The Ordway new era., 1916-12-01


room to console the boy about Mary
vertrees' rejection Of his proposal Of
marriage. Instead, against his will,
the father rants about his sons need
for hard work-and suddenly halts his
abuse in the middle of 4 sentence.
Bibbs looked up patientiy-an old.
old look. Yes. father: I'm listening.
That's ALL" said Sheridan, frownlng
heavily That's all came to say. and
you better see t you remember IT.,
He shook his head warningly. and
went out, closing the door behind him
with a crash. However. no sound of
footsteps indicated his departure. He
stopped just outside the door. and
stood there minute or more. Then
abruptly he turned the knob and ex-
hibited to his son forehead literally
covered with perspira ton.
Look here" he said. GROSSLY. That
girl over yonder wrote Jim letter.
~ know" said Bibbs. "She told me
We'll [ thought you needn't feel so
much upset about it" The door closed
on his voice as he withdrew. but the
conclusion OF the sentence was never
theIess audible--if you knew she
wouldn't have Jim. either"
And he stamped his way downstairs
to tell his wife to quit her frettin' aud
not bother him with any more FOOLS
errands. She was about to inquire
what Bibbs "sald." but after second
thought she decided not to speak at all.
She merely murmured wordless as
sent. and verbal communication was
given over between them for the resi-
of the afternoon.
Bibbs and his father were gone when
Mrs. Sheridan woke. the next morning.
and she had Il dreary day. She missed
Edith woefully. and she worried about
what might be taking place In the
Sheridan building. She felt that every
thing depended on how Bibbs took
hold" and upon her husbands returu
In the evening she seized upon the first
opportunity to ask him how things hnf
gone. He was noncommittal. What
could anybody tell By the first day:
He'd seen plenty &c at things well
enough right at the start and then
slow up. Pretty aear anybody could
how up fair the first day or so. There
was a big job ahead. This material.
such as it was-Bibbs, in fact-had
TO be broken in to handling the work
Roscoe mad done: and then, at least as
an overseer. he must take Jim's posi-
tion In the Realty company as we'll
He told her to ask him again In
month.
But during the course OF dinner she
gathered from some disjointed remarks
of his that he and Bibbs had lunched
together at the small restaurant where
1t bad been Sheridnn's custom to
lunch With jim. and she took this to be
an encouraging sign. Bibbs went to
his room as soon as they left the table,
and he, husband was not conmunica-
tive after reading his paper
She became an anxious spectator of
Bibbs' progress as a man Of business.
although it was progress she could
glimpse but dimly and only in the eve
ming. through his remarks and his ia
theirs at dinner. Usually Bibbs was
silent. except when directly addressed.
but on the first evening Of the third
week of his new career he offered an
olinion which had apparently been the
sub:ecr of previous argument.
I'D like you to understand Just
what I meant about those storage
rooms. father" he said. as Jackson
placed his coffee before him. "Aber-
cromble agreed with me, but you
wouldn't listen to him"
you can talk. il you want to. and
I'll listen" Sheridan returned. but
you can't show me that Jim ever took
mp with bad thing. The roof fell be-
cause it hadn't had time to settle and
on account of weather conditions.
want that building put just the way
Jim planned it."
You can't have it, said Bibbs.
You can't. because Jim planned for
the building to stand up, and 1t won't
do It The other one-the one that
didn't fall-is SO shot with cracks we
haven't dared use 1t for storage. 1t
wont stand weight. There's only one
ching to do: Get both buildings down
NJ quickly az we can, and build over.
Bricks the best and cheapest In the
long run for that type"
Sheridan looked sarcastic. "Fine!
What we goin' to do for storage rooms
while we're waitin' for those few
hricks to be iaid?''
~sRent." Bibbs returned, promptly.
well iese money IL we don't rent
aa9heW-thsy were waiting 10 long for
- - eive the warehouse matter your
I. .at1ai1sa afSsr ~ soof fell. You don't
y ansa What u amsunt Of stun they've
- 111oeEn0 - - over there. We'd
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