Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1916-05-04

son, Mr.. James Sheridan. Jr. Mrs
| Sheridan said his father is very anx'
ious to get Jim to marry and settle
down. and she assured me that Him IL
right cultivated Another OF the sons
youngest one. they didn't seem to con.
slider quite one Of themselves, some
how The other brother is the middle
| one, Roscoe; he's the one that owns the
| new house across the street. where that
young black sheep of the Lamhorns
Robert. goes so often. Papa" Shit
stepped nearer to him 50 that he had tt
face her, and his eyes were troubled
as he did. There may have been
| trouble deep within her own. but she
kept their surface merry with laughter
Papa, Bibbs is the youngest one,
name, and Bibbs-to the best of our in
formation-is a lunatic. Roscoe Il
married. Papa. does II have to bs
Jim?"
MARY" Mrs. yertrees cried. sharp
ly. You're outrageousl That's per
fectly horrible way of taIkingw
well, I'm close to twenty-four,'
said Mary. turning to her. 81 haven't
been able to like anybody yet that's
asked me to marry him, and maybe
never shall. Until year or so ago I'vt
| had everything | ever wanted. in my
life-you and papa gave it all to me-
and it's about time I began to pay
back. Unfortunately, don't know
how to do anything--but something's
got to be done"
But you needn't talk Of ii like THAR
insisted the mother. plaintlvely. "It'i
| motifs not
mo, it's not said Mary. 81 know
thatw
How did they happen to ask you to
dinners? Mr.. Vertrees inquired. un.
easily. "Stextrawdn'ry thingr'
Climbers hospitality" Mary de-
fined it, 1--WE were so very cordial aud
easy! It's a sort OF house-warming
dinner. and they talked about 1t and
talked about it-and then the girl got
her courage up and blurted out the in
vitation. And mamma said that you
and she had promised to 90 to lecture
at the Emerson club tonight, but that
her daughter would be delighted to
come to the big show! So there | am,
and there's Mr.. Jim Sheridan--and
there's the clock! Dinners at seven
thirtyr'
And she ran out of the room. scoop
ing up her fallen furs with gesture
of flying grace as she sped.
When she came down, at twenty
minutes after seven, her father stood
In the hall. at the foot of the stairs.
waiting to be her escort through the
dark. He looked up and watched her
as she descended, and his gaze was
fond and proud--and profoundly dis
turbed. But she smiled and nodded
gayly. and, when she reached the floor,
put a hand on his shoulder.
"At least no one could suspect me to-
night" she said. II look rich. don't l..
papa?"
She did. she had look that wor.
shipful girl friends called regal" A
bead taller than her father, she was as
straight and jauntily poised as boy
| athlete: and her brown hair and her
brown eyes were like her mothers but
for the rest she went back to some
stronger and llvelier ancestor than
either OF her parents.
Don't look too rich TO be suspect
ed 2" she insisted
''You look everything beautiful.
Mary" he said. huskily.
''And my dress?" She threw open
her dark velvet cloak, showing splen-
dor of white and silver. Anything
better at Nice next winter, do you
think?" She laughed. shrouding her
| glittering figure in the cloak again.
Two years old, and no one would
dream it! did II over"
you can do anything, Mary"
There was curious humility in his
tone, and something more-a signli-
canoe not yelled and yet abysmally
| apologize. 1t was as il he suggested
something TO her and begged her for
giveness in the same breath.
And upon that, for the moment she
! became as serious as he. She lifted her
hand from his shoulder and then set
| ii back more firmly. so that he should
feel the reinsurance of its pressure.
Don't worry" she said. in low
voice and gravely. 81 know exactly
what you want me to do"