The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1916-07-13

fuVthcts, uef mtuu Vtnlhly Wnuueflnk
to another matter: and Mary per.
celved that she had come upon q den-
mite errand.
Mrs, kittersby and her daughter
were chatting about some Of the
people here In town the other day"
said sibyi, repeating the cooling and
protrncting Il. ''rhey said something
that took me BY surprised We were
talking about our mutual friend, Mr..
Robert I.amhorn-"
Mary interrupted her promptly. ave
shouldn't consider Mr.. Robert Lam
horn n friend OF ours"
To her surprise, sibyi nodded eager
ly. as II greatly pleased. That's just
the way Mrs. Kittersby talkedr' she
cried, with q vehemence that made
Mary stare. Eyes, and I hear that's
the way all you old families here
speak OF hlmr'
Mary looked aside, but otherwise
ure. II had the impression he was a
friend Of yours" she said, adding,
hastily, "and your husbands"
"Oh, yes" said the caller, absently.
HE Is, certainly. A mans reputation
for a little gryety oughtn't to make a
great difference to married people. of
course. It's where young girls are In
question. Then 1t may be very, very
dangerous. There are a great many
things safe and proper for married
people that might be awf'ly imprudent
for young girl. Don't you agree,
Miss Vertreesf'
II don't know" returned the frank
Mary. "Do you mean that you intend
to remain a friend OF Mr.. Lamhorn's,
but disapprove Of Miss sheridan's do
ing soY
That's II exactlyr' was the naive
and ardent response Of Sibyl. "What
feel about II Is that a man with his
reputation isn't at all suitable for
Edith. and the family ought to be
made to understand 1t. tell you,"
she cried, with a sudden access Of We
hemepce, her father ought to put his
foot DOWN.
Her eyes flashed with green
spark; something seemed to leap out
and then retreat, but not before Mary
had caught a glimpse OF II, as one
might catch a glimpse of q thing dart
ing forth and then scuttllng back snto
hiding under a bush.
"Of course" said Sibyi, much more
composedly. III hardly need say that
it's entirely on Edith's account that
I'm worried about this. I'm as fond
of Edith as IL she was really my SIS
ter. and 1 can't help fretting about It.
1t would break my heart to have
Edith's life spoiled"
, This tune was or the key, to Mary's
ear. Slbyl tried to sing with pathos
! but she fiatted.
"And Edith's life would be spoiled, y
| Sibyl continued. "It would be a
dreadful thing for the whole family
She's the very apple Of Father Sheri
r dams eye, and 1t would be horribl,
3 thing for him to have her marry q
$ man like Robert Lamhorn; but ht
5 doesn't know anything about him, and
! IL somebody doesn't tell him, what I'm
/. most afraid of is that Edith might ge
l his consent and hurry on the wedding
2 before he finds out, and then It would
3 be too late. You see, Miss Vertrees
It's very. difficult for me to decide jus
t what it's my duty to do"
~ see," said Mary, looking at hel
{; thoughtfully. "Does Miss Sheridan
= seem toto care very much abou
! him?"
!. Hes deliberately fascinated her.
i returned the visitor, beginning I,
breathe quickly and heavily. She wal
= launched now; her eyes were furious
2 and her voice shook. HE went afte
e her deliberately, the way he does ev
1 erythlng; he's as cold-blooded as fish
!, All he cares about Is his own pleasure
y and lately he's decided It would b,
y pleasant to get hold of a piece of lea
e money-and there was Edith! Ant
}, he'll marry herl He told me so las
r night. He said he was going to MARI,
{ her the first minute he could persuade
d her to it-and little Edith's all read.
$ to be persuadedw Sibyls eyes flashed
green again. "And he swore he'd d.
t It." she painted. "He swore he'C
t marry Edith Sheridan. and nothing OIL
o earth could stop himp'
I And then Mary understood. He
t lips parted and she stared at the bah
e bling creature incredulously, n suddel
a vivid picture in her mind, a canvas o
: unconscious Slbyrs painting. Mar.
! beheld 1t with pity and horror; sh
b saw Sibyl clinging to Robert Lamhorr
a raging, in whisper, perhaps-for Ros
n coe might have been In the house, o
l. servants might have heard. She saw
Sibyl entreatlng, beseeching, threaten
l. ing despairingly. and Lamhorn-tire,
t. of her--first evaslve, then brutally lei
ting her have the truth; and at last
t infuriated, swearing" to marry he
" rival. If Sibyl had not babbled on
the word "swore" 1t might have bee
l. less plain