The Miller press. [volume] (Miller, S.D.) 190?-current, 1916-06-08
she said. 1T seems to me 1t looks

I'm afraid
Say as much of it as you can.
mamma" said Mary, encouragingly. IL
can get it, if you'll just give me m
keyword."
Everything you say" Mrs. Yer
trees began, timidly, seems TO have
the air Of 1t is as if you were seek
ing toto make YOURSELF
''Oh, / see! You mean l sound as il
| were trying to force myself to like
him"
Not exactly, Mary. That wasn't
quite what l meant" said Mrs. Yer
trees, speaking direct untruth with per-
feet Inconsistencies. But you said
that-that you found the latter part
of the evening at young Mrs. Sheri-
dams unentertaining-"
"And as Mr.. James Sheridan was
there. and | saw more of him than at
dinner, and had Il horribly stupid time
in spite of that, you think L" And
then it was Mary who left the deduc-'
ton unfinished.
Mrs. Vertrees nodded; and though
both the mother and the daughter un-
dcrstood. Mary felt it better to make
the understanding definite.
WELL" she asked, gravely, lis there
anything else / can do? You and papa
don't want me to do anything that dis
tresSes me, and so, as this is the only
thing to be done, it seems it's up to me
,,o+ e., l,k - I;utrnr. ma THAT'S oil
there is about it, isn't it?'
but nothing must distress you"
the mother cried.
That's what l say" said Mary,
ch%eerfuliy. And so it doesn't. It's
all right" She rose and took her cloak
over her arm, as if to go to her owR
room. But on the way to the door she
stopped, and stood leaning against the
foot Of the bed, contemplating a thread
bare rug at her feet. Mother, you've
told me a thousand times that it doesn't
really matter whom a girl marries."
mo, no"!' Mrs. Vertrees protested. II
never said such a"
mo, not in words; | mean what You
meant. It's true. isn't it, that marriage
really Is not a bed of roses, but a field
of battle? To get right down TO it, a
girl could fight it out with anybody,
couldn't she? One man as well as an
other?"
Mary, l can't bear for you to talk
like that" And Mrs. Vertrees lifted
pleading eyes to her daughter-eyes
that begged to be spared. 1T sounds
almost reckless."
Mary caught the appeal, came to her,
and kissed her gayly. Never fret,
dear. I'm not likely to do anything |
don't want to-rve always been too
thorough-going a little pig"
She gave her mother a final kiss and
went gayly all the way to the door this
time, pausing for her postscript with
her hand on the knob. "Oh. the II
that caught me looking in the window,
mamma, the youngest one"
did he speak of it," Mrs. Vertrces
asked, apprehensively.
mo. He didn't speak at all, that l
saw, to anyone. l didn't meet him.
But he isn't insane, I'm sure; or If he
IS. he has long intervals when he's not.
Mr.. James Sheridan mentioned that be
lived at home when he was well
enough; and it may be he's only an in
valid. He looks dreadfully i'll, but
he has pleasant eyes, and it struck me
that Tiff n were in the Sheridan
family"-she laughed q little ruefully
he might be interesting to talk to
sometimes, when there was too much
stocks and bonds. l didn't see him att
er dinner"
There must be something wrong
with him." said Mrs. Vertrees. They'd
have introduced him If there weren't"
Il don't know. His father spoke of
sending him back to Il machine shop
Of some sort; I glanced at him Just
then and he vas pathetic-looking
enough before that, but the most tragic
change came over him. He seemed
just to die, right there at the table,
MIR. Sheridan must be very unfeel-
ing
No" said Mary, thoughtfully, 81
don't think he is; but he might be I'M
comprehending, and certainly he's the
kind of man to do anything he once
sets out to do. But I wish | hadn't been
looking Mt that poor boy just them!
I'm afraid I'll keep remembering"
Il wouldn't" Mrs. Vertrees smiled
family, and in her smile there was the
remotest ghost OF a genteel roguisb
ness. "I'd keep my mind on pl~easanter
things, Mary"
Mary laughed and nodded. "Yes, in
deed. Plenty pleasant enough. and
probably, If all were known, too good
even for me!"
And when she had gone Mrs. Yer
trees drew a long breath, as 81 n bur-
den were off her mind, and, smiling,
began to undress In a gentle reverie.