Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1916-09-21
IthurSt. II believe" she

1 understand he has never seemed 50
interested III tne-the other one"
Her husbands face was dark, but at
that heavier shadow fell upon it; he
looked more haggard than before.
1.-THE other one" he repeated, avert
ing his eyes. You mean-you mean
the third son-the one that was here
this EVENING""
Eyes, the-the youngest she re-
| turned, her voice SO feeble it was al
most a whisper.
And then neither Of them spoke for
several minutes. Nor did either look
at the other during that silence.
At last Mr.. Vertrees contrived to
cough, but not convincingly. "What-
ah-what was it Mary said about
him this afternoon? 1 didn't ah-hap-
pen to catch it."
"She-she didn't say much. All she
said was this: He's the most Wistful
creature I've ever known"
"Well?"
''That was all. He is wistful-look-
ing; and so fragile. II hadn't known
about him I'd have thought he had
quite an interesting face"
IF you hadn't known about him?
! Known What?"
ooh, nothing, of course" she said,
hurriedly. Nothing definite, that is
Mary said decidedly, long ago, that
| he's not at all insane, as we thought
at first. It's only-well, of course it is
odd, their attitude about him. I sup
| pose it's some nervous trouble that
| makes him-perhaps a little queer at
times, so that he can't apply himself
| to anything-or perhaps does odd
| things. But, after all, of course we
only have an impression about it. We
don't knOw-that is, positively. l."
She paused, then went on: Il didn't
know just how to ask-that isl
didn't mention 1t to Mary. l didn't
L" The poor lady foundered pitt
fully, concluding with humble $50
soon after-after the-the shock"
II don't think I've caught more than
a glimpse of him." said Mr.. Vertrees.
81 wouldn't know him if 1 saw him,
but your impression of him is He
broke off suddenly, springing to his
| feet in agitation. 81 can't imagine
Rer-oh nor he gasped. And he began
to pace the floor "a haIf-wttted cpl
lepticr'
mo, nor she crieS. He may be all
right. We"
"Oh, it's horrible! I can't" He
threw himself back into his chair
again, sweeping his hands across his
| face, then letting them fall Imply at
! his sides.
Mrs. Vertrees was tremulous. you
mustn't give way So" she said, inspired
for once almost to direct discourse.
''Whatever Mary might think of doing,
it wouldn't be on her own account; it
would be on ours. But if we should
should consider it, that wouldn't be on
our own account. 1t isn't because we
think of ourselves"
''Oh God, mol" he groaned. ''Not for
US! We can go to the poorhouse, but
Mary can't be a stenographer!"
Signing, Mrs. Vertrees resumed her
| obliqueness. "Of course" she muir
INJURED, 'it all seems very premature,
| specializing about such things, but
had a queer sort of feeling that she
seemed quite interested in this" She
had almost said sin this one," but
| checked herself 'In this young man.
| It's natural, of course; she is always
so strong and well, and he is-he seems
to be, that is-rather appealing to the
the sympathies."
''Yesv he agreed, bitterly. precise
| ly. The sympathies!
Perhaps" she faltered-'perhaps
you might feel easier if I could have a
little talk with sOmeOneY
with whom2"
81 had thought of-not going about
it too bruSquely, of course, but perhaps
just waiting for his name to be men
toned, if l happened to be talking with
somebody that knew the family and
then | might find a chance to say that
[ was sorry to hear he'd been i'll so
much, and Something Of that kind
perhaps?"
you don't know anybody that
knows the family"
Yes. That is-well, in a way, of
course, one of the family. That Mrs.
Roscoe Sheridan is not a--that is, she's
rather a pleasant-faced little woman,
| think, and of course rather ordinary.
[ think she is interested about-that is,
Of course, she'd be anxious to be more
intimate with Mary, naturally. She's
always looking over here from her
house; she was looking out of the win
dow this afternoon when Mary went
out, l noticed-though l don't think
Mary saw her. I'm sure she wouldn't
think 1t out of place to-to be frank
about matters. She called the other
day, and Mary must rather like her
she said that evening that the call had
done her good. Don't you think it
might be WiseY
wise? l don't know. l feel that
the whole matter is impossible"
Yes, so do t. she returned, prompt
~. "It isn't really a thing we should
be considering seriously, Of course.
Still
Il should say not! But possibly"
Thus they skirmished up and down
the field, but before they turned the
lights out and went upstairs it was