The Elk Mountain pilot., 1916-11-09
CHAPTER xIl-Continued.

There came second explosion, and
Uncle Gideon ran out into the hall.
Bibbs went to the head Of the great
staircase, and, looking down, discov-
cred the source of the disturbance.
Gideon's grandson, boy of fourteen,
had brought his camera to the funeral
and was taking flashlights" Of the
Moor. Uncle Gideon, reassured by
Bibbs' explanation, would have re-
turned to finish his quotation from Bill
dad the Shuhite, but Bibbs detained
him. and after little argument per-
suaded him to descend to the dining
room whittier Bibbs followed, after
closing the door of his fathers room.
He kept his eyes on Gideon after
dinner, automatically preventing sew
eral attempts on the part of that com
forter to reascend the stairs; and 1t
was relief to Bibbs when George an
nounced that an automobile was wait
ing to convey the ancient man and
his grandson to their train. They were
the last to leave. and when they had
gone Bibhs went signing to his own
room.
He stretched himself wearily upon
the bed. but presently rose, went to
the window, and looked for long time
Mt the darkcned house where Mary
Vertrees lived. Then he opened his
trunk took therefrom small notebook
half filed with fragmentary scrib-
bliugs. and began TO write:
Laughter after a funeral. In this re-
action people will laugh At anything and
At nothing. The Dand plays a dirge on
the way to the cemetery. but when 1t
turns back. and the mourning carriages
are out OF hearing. 1t strikes up, Dark
town Is Out Tonight" That is natural
but there are women whose laughter is
Ike the whirring of whips.
Beauty is not out of place among grave
stones. 1t Is not out of place anywhere.
But a woman who has been betrothed to
a man would not look beautiful at his
funeral A woman might look beautiful.
though. at the funeral OF a man whom
she had known and liked And in that
case, too. she would probably not want
TO talk IL she drove home from the ceme-
terry with his brother: nor would she
want the brother to talk Neverthe-
less. too much silence is open to suspi-
cion. 1t may be reticence. or it may be
vacuum 1t may be dignity. or it may be
false teeth. -.
Silence can he golden? Yes But per-
haps IL n woman of the world should find
herself by accident sitting beside man
for the length of time It must necessarily
take two slow old horses to jog three
riiles. she might expect that man to say
something OF some sort! II he did not
even try, but sat every step of the way
dumb as frozen fish. she might
think him frozen Ash. And she might
be right. She might be right IL she
thought him about as pleasant a com
psnion-ns Bildad the Shuhitei
Bibbs closed his notebook, replacing
1t In his trunk. Then. after a period
of melancholy contemplation, he un-
dressed, put on dressing gown and
slippers, and went softly out into the
hall--to his fathers door. Upon the
floor was tray which Bibbs had sent
George. earlier in the evening, to place
upon table in Sheridan's room-but
the food was untouched. Bibbs stood
listening outside the door for several
minutes. There came no sound from
within, and he went back to his own
room and to bed.
In the morning he woke to 4 state
OF being hitherto unknown in his ex
perience. Sometimes in the process
of waking there is n little pause
sleep has gone, hut coherent thought
has not begun. 1t is the moment, as
we say, before we remember" and
for the first time in Bibbs' life it came
to him bringing a vague happiness.
However, it was n brief visitation and
was gone before he had finished dress
ing. 1t left little trail, the pleased
recollection of it and the puzzle of 1t,
which remained unsolved. And. IN
ga-% waxing happily N the morning is