Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1916-08-03


A CHAPTER xxvliI-contInued
is
eybii, the ioud-mouthed daughter-in
saw. 10 engaged In poisoning Mrs
,ohsrldan's mind against the vertrses
SamIIy and Mary vertress, whom
.0ibbs loves. The two women are
standins Just outside che door 81
8lbbs' room. He hears Il all.
So she started for Roscoe; but she
7 Efound out pretty quick he was married.
land she turned right around to Jim
fiapd she landed him! There's no doubt
Nabout It. she had Jim. and II he'd
:lved you'd had another daughterin-
Nav before this. as sure as stand here
3telling you the Gods truth about It!
3Well-when Jim was left in the GENE.
Atery she was waiting out there to
Ndrive home with Bibbs! Jim wasn't
1cold-and she didn't know whether
s3Bibbs was insane or not, but he was
Ithe only one OF the rich Sheridan boys
sAeft. She had to get him"
The texture of what was the truth
made an even fabric with what was
not in Sibyl's mind; she believed every
WORD that she uttered. and she spoke
s3Wtth the rapidly and vehemence OF
st6erce conviction.
what feel about 1t IT," she said,
lit oughtnt to be allowed to 20 on.
s3It's too meant I like poor Bibbs, and
81 don't want to see him made such a
fool of. and don't want to see the
.kAmlly made such a fool Of! like
3poor Bibbs, but II he'd only stop to
pkhink q minute himself he'd have to
'1realize he Isn't the kind Of a man any
girl would be apt to fall in love with.
Hes better looking lately. maybe, but
4@you know how be was-just kind Of a
Hong white rag in good clothes. And
]girls like men with some 60 to EN-
some sort of dashingness, anyhow! No
body ever looked at poor Blbbs be-
lore. and neither'd she-no, sir! not
N1ll she'd tried both Roscoe and Jim
}0rst! It was only when her and her
family got desperate that she"
Bibbs-whiter than when he came
1from the sanitarium-opened the door.
1He stepped across it's threshold and
3stood looking at her. Both women
screamed.
"Oh, good heavensv' cried Sibyl.
f'Were you In there? oh, wouldn't"
Ehe seized Mrs. Sheridan's arm, pull
4ng her toward the stairway. ''Come
Jon. mother Sheridan she urged, and
las the befuddled and confused lady
s}obeyed, Sibyl left a trail Of noisy ex-
plantations; "Good gracious! Oh. l
wouldn't Too badl didn't dream
he was there! wouldn't hurt his feel
hngs! Not for the world! or course
be had to know some time! But, good
heavens"
{ She heard his door close as she and
MRS. Sheridan reached the top Of the
&tdlrs, and she glanced over her shoul.
lder quickly, but Bibbs was not follow
ting; he had gone back into his room.
"He-he looked-oh. terrible badl"
stammered Mrs. Sheridan. Ell
wish"
1 s'Still, It's a good deal better he
knows about IT," said Sibyl. 81
shouldn't wonder 1t might turn out the
very best thing could happened. Come
tonl'
And completing their descent to the
library, the two made their appearance
to Roscoe and his father. Sibyl at once
gave a full and truthful account of
what had taken place, repeating her
own remarks, and emitting only the
fact that 1t was through her design
that Bibbs had overheard them.
"But as I told mother Sheridan"
she said, in conclusion, 'it might turn
out for the very best that he did hear
just that way. Don't you think so,
Father Sheridan
; He merely grunted in reply. and sat
rubbing the thick hair on the top Of his
head with his left hand and looking at
THE fre. He had given no sign Of be-
ing impressed in any manner by her
Exposure of Mary Vertrees' character;
but bis impassivity did not dismay
Sibyl-it was Bibbs whom she desired
to impress, and she was content In that
matter.
said. ITS over now, and he knows
what she is. In one way think 1t was
lucky, because. just hearing a thing
that way, person can tell it's So
and he knows / haven't got any az to
grind except his own good and the
good Of the family"
{ Mrs. Sheridan went nervously to the
door and stood there, looking toward
the stairway. ~ wish-I wish knew
what he was doin'," she said. "He did
look terrible bad. 1t was like some
thing had been done to him that was
don't know what. never saw any
body look like he did. He looked-so
queer. 1t was like you'd" She called
down the hall. "Georgev'
"Yes'mT
Were you up in Mr.. Bibbs' room
Just nowT
"Yes'm. He ring bell: tole me make
him hah In bis CRATE. done buip him
nice nah. I reckon he ain feelin' SO
well. Yes'm." He departed.
what do you expect be wants fire
for?" she asked, turning toward her
husband. "The house ID warm a. can
be. I do wish l."
"Oh. quit frettin'v' said Sheridan.
"Well, II kind O. wish you hadn't
said anything. Sibyl. I know you
meant It for the best and all. but
don't believe It would been SO much
harm H."
"Mother Sheridan, you don't mean
you want that kind Of girl in the
family? Why She"