Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1916-05-25
80 said Mnrr grnyeIv.

NO" said Mary gravely.
well, to be frank" said Sibly. smil.
fag. that's why I've come to you"
ITO me" Mary frowned.
Slbyl rippled and cooed again
There isn't anybody ever made such a
hit with Father Sheridan in his life
as you have. And of course we all
hope you're not going to be exactly
an outsider in the affairs of the fam.
ily!' This sally with another and
louder effect of laughter) "And If it's
my duty, why. in way, | think II
might be thought yours, too"
mo, nor exclaimed Mary, sharply.
Listen said Slbyl. Now sup
| pose | go to Father Sheridan with this
story, and Edith says it's not true; but
suppose could say: 'Al right. If you
want proof, ask Miss vertrees. She
came with me, and she's waiting in
the next room right now. to-"
mo, no." said Mary quickly. "You
mustu't--"
Listen just minute MORE" Sibyl
urged, confidingly. She was on easy
ground now, to her own mind, and had
no doubt of her success. Miss Yer
trees, listen! Don't you see we ought
| to do it, you and /? Do you suppose
| Robert Lamhorn cares the snap of his
finger for her? Do you suppose man
like him would look at Edith Sheri-
dan If it wasn't for the money!" And
again Sibyl's emotion rose to the sur
| face. II tell you he's after nothing
on earth but to get his finger in that
old mans money-plle, over there, next
door. He'd marry anybody to do it.
Marry Edith?' she cried. Il tell you
he'd marry their Niger cook for THAR
She stopped, afraid--at the wrong
| ume-that she had been too vehement.
but glance at Mary treasured her.
and Sibyl decided that she had pro-
duced the effect she wished. Mary
was not looking at her; she was star
ing straight before her at the wall, her
eyes wide and shining. She became
visibly little paler as Sibyl looked at
her.
| after nothing on earth but to get
| his finger in that old mans money
pile, over there next doorw The voice
was vulgar, the words were vulgar
and the plain truth was vulgar! How
it rang in Mary Yertrees' ears! The
clear mirror had caught its own image
clearly in the fawed one at last.
Sibyl put forth her best bid to
clench the matter. She offered her
bargain. Now, don't you worry" she
said, sunnily, "about this setting
Edith against you. She'll get over it
after a while. And another thing-I
| guess you won't mind Jim's own sis
ter-in-law speaking of it. OF course,
don't know just how matters stand
between you and jim, but sisters-in-
law can do lots of things to help mat
tiers on like that. There's lots of
little things can be said, and lots"
She stopped, puzzled. Mary Vertrees
had gone from pale to scarlet, and now,
still scarlet indeed, she rose, without
a word of explanation, or any other
kind of word, and walked slowly to the
open door and out of the room.
Sibyl was a little taken aback. She
supposed Mary had remembered some
thing neglected and would return in
a moment; but 1t was rather a rude
excess of Observation-Disclosures not to
have excused herself. especially as
her guest was talking. And, Mary's
return being delayed, Sibyl looked at
her watch and frowned; went to a
window and stood looking out upon
the brown lawn, then came back to
the chair she had abandoned, and sat
again. There was no sound In the
house.
A strange expression began imper-
cepibly TO alter the planes of her
face, and slowly she grew as scarlet
as Mary-scarlet to the ears. She
went into the hall, glanced over her
shoulder oddly; then she let herself
softly out of the front door. and went
across the street to her own house.
Roscoe met her upon the threshold
gloomily. Saw you from the win
dow" he explained. "You must find
lot to say to that old lady"
what old Lady,"
Mrs. Vertrees. | been waiting for
you long time. and saw the daugh-
ter come out, fifteen minutes ago and
post a letter, and then walk on up the
street. Don't stand out on the porch. y
he said, GROSSLY. "Come in here.
There's something it's come time III
have to talk to you about. Come inv'
But as she was moving to obey he
glanced across at his fathers house
and started. He lifted his hand to
shield his eyes from the setting sun,
staring fixedly. Something's the mat
ter over there" he muttered, and then,
more loudly, as alarm came into his
voice, he said, whats the matter over
thereY
Bibbs dashed out of the gate In an
automobile set at its highest speed
and as he saw Roscoe he made GEES
ture slngularly eloquent Of calamity,
and was lost at once In a cloud of dust
down the street Edith had followed
part of the way down the drive, and II
could be seen that she was crying bit
terly. She lifted both arms to Ros-
coe, summoning him.
by Georger' gasped Roscoe. II be
| lieye somebody's deadv'