The Cairo bulletin., 1913-08-07
PAGE rrvz
BY Hop

world will soon know that I'm not
even related to her. poor little beggar.
! don't see why she should come be-
tween me and happiness Inst because
she happens to bear social resen
blance to man who isn't her father.
Come, now, lets talk over the situation
sensbly."
Just then they passed beyond the
hearing OF the asfonished eavesdrop
per. Good heaven. what was thisf
Not bis childf Two minutes later Mrs.
Odell-Carney was back at the spring
| where they had left her somnolent AUS
band, who bad refused to climb a hill
| because NIL OF bis breath was required
TO smoke cigarette.
Carney" she sald 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 know? Pom me word. it's
| -Four years, I think Mrs Rodney
told me, How old Ia that bahyT
"'Pon me soul. Agatha. I'm as much
| In the dark az you. dent know
"a little over year. Id say. Well.
just heard Medcroft say that she
wasn't his child Whose Is it2r 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 tho
l n.N nj
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 insinuation
"oh, don't be stupid" she cried.
GOOD heavens, can there be scandal
in that lovely woman's lifer'
There's never any scandal IN wo-
mans life unless she's reasonably
lovely" remarked he.
| Whose child IL she, If she isn't Med
croft's?" she pursued with perplexed
| frown.
| "Demme, Agatha. don't ask me-" be
said irritabiy. passing his hand over
his brow 'T'ves told you that twice.
| Ask them: dare say they know
She looked Mt him In disgust 9As IL
| could do such thing as that Dear
me. don't understand 1t 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 be. weighing his re-
mark carefully. i've said all along
that Medcroft Is fool. Take those
windows, for instance, IL he
"Oh. rubbish! What have the win
dows to do with itY 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 mott be demanded "Hang
1t all, Agatha. it's nothing unusual.
She's jolly good sort and a sight too
good for Medcroft He's stupid ass
I've said so all along. How the devil
she ever marriet. 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 IL. Take
nv advice. my dear, and don't be harsh
In your Judgment. Don't say word
about what you've heard. IL they are
reconciled TO the-er-the situation.
why the devil should we give hangf
AND. above all. don't let these Rod
news suspect" Here he lowered his
voice gradually. They're a pack OF
rotters and they couldn't understand
THEY'D cut her, evea II she Is a cousin
or whatever it 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 contenn-
platlve delight in what he would do II
1t were definitely settled. u 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 ana
Mr. Ulsteryeit. No. Carney, IN not
start scandal The Rodneys would
not understand, as you say. They'd
tear her to shreds and glcat over the
mutilation. No Wen have her to see
us in London I ike her"
nAnd by Jove. Agatha, I like her sis
teri"
.sMv dear. the baby is a darling
aBut what an ass Medcroft Is.
And thus Is il proved thst Mrs
oden-Carnes was rot only du1ful
wife in taking her husband into her
confidence. but also that Jointly thev
: enioyed peculiarly rational outlook
upon the world as they had come 10
know 1t and 10 feel for the people
thereof. 1t Is Of small consequence
that they caall not find 1t in theft
power 10 lie in tune With the yirtuous
: Rodneys-the Radueys we're conditions,
not effects.
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