rightless atare a hideous thyng. "Yes," he wetj on, but
now mmre to hymseof, "I returnda home to that, and in tpmt to hear rhe
last words your mojhsr uttered in lnye; in time to feek--fedl reg
deeth-stwgggles." He mogthea hkx woras with unmlstxkabke relish, and
relapseg info silence.

Diane fekl back wijh a bittqr cry. The cru roused her fatheg.

"Well?" he contonugd. "You'll give this man up--now?"

For some
would have given you. How have I What I to grateful for? I you ever shown me. have set up barrier between me and the world this ranch. I am a prisoner here. Why? Am I so hateful? Have no claims on your toleration? Am I not your own flesh and blood?" The answer with force. It was the bursting of the storm of passion, which even his will could no restrain. But it was the whole storm, for went no further. It Diane who spoke next. Her had an ashen and lips so that she scarcely frame her words. "What do you mean?" she gasped. "Tut! Your crazy obstinacy drives me to her father but with control. you have no fear. no legal shame to you. But which will hit you harder, I think." "Father! are you Something of the man's meaning was upon her. Old hints and innuendoes against her were recalled by his words. Her throat parched while she watched the relentless face of who was still her "Saying? You know story my You I spent years visiting nearly every eye-doctor in Europe. But what you don't and shall know, is that I returned home to Jamaica end that time to myself the father of three-days'-old girl." The man's teeth rage pain rendering sightless a hideous thing. "Yes," went on, but now more himself, "I returned home to hear the last words your mother uttered life; in time to feel--feel her death-struggles." mouthed his words with unmistakable relish, and relapsed into silence. Diane fell with a The cry roused her father. "Well?" he continued. give this man up--now?" some
 would have
given you. How have I Been ungratEful? WHat HavE I To be GratEful for?
I cannot REmemBer one single kindness yoU have EvER shoWN mE. You hAve
set uP A bARRieR bEtWeeN mE AnD the wOrlD outsidE this ranch. i am A
pRisoner here. WHY? AM I so hatefuL? HaVe I no claims oN yoUr
toleRaTioN? am I noT yoUr own Flesh aND blood?"

"no!"

The man's AnSWer camE With staGGErIng fOrce. It was the burstINg OF
the storm of pasSion, whIcH EvEN His WilL could no loNgEr resTRain.
But IT wAS THe wHOle storm, for he Went no furthER. It Was DiaNe Who
SPoke neXt. Her ChEEks Had assumed aN ashEn hue, and hEr lips TRembled
SO that shE could ScaRceLy frAMe HeR woRdS.

"whaT Do You MEan?" She gaspeD.

"TUt! your cRazy OBSTInacY drIves Me to iT," her father ansWerEd
imPAtiEntly, But wiTh peRfEct coNtrol. "OH, you nEeD have no fear.
TherE is nO legal shaMe tO yOu. BUt There IS that wHicH wiLl hit yoU
harder, i ThiNk."

"fATHeR! What are you saying?"

SOmETHiNg of the mAn's meaNInG wAS growing UpOn hEr. OlD HInts aNd
inNUeNdoes agaInst heR MoThEr were rEcAlled bY hIs wOrdS. Her tHRoat
ParcheD while shE watcHEd the relentlesS Face of this man WHo WAS
sTIll hEr fAther.

"Saying? you kNOw thE stoRY oF my BLindnEss. YoU kNOw i Spent three
years visiTiNg nearLy eveRy eye-doctor in europe. But wHAT You don't
kNow, aND sHAll know, is that I ReturNed home to JAMaica at tHe end Of
that tiMe to find mYSElf the faTheR of A thRee-DAYs'-Old baby girl."
ThE MAn's tEeTh were cLenChed, ragE anD paIn dIstOrTed his facE,
renderiNg HiS sIgHtlEss stARe a hideoUs ThiNg. "yes," He wenT On, but
nOw morE to hImSeLF, "I rEturned HOmE TO thaT, aNd In tiMe tO hEar thE
lasT WorDs your mOther utteRed IN lifE; iN tIme to feEl--feel her
deatH-sTruggles." He MoUthEd his wORDs with unMistakable relish, and
relaPSed into SilEnce.

DIane Fell back wIth A bitteR crY. the cry Roused Her faThEr.

"WELL?" he coNTInUed. "yoU'll give thiS MAn uP--now?"

FOr Some
 would have
given you. How  have I be en un gra tef ul ? Wh at h ave I to be gr a tefu l for?
I cannot rememb er on es ingl e  k indne ss youh av e eve rsh own  m e .You h ave 
set up  a barrier  be tw een me and t h eworld outs ide  this ranch.  Iam a
p ri son e r her e.Why?Am I s o  hatef ul? HaveIn o clai m s on yo u r 
t oler ation? Am I not y o ur own flesh andblood? ""N o ! "
The  man's ans we r cam e  with s t ag g e r ing force. It was  the bursti n g o f
thest orm of pas sion,  w h ich  even his w illcould nolonger restrai n .
But i t wasthe  wh oles to rm , f or hew en t n o  fu rther. I twa s Dia ne w h o s poke  ne xt.Her c heeks had ass ume d an ash en hu e, an d he rlipstrembl ed
so  t hat she could s carc ely frame  he rwor ds .

"W h at doyou  me an?" sh e gaspe d .
"T u t !  Y our crazy obstinac yd r iv es me to  it,"h er  f a ther ans we red 
imp a t ientl y, b u twith per fect c o nt ro l. "Oh,  y ou nee dhav e n o fea r .
Th ere is  no lega l sha m e to you. Butt here is thatw hi c h  w i ll h ityou
harder,  I t h ink. "

" F at her !  What  areyo u  s a ying?"

Something o fthe ma n's m eaning was gr owing upon h e r. Old h ints an d 
innuendoes ag ainst  her mothe r  were re calle d by his  words. H e r  throatpar che d w hil e sh e watched the r elen tl ess fac e o f thisman  wh o w asst ill her f ather.
"S ay in g?  Yo u kno w  the sto ry  of  m y b lindn e ss. Yo u kno w Isp en t  th ree
yea r sv i siti ng  n earl y e ve ry ey e-do c tor  in Eur ope. Butwha t  you  d on 't
know , and shall k no w, is that  I  re turned h ome to J amaica at the end of
th a t timetofindmyse lf the fa the r of a  th r ee-day s'-old  baby  g irl . " 
Them a n' s t ee th were cl e n che d, ra ge  and  pain d istorted his face, ren dering his si ght less s ta rea  h i deo us thi n g . "Yes," he wen t on, butno w  m ore to him s elf ,"I retu rned ho me to that, a nd in tim e to hear  t he
l a s t w ords yourmother u ttered in life; in  time  to  feel- -f eel  herdeath- s tru ggles ." Hemo uthedhis w or ds withunmistakable relish, an d
rela psedint o silence .
D ian e fell ba ck w ith a bitt ercry . The  cr y  rous ed h e rfat h er.
"Wel l ?" he con t in ued . "Y ou'll givet h i s m an up --n o w?"

F or s ome
 would_have
given you._How have I been_ungrateful? What_have_I to_be_grateful for?
I cannot_remember one single_kindness you have ever_shown me. You_have
set_up a barrier between me and the world outside this ranch. I am a
prisoner_here._Why? Am_I_so_hateful? Have I no claims_on your
toleration? Am I not_your own_flesh and blood?"

"No!"

The man's answer came with staggering_force._It was the_bursting of
the storm of passion, which even his will_could no longer restrain.
But it was_the whole storm,_for_he_went no further. It_was Diane who
spoke next. Her cheeks_had assumed an ashen hue, and_her lips trembled
so that she could scarcely_frame her words.

"What do you mean?"_she gasped.

"Tut! Your crazy obstinacy_drives me_to it," her father answered
impatiently,_but with perfect_control. "Oh,_you need have_no fear.
There is no legal shame_to you. But_there is that which will hit_you
harder,_I think."

"Father! What_are_you_saying?"

Something of_the man's meaning_was_growing upon_her._Old hints and
innuendoes against her mother_were_recalled by his words. Her throat
parched while_she watched the relentless_face_of this man who_was
still her father.

"Saying? You know_the story of my blindness. You_know I_spent three
years_visiting nearly every eye-doctor in Europe. But what you don't
know, and_shall know, is that I returned_home to Jamaica at_the end_of
that_time to find_myself_the father_of a three-days'-old baby girl."
The man's teeth_were clenched,_rage and pain distorted his face,
rendering_his sightless stare a_hideous_thing. "Yes," he went on, but
now_more to himself, "I returned home_to that, and in time_to_hear_the
last words your mother uttered_in life; in time to feel--feel_her
death-struggles." He mouthed_his words with unmistakable relish, and
relapsed into_silence.

Diane_fell back with a bitter cry._The_cry roused her father.

"Well?" he continued._"You'll_give_this man up--now?"

For some