The herald-advance. (Milbank, S.D.) 1890-1922, 1916-08-25
CHAPTER XIII.

CHAPTER Kilt.
The outward usualness Of Things
continued after dinner. In the library,
while his wife sat in her customary
chair, gazing at the FIRE, Sheridan let
the unfolded evening paper rest upon
his lap, though o and then he lifted
II, as IL to reAu. Bibbs came in noise
lessly and sat In Q corner, doing moth
ing; and from q reception room"
across tho hall an indistinct vocal m,lr-
mur became just audible at intervals.
Once, when this murmur grew louder,
under stress Of some irrepressibie mer-
riment. Edith's voice could be heard
Bobby. aren't you awful" and Sheri-
dan glanced across at his wife appeal
ingly.
She rose at once and went into the
reception ROOM there was a furry Of
whispering. aud the sound II tiptoeing
in the hall-Edith and her sutton
changing quarters to q more distant
room. Mrs. Sheridan returned to her
chair in the library.
They won't bother you any moro.
papa" she said, In a comforting voice.
"She told me at lunch he'd 'phoned he
wanted to come up this evening, and
l said I thought he'd better wait q few
days. but she said she'd already told
him he could" She paused. then added,
rather guiltily: Il got kind Of q notion
maybe Roscoe don't like him as much
as he used TO-. Maybe-maybe you bet
ter ask Roscoe, papa" And rs sher-
idan nodded solemnly, she concluded,
in haste: Don't say l said to. l might
be wrong about 1t, anyway"
He nodded again, and they sat fos
some time in a silence which MIRA
Sheridan broke with a little sniff, hav.
ing fallen into a reveric that brought
tears. THAT Miss Nertrees was a good
girl" she said. ''She was all right"
Her husband evidently had no diff
Guilty in following her train OF thought,
for he nodded once more, alirlna.
lively.
Ibid you How did you fix It about
the-the Realty company" she fall
tered. did YOU"
He rose heavily. helping himself ia
his feet by the arms Of his chair. .!
fixed It," he said, in a husky voice. IIe
went to her, put his hand upon her
shoulder, and drew q long, audible. tire
mendous breath. ats my bedtime,
mamma; I'm goin' up" When he
reached the door be stopped and spoke
again, without turning to look at her.
The Realty company1l go right on
just the same" he said Its Ike
it's like sand, mamma. It puts me in
mind OF children playin' in Z sand
| pile. One Of 'em sticks his finger In
the sand-pii and makes 4 hole, and
another Of EN- II pat the place with
his hand. and all the little grains
! Of sand run in and Fill It up aud set.
de against one another: and then
right Gway it's nat on top again, and
you can't tell there ~ was 4 hole
there. The Realty company II SO or
all right, mamma. There amt any
things anywhere. reckon, thai
wouldn't 80 right on-tnst the same"
And he passed ont slowly into the
hall; then they heard his heavy tread
upon the stairs.
Mrs. Sheridan, rising to follow him
turned a piteous face to her son. cts
SO forlorn." she said. chokingly. That!
the first time he spoke since he came
in the house this evening. I know i
must "a hurt him to hear Edit
laughin' with that Lamhorn. She't
oughtn't to let him como. right the very
first evening this way; shed oughtn'
to done It! She Just seems to lose hel
head over him. and It scares NIX. Yor
heard what Sibyl said the other day
and-and you heard what-what-"
What Edith said to Sibylf" Blbbs
finished the sentence for her.
I'VE can't have any trouble O. tina
kind.' she walled. "Oh. 1t looks Is /.