The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1913-10-30

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| don't see why she should come be-
tween me and happiness just because
she happens to bear social resem-
blance to a man who isn't her father.
| Come, now, let's talk over the situation
sensibIy.
| Just then they passed beyond the
hearing of the astonished eayesdrop-
per. Good heaven. what was this?
Not bis child? Two minutes later Mrs.
Odell-Carney was back at the spring
where they had left her somnolent hus-
band, who, had refused to climb hill
because all Of his breath was required
to smoke cigarette.
Carney" she said sternly, her lips
rigid, her eyes set hard upon his face,
show long have the Medcrofts been
married?',
He blinked heavily How the devil
should know? Pom me word, It's
"Four years, | think Mrs Rodney
told me. How old Is that baby?"
''Pon me soul. Agatha, I'm as much
in the dark as you. l don't know"
"a little over year. I'd say. Well,
just heard Medcroft say that 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 know? Don't look at
me like that. Give you my word Of
honor, don't know the woman. Pom
me soul, don't, my dear"
He was very much In earnest, thor
oughly aroused by what seemed to be
direct insinuatfon. Z ~ -
"oh, don't be stupid" she cried.
"Good heavens, can there be a scandal
in that lovely woman's flfe?"
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
croft's?" she pursued with perplexed
frown. n
"Demme, Agatha, don't ask me-" he
said trritably, passing his hand over
his brow. 1--WE told you that twice.
Ask them; I dare say they know"
She looked at him I'm disgust. "As If
could do such a thing as that! Dear
me, don't understand it at all. Four
years married. Yes, I'm sure that's it.
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 fool. Take those
windows, for instance. If he"-
"Oh, 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 demanded. "Hang
| it all. Agatha. it's nothing unusual.
She's jolly good sort and 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. 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 pack Of
rotters and they couldn't understand.
They'd cut her, even II she is a cousin
or whatever 1t is. I'd give year or
two OF my life to know positively
whether Rodney intends taking those
shares or not" He said 1t In contem-
plative delight in what he would do If
1t were definitely settled. 81 can't
stand them much longer"
"What great variety Of Americans
there areI" 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, as you say. They'd
tear her to shreds and gloat over tho
mutilation, No. well have her to see
tus in London. like her." f..
"And by Jove, Agatha, like her sis
terri 49,. = =za-.
"My dear, the baby is darling"
"But what an ass Medcroft ISL
And thus Is 1t proved that Mrs.
Odell- Carney was not only dutiful
wife in taking her husband into her
confidence. but also that Jointly they
enjoyed peculiarly rational outlook
upon the world as they had come to
know 1t and to feel for the people
thereof. 1t is of small consequence
| that they could not And 1t in their
power to be In tune with the virtuous
Rodneys-the Rodneys We're conditions.
not effects
However that may be, it was Kath-
crime Rodney. pretty. plump and spoil
ed, who pulled the first stone from the
foundation of Medcroft's house of
cards Katherine had convinced her.
self that she was deeply enamored of
the volatile Freddie. The more she
thought that she loved him the greater
became the conviction that he did not
care as much for her as he professed
She began to detect a decided falling