The Hays free press. [volume] (Hays, Kan.) 1908-1924, 1916-06-24

NO" said Mary graveIy.
'+WeIl, to be frank" said Sibly. smiI-
ing. that's why I've come to you"
ITO me?' Mary frOwned-
SibyI 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
ilyY' (This sally with another and
louder effect of laughter.) 'And if it's
my duty. why, in way, 1 think 1t
might be thought yours, too"
NO. nor exclaimed Mary. sharply
Listen" said SibyI. Now sup
pose go to Father Sheridan with this
story. and Edith says it's not true; but
suppose 1 could say: An 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
mustn'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
1 y
/ to do it. you and /? Do you suppose
] Robert LamhOrn cares the snap OF his
| finger for her? Do you suppose n man
| like him would look at Edith Sheri-
dan if it wasn't for the money!" And
again SibyTs emotion rose 10 the sur
face. ct tell you he's after nothing
on earth but to get his finger in that
| old mans mOney-pile. over there. next
door! He'd marry anybody to do it
Marry Edith?' she cried. q tell you
he'd marry their niger cook for THAR
She stopped, afraid-at the wrong
| time-that she had been too vehement.
but a glance at Mary treasured her.
and SibyI 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 a 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 doOrr' The voice
was vulgar, the words were vulgar
and the plain truth was vulgar! How
it rang in Mary Vertrees' ears! The
| clear mirror had caught its own image
clearly in the fiawed 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
after a while. And another thing
guess you won't mind Jim's own sis
| ter-in-law speaking Of it. OF course
l 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 VertTees
had gone from pale to scarlet, and now.
still scarlet indeed, she rose, without
n word of explanation. or any other
kind of word, and walked slowly to the
open door and out of the room.
SibyI was q little taken aback. She
supposed Mary had remembered some
thing neglected and would return in
moment; but it was rather 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-
ceptibIy 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- I been waiting for
you a long time, and 1 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, -
he said, GROSSLY. Come in here.
There's something it's come time I'll
have to talk to you about Come i'm
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, What's the matter over
there?'
Bibbs dashed out of the gate in an
automobile set at its highest speed.
and as he saw Roscoe he made a ges-
ture singuIarly eloquent of calamity.
and was lost at once in cloud Of dust
down the street. Edith had followed
part of the way down the drive. and it
could be seen that she was crying bit
terry. She lifted both arms TO ROs-
coe, summOning him.
by GeOrger' gasped Roscoe. q be
Iieve somebody's deadp'