The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1913-10-02
Copyright BY Dodd. Mead & Go.

DdnQ, VINO ndQ TeIuSeu 10 CllInD u Dlll
because all Of his breath was required
to smoke a cigarette.
Carney" she said sternly. her lips
rigid, her eyes set hard upon his face,
"how long have the Medcrofts been
married?"
He blinked heavily. How the devil
should l know? Pom me word, IT'S
-Four years, l think Mrs. Rodney
told me. How old is that babyT"
"'Pon me soul. Agatha. I'm as much
In the dark as you. l don't know"
"A little Over a year, I'd say. Well.
l just heard Medcroft say hat she
wasn't his child. Whose Is it," She
stood there like an accusing angel. He
started violently, and his jaw dropped.
An expression Of alarmed protest leap
ed into his ~listless eyes.
"'Pon my word, Agatha, how the
devil should I know? Don't look at
me like that. Give you my word Of
honor, / don't know the woman. Pom
me soul, l don't, my dear"
He was very much In earnest. thor
oughly aroused by what seemed to be
a direct insinuation.
"Oh, don't be stupid" she cried.
Good heavens. can there be a scandal
in that lovely woman's lifeT"
There's never any scandal In a wo-
mans life unless she's reasonably
lovely" remarked he.
Whose child Is she, If she isn't Med
c~roft's?' she pursued with q ~perplexed
frown.
"Demme, Agatha. don't ask me-" he
said irritably, passing his hand over
his brow. 1--WE told you that twice.
Ask them; l dare say they know"
She looked at him in disgust. LAS II
l could do such a thing as that! Dear
me, I don't understand it at all. Four
years married. Yes, I'm sure that's 1t.
Carney. you don't suppose She
hesitated. 1t was not necessary to
complete the obvious question.
Agatha" said he, weighing his re
mark carefully. "I've said all along
that Medcroft Is a fool. Take those
windows. for instance. If he"-
ooh. rubbish! What have the win
dows to do with it? You are positive
ly stupid. And I'd come to like her
too. Yes, I'd even asked her to come
and see me-" She was really dis
tressed.
"And why not?" he demands d. Hang
it all. Agatha, it's nothing unusual.
She's a jolly good sort and a sight too
good for Medcroft. He's a stupid ass.
I've said SO all along. How the devil
she ever married him can't see. But,
by Jove. Agatha. I can readily see how
she might have loved the father Of
this child. no matter who he is. Take
my advice. my dear. and don't be harsh
In your judgment. Don't say a word
about what you've heard. II they are
reconciled to the-er-the situation,
why the devil should we give a hang?
And. above all. don't let these Rod
neys suspect" Here he lowered his
voice gradually They're a pack Of
rotters and tn , couldn't understand,
They'd cut her, even II she is a cousin
Or whatever 1t Is. I'd give a year or
two Of my life to know positively
whether Rodney intends taking those
shares or not" He said It in contem-
plative delight in what he would do II
1t were definitely settled. 81 can't
stand them much longer"
What great variety Of Americans
there arer' she reflected. Mrs. Med.
croft and her sister are Americans.
Compare them with the Rodneys and
Mr.. Ulstervelt. No. Carney. I'll not
start a scandal. The Rodneys would
not understand. a you say. They'd
tear her to shreds and gloat over the
mudlation. No. we'll have her to see
us in London. I like her."
"And by love. Agatha. ! like her sis
terri
my dear. the baby is a darling"
But what an ass Medcroft Isl"
And thus ia 1t proved that Mrs.
Odell-Carney was not only a dutiful
wife in taking her husband into her
confidence. but also that Jointly they
enjoyed a peculiarly rational outlook
upon the world as they had come to
know It and to feel for the people
thereof. It is Of small consequence
that they could not find II In their
power to be in tune with the v~irtuous
R~odneys-the Rodneys were conditions.
not effects.
However that may be. It was Kath-
crime Rodney. pretty. plump and spoil
ed. who pulled the frst stone from the
foundation Of Medcroft's house Of
cards. Katherine had convinced her
velf that she was deeply enamored Of
the volatile Freddie. TIE more she
thought that she loved him the greater
became the conviction that he did not
care as much for her rs he protested.
She began to detect a decided falling
OF In his ardor. It was no use trying
to hide the fact from herself that Con.