Connecticut western news., 1915-07-15

couldn't! I never heard anything sa
 hcartrending. He was so weak Inc
 -ould hardly whisper. but he kept try ing to talk. telling us over and over it was all your fault"
 In the darkness MT. Williams facia' expression could not be seen, but his voice sounded hopeful.
 "Is he-is he still in a great 'dedI '0f pain?'
 They say the crisis is past Raid Margaret ~but the doctors still up there. He said it was the acutest case of indigestion he had ever treated in the whole course of his professional practice
 'Of course didn't know what he'd do with the dollar" said Robert.
 She did not reply.
 He began pIaintively, Margaret, you don't
 I've never seen papa and mamma SC upset about anything she said rather primly.
 You mean they're upset about me?'
 I've are ali very much upset" re turned Margaret, more starch i'll her l tone as she remembered not only Pen rods sufferings. but a duty she had vowed herself to perform. 1 Margaret You don't~- 1 "Robert.'' she said firmly and, also, with a rhetorical complexfty which breeds suspicion of rehearsal; Rob ert. for the present I can only look at iu 1x-ar-TJ-iaaIo fh1f money to Penrod you put into the hands of an minimizing little child a weapon which might be. and, indeed. was. the means of his undoing. Boy' are not respon"- "But you saw me give him the dol lar. and you didn't
 Robert" she checked him with in- creasing severity. "I am only a wom- an and not accustomed to thinking ev- erything out on the spur of the mo- ment. But I cannot change my mind not now, at least
 And you think I'd better not come in tOnight?''
 "Tonight!' she gasped. Not for weeks! Papa would'-
 "But Margaret he urged plaintively, "hOw can you blame me for
 "I have not used the word 'blame.'" she interrupted. "But I must insist that for your carelesSness toto wreak such havoc-cannot fail toto lessen my confidence in your powers of judg- ment. I cannot change my convictions in this matter-not tonight-and 1 can not remain here another instant. The poor child may need me. Robert, good night
 With chill dignity she withdrew, en- tered the house and returned to the sick room, leaving the young man in outer darkness to brood upon his crime-and upon Penrod.
 That sincere invalid became conva- lescent upon the third day, and week elapsed, then, before he found an op- portunity to leave the house unaccom- panied-save by Duke. But at last he set forth and approached the Jones neighborhood in high spirits, pleasant ly conscious of his pallor, hollow cheeks and other perquisites of illness provocative of interest.
 One thought troubled him a little be- cause it gave him a sense of inferiority to a rival He believed. against his will, that Maurice Levy could have successfully eaten chocolate creams, licorice sticks, lemon drops, jaw break CTS, peanuts. wafl1es, lobster croquettes, sardines, cinnamon drops, watermelon, pickles, popcorn, ice cream and sausage with raspberry lemonade and cider. Penrod had admitted to himself that Maurice could do it and afterward at tend to business or pleasure without the slightest discomfort, and this was probably no more than fair estimate of one of the great constitutions of all time. As a digester, Maurice Levy would have disappointed a Borgia.
 Fortunately, Maurice was still at At lantic City, and now the convalescent's heart Ieaped. In the distance he saw Marjorie coming-in pink again, with a ravishing little parasOl over her head. And alone! No Mitchy-Mit was to mar this meeting.
 PenrOd increased the feebleness of his steps, now and then leaning upon the fence as if for support.
 How do you do, Marjorie?" he said in his best sickroom voice as she came near.
 To his pained amazement she pro- ceeded on her way, her nose at a cele- brated elevation-an icy nose.
 She cut him dead.
 He threw his invalid's airs to the winds and hastened after her.
 "Marjorie,' he pleaded, whats the matter? Are you mad? Honest, that day you said to come back next morn ing and you'd be on the corner, was sick. Honest, I was awful sick, Mar jorie! I had to have the doctor''-
 'Doctor!'' She whirled upon him. her lovely eyes blazing. q guess we've had to have the doctor enough at our house, thanks to you, Mister Penrod Schofeld. Papa says you haven't got near sense enough to come in out of the rain after what you did, to poor little Mitchy- -AIitch"--
 "What?"