The Bottineau courant. (Bottineau, Bottineau County, N.D.) 1895-1929, 1913-10-17
THE
HUSBANDS
OF EDITH
By
GEORGE BARR
M%'CUTCHEON
Tnn,sVAnhh IN nndA k1nAA r r.
CHAPTER Xl.
Other Relations.
Copyzsoht b. Dodd. nssd . ca.

CHAPTER xL
Other Relations.
ut Is but natural to presume after
the foregoing that the affairs OF
the Medcrofts were under close
and careful scrutiny from tina,
confidential hour. The OdeIl-C arneys
we're conspicuously nice and agreeable
to the Medcrofts and Miss Fowler. II
may be said indeed that MI. OdelI.
Carney vent considerably out of bis
way to be agreeable to Mrs. Medcroft-
30 much so, in fact, that she made 1t q
point to have some q else with her
whenever she seemed likely to be left
alone with him. The Rodneys strug.
sled bravely and no doubt conscien.
dously to emulate the example set by
the Odell-Carneys, but 1t was hardly
to be expected that they could see new
things through old world eyes. They
grew very stiff and ceremonious-that
10, the Rodney ladies did. It was their
prerogative, Of course. Were they not
cousins of the Medcrofts7
-Four or Eve days Of uneasy p~retense
passed with a swiftness that irritated
certain members Of the party and a
slowness that distressed the others.
Days eve were so short as those
which the now recklessly infatuated
Brock was spending. He was valiant
~ earning his way into the heart of
Constance, a process that tried his pa
dence exceedingly, for she was blithely
unimpressionable IL one were to Judge
by the calmness with which she Tended
OF the inevitable though tardy assault.
She kept him at arms length. Ap.
pearances' demanded a ~discreetness no
matter how she may secretly have felt
toward the good looking husband Of
her sister. To say that she was enjoy
Ing herself would be putting it much
too tamely. She was reveling in the
fun Of the thing. It mattered little to
her that people, her own cousins In
particular. were looking upon her with
cold and critical eyes. She knew down
In her heart that she could throw q
bomb among them at any time By the
more ~utterance. of a single word. It
mattered as little that Edith was be-
ginning to chafe miserably under the
strain OF waiting and deception. The
novelty had worn OF for the wife Of
Roxbury. She a d~espairingly In
love-. and she was pining for the day to
come when she could laugh again with
real instead Of simulated j~oyousness.
Connie, DEAR" she would lament a
dozen times a day. '1t's growing uu-
bearable. Oh. how I wish the three
weeks ended. Then I could have
my Roxbury, and you could have my
other Roxbury. and everybody wouldn't
be plying me and cavilling at you be-
cause I'm unhappily married."
why do you say I could have your
other Roxbury?' demanded her sister
on one occasion. "You forget father
expects me to marry the viscount. r.
"You are sc tiresome. Connie. Don't
worry me with your love anairs-I
don't want to hear them. There's Mr..
Brock waiting for you in the garden"
81 know it. my dear. He's been
waiting for an hour. think it is good
for him tn wait" said the other. with
airy confidence. What does Roxy say
in his letter this morning?"
HE says it will all be owe in a day
or two. Dear me, how l wish 1t were
over now! can't endure Cousin
Mary's snl%ppishness much longer. and
~ for Katherine! My dear. I hate
that girlw
"She's been very nice lately. Edith
ever since Freddie dropped me SO com
pletely BY the way. Burton was tell
Ing me today that Odell-C Carney had
been asking her some very curious
and staggering questions about Tootles
and your most private affairs"
II know. my dear" groaned Edith
"He very politely remarked to me
last night that Tootles made him think
very strangely of a friend of his in
London. He wouldn't mention the fel-
lows name. He only smiled and said.
.Nevah mind. my dear, he's a c'nfend-
ed handsome dog I daresay he meant
that as a compliment for Tootles. She
n pretty. don't you think 80. dearY'
''She's Just like you. Edith" said
Constance. who understood athings
quite clearly
sThen. in heavens name. Connie.
why are they staring at her 20 i'm
politely-all Of themr"
SITS because she Ii 90 pretty. Good
49,. Bdith. don't let every little thing
wsFFy you You'll have wrinkles and
exU hairs soon enough"
ITS al very nice for you to talk
Stumbled Edith. I'm going mad with
Ionsliness. You rave I lover near You
n the time-he's mad shout you,
What hav@ II I'm utterly alone. M
GnDslSvos memo. not q soul
AYpuswont let th4m love ron. Mdith.'
- fConstance Jauntily. '~Thsy On
INT q love you, all Of them.*
lhate mem. announcsd Mr. Med.
eDkt FeTcspectiveIy:
DSye36pments O1 I most fe1factDfy
f11e1Gbesg' SsRsoped down upon them q
~ - ~ the so3ourn u inns.
feNek 9vvyy Ong hEd blEun 10 IN501cl
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