Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1904-07-16

IL to supper as usual, ana the
II meal passed awkwardly. Even
the efforts Mrs. Hillyer made
to enliven the little group fell fiat, and
she soon found herself as moody as the
others The merchant gulped down a
cup of hot black coffee. ate very light
~ of what was on hts plate and then
went out on the front veranda to
smoke.
The evening passed slowly. and about
10 o'clock the family retired. Hillyer
could not sleep. His wife, tired as she
was, was kept awake by her bus
bands constant movements. About
midnight he got up. half dressed him
self and took his hat.
"Whar are you goin'7" asked bis wife.
"l'm a-goin' down to satisfy myself
about George" he said sheepishly.
THAR amt no use tryin to hide 1t; I'm
worried"
"Well. Til be switched exclaimed
his wife. But reckon you mought
az well. l don't believe me nor you
nuther is goin' to close our eyes to-
night unless you do. I'll bet you'll
find i'm in bed. No doubt he Jest went
to the hotel an got his supper rather
than let us know he was drinkin'. He
still sleeps at the warehouse, don't
he2"
Eyes, he still rooms thar" answered
Hillyer, IAN eff thars no light I'll
come right back. Sometimes when
he's bothered he sets up an works on
his books
. When her husband had gone Mrs.
,Hillyer crept up the stairs to Hortense
Snowden's room. The girl was sitting
up in bed.
"why, are you awaken Mrs. Hill
yer cried. II declare, we are all set
o. night owls"
II haven't slept wink" was the re-
ply. do you know, every sound In
your room comes right up that stove
lfue. could hear the creakirg of your
bed. an just now heard you talking.
oh, Aunt Martha, where do you think
It's going to end?'
"I'll end In madhouse et' 1t keeps
up" said Mrs. Hillyer, with little,
forced laugh. I'm goin' t. crawl in
yore bed I'm not to say afeaM o.
sperits. but am Of niggers an tramps.
,Phew! I'm all Of shiver. Let's COW
er up. Hortte, you've always said l
was good woman. Well, try to be,
but hain't perfect by iorg shot l
say I hain't perfect, an I mean it.
You'd say so eff you could SIZE through
my outside. I've got one vrhalin' big
fault, an that Is suspicion Somehow
cayn't root 1t out. Now. like George
Buckley as well as you or Mr.. Hillyer
does but what on earth has made Mr..
,Hillyer SO wrapped up in that boy an
the whole layout o Buckleys7 Why,
he's as crazy as bedbug right now
about this trial an Georges condition.
iOh, know you kin say he likes the
hoy an ali that, but thar are heaps
% boys in the county an heaps O. folks
that's Jest as worthy OF assistance as
the Buckleys."
"Oh, Aunt Martha, you surely don't
mean
II don't mean nothin'," interrupted
Mrs. Hiliyer, "but I'm as sure O one
thing as am that got my cold feet
agin yore'n, an that is thst Mr.. Hill
yer haint told me everything about
them Buckleys. He may think
wouldn't keep It, but he hain't let nue.
on to his game"
Hortense had no observation to make,
and they lay silent for several min
utes. Then the girl spoke:
George could really bear 1t much
better II he had not net Lydia Gran
ston. don't blame him foa' caring for
her, Aunt Martha. She's splendid
girl; we all like her; she's Just as frank
and open as can be. Shes always
making fun of her fathers family
pride. He's got Cranston tree in the
library, but Lydia gets all mixed up
when she tries to tell any one who her
connections age. was just thinking.
She'll be apt to be Mssusted with
George II she hears that ttis has driv-
en- him to drink. and
Don't you bother about that" retort-
ed Mrs. Hillyer. Thar Fever was a
woman that turned agin q man she
cared fer on that account; they'll make
excuses fer 'em, an the Lord knows
she could fish up good many to JUST
fly George. know I could. Pore fell
low! Jest think q him try!n' an trytn'
ito git his head above water an that old
scamp of a daddy jsrktn' I'm down
an right now when he was gittin'
sech fine start He could "a married
that Cranston gal Of this thing hadn't
come up--I mean he could In time,
beca'se 1t was in i'm"
CHAPTER ".
went cut into the star
lAI lit night and made his way
down to the business portion OF
the town. He was about to
pass the bar1pom run by Luke HILL
house, when, hearing tho clicking Of