New Ulm review., 1913-11-05

4 Odeii-Carney was back at the spring
4 where they had left her sOmnolent hus-
band. who had refused to climb a hiIl
/, because all Of his breath was required
to smoke cigarette.
Carney" she said sternly. her lips
, rigid. her eyes set hard upon his face,
! how long have the Medcrofts been
marriedy' TX
He blinked heavily. How the devil
should l know? Pom me word, it's"'-
-Four years, think Mrs Rodney
told me. How old is that baby y'
Pom me soul. Agatha, I'm as much
in the dark as you. don't know.
"a little over Q year, I'd say. Well,
l just heard MedcIoft say that she
wasn't his child. Whose is it," She
stood there like m accusing angel. He
started violently, and his jaw dropped.
An expression Of alarmed protest leap
ed into his listless eyes,
Pom my word. Agatha. how the
devil should ! sknow5 Don't look at
me like that Give yon 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 insinuation
"Oh. don't be stupid" she cried.
"Good heavens. can there be scandal
in that lovely woman's life?"
there's never any scandal In a wo-
mans life unless she's reasonably
lovely" remarked he.
Whose child Is she, IL she isn't Med
croft's?' she pursued With !, pcrp.extr,
frown.
"Demme. Agat don't ask me-" he
said irritably, passing his hand over
his brow i've told you that twice.
Ask them: dare say they know"
She looked at him in disgust "As IL
I could do such thing as that! Dear
me. I don't understand it at all. Four
years married. Yes, I'm sure that's It.
Carney. you, don't suppose She
hesitated. It was not necessary to
complete the obvious question.
agatha" said he, weighing his re-
mark carefully, eve said all along
that Medcroft 10 . fool. Take thoss
windows. for instance II he"-
''Oh. rubbish! What have the win
dows to do with tt7 You are positive
~ stupid, And "a come to like her
too. Yes. I'd even asked her to come
and see me-" She was really dis
tressed.
"And why not r he demanded. aHans
1t all. Agatha. It's nothing unusual.
She's jolly good sort and sight too
good for Medcroft. He's 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 word
about what you've heard. II they are
reconciled to the-er-the situation.
why the devil should we give hang2
And. above all, don't let these Rod
neys suspect Here he lowered his
voice gradually. They're a pack OF
rotters and they couldn't understand
They'd cut her, even If she is cousic
or whatever It Is. I'd give year OF
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 II
it were definitely settled. II can't
stand them much longer"
"What great variety OF Americans
there arev' she reflected. MRS. Med
croft and her sister are Americans.
Compare them with the Rodneys and
Mr.. Ulstervelt. No. Carney, I'll not
start scandal The Rodneys would
not understand, as you say. They'd
tear her to shreds and gloat over the
mutilation. No. we'll have her to see
us in London like her."
'And by Jove. Agatha. like her sis
terri
my dear. the baby is darling"
''But what an ass Medcroft Isl"
And thus Is it proved that Mrs.
Odell-Carney was not only 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 it in their
power to be in tune with the virtuous
Rodneys-the Rodneys were conditions
not effects.
However that may be. it was Katfs
crime Rodney. pretty, plump and spofl
ed. who pulled the first stone from the.
foundation of Medcrnft's house OF
cards Katherine had convinced her
self that she was deeply enamored at
the volatile Freddie. The more she
thought that she loved him the greater
beca me the conviction that be did not
care rs much for her as he professed-
She began to detect decided falling
of in his ardor. 1t was no use trying
TO hide the fact from herself that Con
stance was the most disturbing symp-
tom in evidence. Jealousy succeeded
speculation. katherine decided to be