Dewey County advocate. [volume] (Timber Lake, S.D.) 1910-1913, 1911-04-21
CHAPTER XII.



Make a Discovery.
Really, have left Aunt Selma rath.
er out of it. but she was important as
cause, not as q result; at least at
nrst. She came out strong later.
believe she was a very nice old WON.
an, with strong likes and prejudices,
which she was perfectly willing to pay
for. At least, only presume she had
likes; know she had prejudices.
Nobody ever understood why Bella
consented to take Bettys place with
Aunt Selma. AS for me, l was too
much engrossed with my own affairs
to pay the invalid much attention.
Once or twice during the day l had
stopped In to see her, and had been
received frigidly and with marked dis
approval. l was in disgrace, of course,
after the scene in the dining room the
night before. I had stood like a
naughty child, just inside the door,
and replied meekly when she said the
pillows were overstuffed, and why
didn't l have the linen slips rinsed in
starch water? She laid the blame of
her illness on me, as l have said be-
fore, and she made Jim read to her in
the afternoon from book she carried
with her, Goals of Fire on the Do.
nestle HEARTH" marking places for
me to read.
She sent for me that night, Just
as l had taken off my gown; so
threw on dressing gown and went
In. To my horror, Jim was already
there. At gesture from Aunt Sc
lima, he closed the door into the hall
and tiptoed back beside the bed,
where he sat staring at the figures
on the silk comfort.
Aunt Selina's first words were:
where's that flibberty-gibbet?"
Jim looked at me.
She must mean Betty" l explain
ed. "She has gone to bed, l think"
t-let-her-in-this = room
again." she said, with awful emphas-
sis. "She is an infamous creature"
."Oh, come now, Aunt Selma" Jim
broke in; she's foolish. perhaps. but
she's nice little thing" Aunt Sc
lina's face was a curious study. Then
she raised herself on her elbow, and
taking a fat chamois-skin bag from
under her pillow, held 1t out
my cameo breastpin," she said
solemnly; my cuffbuttons with gold
rims and storks painted on china in
the middle; my watch, that has put
me to bed and got me up for forty
years, and my CONGRATULATIONS
with the doors locked under my nose"
Which was ambiguous, but forcible.
But, good gracious, Miss Car
Aunt Selina!" exclaimed, "you don't
think Betty Mercer took those
things?"
NO." she said grimly; II think
l probably got up in my sleep and
lighted the fire with them. or sent 'em
out for walk" Then she stuffed
the bag away and sat up resolutely in
bed.
Have you made up?" she demand
ed, looking from one to the other of
us. Bella, don't tell me you still
pOl oAot al IudI AOASCuSc.
What nonsense?" l asked. getting
ready to run.
THAT you do not love him."
"Him?"
James" she snapped irritably. do
you suppose mean the policeman"
1 looked over at Jimmy. She had got
me by the hand, and Jimmy was ma
king frantic gestures to tell her the
whole thing and be done with it. But
l had gone too far. The mill of tho
gods had crushed me already, and
didn't propose to be drawn out hide
ously mangled and held up as an ex-
ample for the next two or three
weeks, although it was clear enough
that Aunt Selma disapproved of me
thoroughly, and would have been glad
enough to find that no tie save the
board Of health held us together. And
then Bella came in. and you wouldn't
have known her. She had put on a
straight white wooden wrapper, and
she had her hair in two long braids
down her back. She looked like a
nice wide-eyed little girl in her
teens, and she had some lobster salad
and glass of port on tray. When
she saw the situation she put the
things down and had the nastiness to
stay and listen.
I'm not blind" Aunt Selma said.
with one eye on the tray. "You two
silly children adore each other; I
saw some things last night"
Bella took step forward; then sho
stopped and shrugged her shoulders
Jim was purple.