South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1913-09-19
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hollius dl ali. mat always makes IL
worse. She wouldn't even read the
papers afterward, as L never men
ton the case TO her--nor do you,
dearie. / soon found out that she's
ike you an me-She's the kind 10
worry about other peoples troubles.
An it's queer, but one little thing
bothers her a whole lot. She heard
about Mr.. North comm home drunk,
an she's afraid that he'll go bad with
liquor thinkin' about his arrest. Tell
me. she added, suddenly shifting the
line of alta OK, he has really cut out
liquor an got busy, hasn't he"
Rosalie. reading Betsy Barbara's
mind by the process of observing ex-
pressions and making swift deduc-
tons thereon, perceived that Betsy
Barbara was about 10 say, What af-
fair is it OF yOurs?" She perceived
also that the better part of Betsy-Bar-
bara, the part which inpelled her TO
her philanthrOpies of service, had put
down that vixenish reply.
Yes" said Betsy Barbara, II
think he won't drink any more. He's
too busy with his agency"
"How's 1t going2" asked Rosalie.
Splendid, l hear" replied Betsy
Barbara. He's getting promises OF
some very good business already"
Resale resumed her best moth
erly expression.
Now m just as sure as l can be-,
she said, that you were the person
who made him do il. When L first
thought over the case of that young
man. l saw what he needed. An he's
got IL, all right. Guess you can count
on him. When a man really has the
habit, he's gone. But when he hasn't
all he needs is something more inter-
esting TO do"
Il think So" replied Betsy Barbara.
70 ha
prying no further into her relati/is
with Tommy North.
I'm sure. Well, gettin' back to
Miss Estrilla. She showed today in
a little talk with me that Mr.. North
was on her mind notice you don't
stop in once or twice just like you
used to, an about the second time let
it out natural about Mr.. NOrth's TAX
in a brace an going to work, it would
be a blessing To her. OF course, 1t
must be led up to-an you mustn't
say anything about the murder. She
just can't stand that"
Betsy Barbara did not show the
enthusiasm which ROsalie expected.
She hesitated. This was genuinely
puZzling. Rosalie's memory, playing
like lightning over this turn in girl
psychology. called up set of facts
which she had hitherto observed
Senior Estrilla by no means neglected
his sister his visits to the parlor had
become more regular. Twice she had
seen him talking to Betsy Barbara in
the hall. 1t was Rosalie's impression
that he had waited there TO find an
opening for a tete-a-tete.
lis it Mr.. Estrilla an not Tommy
North that she's doin' this maneuv-
erin TO cover up?" she asked herself
mentally.
All this had passed with the swift
ness of thought-when thought trav-
els the electric wires of such a mind
as Rosalie's. But now Betsy Barbara
was speaking
The reason l haven't been there. /
Mrs. lie Grange, is frankly because of
Mr. Estrilla. He's so-so-so-Over-
towering. l guess l mean. OF course, |
don't take him seriously, and yet he
does look at me so and pay me such
extraordinary compliments l don't
know exactly how TO handle that kind
of man. she ended with little ner-
vOus laugh.
Rosalie waited
"Of course, you understand. l like !
him. | can't exactly let him see how
much | like him, for fear he'll think
its''-she paused and laughed-"it's !
the way he seems TO want me TO like
him
Hes a dear" said Rosalie with
genuine warmth: cant say when I've
seen young man that an old woman
like me feels more like wantin' to
play around with. But it is bother
some 10 you, 1 can see. Especially
when there's a nice young American
man that you feel some responsibility
for"
Betsy Barbara bristled moment at
this. But-as Rossalie had foreseen
the feminine instinct for confession
was stronger than the feminine in
stinct for concealment.
1--WE had a hard time to keep Mr..
North from seeing it. Not that it's
any of his business exactly, or that [
think he'd care particularly But just
at this moment, Mr.. North really
needs me. If he thought that Mr.. Es-
trilla-well, il might spoil all I'm try
ing to do for him"
Yes, indeed" replied Rosalie,
without a trace of irony.
Betsy Barbara went on in a non
chalant voice.
These two men are nothing TO me-
OF course Mr.. Estrilla is a very in
teresting person. He's handsome, and
in the right way-if you know what
his witty talk, and I think his singing
is simply admirable. As for Mr.
North"-Betsy- Barbara paused. Then
her voice ran glibly to its carefully
careless conclusion-"he's only a very
good friend"
Its Tommy North, all right" was
ROsalie's mental comment.
Well" she said aloud those
things are like anything else. They
look worse a ways off than they do