The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1909-10-27


-on every gun six inches and under
inch above six.
"And at that" he said to himself
with a sheer, Everybody will be hap
py. That fool Marsh will make his
5000 and his 500. That is enough
for him, and Durant can stand the
price 1t means wealth and that girl
too''-he paused, and sinister light
came into his eyes-''if only that Som
mers gun is failure. ] WONDER
George was ashamed of you-posi
lively ashamed of you. Your first night
home and you sit up at the table
and talk nothing but steel and ar
cenary and croop guns and that sort
of thing. and when we have a guest
here too. | don't know what Lieuten-
ant Sommers thought of you"
Mrs. Durant spoke irritably. but her
husband. who knew her ideas on bust
ness matters from long experience.
merely smiled with liberation.
1t was the first night after his return
from trip abroad on business. and
Sommers and Pinckney had both been
to dinner with the family.
"Now. now. my dear" the steel man
protested. I'm sure this naval chap
he invents guns himself he ought to
be interested. and he certainly paid
attention"
Mrs Durant's lip curled.
"Paid attention. she shifted Il
guess he paid attention because you
are Frances father not for any other
reason"
Durant pricked up his ears at once.
Frances fatherY' he asked. How
should that interest this fellow"
The father was plainly put out. He
had too long held the idea that the
name of Durant in the steel world
would be perpetuated by the marriage
of Frances and his protege. Edward
Pinckney. for him to hear with eeua
nimity that a penniless naval officer
was paying her any attention.
Nov, look here, George Durant,'
exclaimed his wife Indignantly, don't
you dare to pretend yourself that
Frances is not attractive!'
Il never pretended any such thing"
he protested.
"You did" she declared insistently.
But, my DEAR
Didn't you say you were surprised
that this naval man was paying her
attention? That's the same thing as
saying she's not attractive. and | want
to tell you that Frances is the pref
test girl in Pittsburg, even if she is
your daughter
George Durant smiled placidly.
'Well. my dear. you see. she's bound
to be pretty. Think of her mother"
Nov. don't try to soft soap me just
because I'm your wife. George. Re-
member I've had twenty years of your
barney and recognize it,
'All right. my DEAR" be agreed
well let it go at that. Let the naval
man pay attention to her. 1t won't
do him any good"
81 should hope mott" exclaimed his
wife piously. 1.-THE idea of any girl
marrying a man who couldn't come
home nights more than one-tenth of
the time"
Edward Pinckney entered from the
library. where he had been to arrange
some business matters for his chief.
"Your stenographer is ready, sir.
whenever you want her," he said.
horror.
Good gracious, George, you are not
going to work on your first night home %
He looked at her in an apologize,
guilty fashion.
well. my dear. you see," he hest
tated. 1.-The work has to be done some
way. and just wanted to get a start.
l have to go over some matters with
Edward about this Rhinestrom gun
and also about this gun invented by
SOmmers which we are casting for the
government. 1t won't be much work.
and l have my stenographer and Sec
rotary all ready"
Before the wife could protest fur
Their Frances and Sommers entered the
drawing room. The old steel man did
not give his wife chance to argue.
"Ah, Sommers," he exclaimed gen.
tally, 81 was just hoping you'd come
in! l owe you an apology, my wife
says, and l wanted to deliver it."
Apology! For what?" exclaimed
the lieutenant, mystifed.
Durant winked at him.
why, Lieutenant Sommers," he
said, with assumed seriousness, Il
thought | owed you an apology for
my conversation at dinner discussing
the truck gun work and steel and gun
making generally-those subjects in
which you have no interest and could
not understand"
Sommers. catching the spirit Of the
scene. bowed seriously.
"Your apology is accepted, Mr.. Du-
rant" he said. II thought myself it
was rather strange that you should
choose a subject on thing neither
one Of us knew anything about; but,