Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1916-09-14

to another matter; and Mary per
ceived that she had come upon a def
mite GRAND
Mrs. Kittersby and her daughter
were chatting about some of the
people here in town the other day"
said SibyI, repeating the cooling and
prOtracting it, "They said something
that took me by surprise! We were
talking about our mutual friend, Mr..
Robert LamhOrn-''
Mary interrupted her promptly. owe
Shouldn't consider Mr.. Robert Lam
horn a friend of ours"
To her surprise, SibyI nodded eager
", as If greatly pleased. That's just
the way Mrs. Kittersby talkedr' she
cried, with a vehemence that made
Mary stare. Yes, and I hear that's
the way all you old families here
speak of him!'
Mary looked aside, but otherwise
she was able to maintain her compos-
ure. Il had the impression he was a
friend of yours" she said, adding,
hastily, "and your husbands"
ooh, yes" said the caller, absentIy.
''He is, certainly. A mans reputation
for a little gayety Oughtn't to make a
great difference to married people, of
course. It's where young girls are in
question. Then it may be very, very
dangerous. There are a great many
things safe and proper for married
people that might be awf'Iy imprudent
for a young girl Don't you agree,
Miss Vertrees?'
81 don't know" returned the frank
Mary. do you mean that you intend
to remain a friend of Mr. LamhOrn's,
but disapproye Of Miss Sheridans do
Ing sop
That's it exactIyr' was the naive
and ardent response of SibyL "What
/ feel about it is that q man with his
reputation isn't at all suitable for
Edith, and the family ought to be
made to understand it. l tell you"
she cried, with sudden access of We
hemence, "'her father ought to put his
foot DOWN.
Her eyes flashed with a green
spark; something seemed to leap out
and then retreat, but not before Mary
had caught a glimpse Of it, as one
might catch a glimpse of a thing dart
ing forth and then scuttling back into
hiding under a bush.
'Of course" said Sibyl, much more
cOmpOsedly, Il hardly need say that
it's entirely on Edith's account that
I'm worried about this. I'm as fond
of Edith as If she was really my sis
ter, and [ can't help fretting about It,
It would break my heart to have
Edith's life spoiled"
This tune was off the key. to Mary's
ear. Sibyl tried 10 sing with pathOs,
but she fatted
"And EditA's life would be spoiled"
Sibyl continued. 1T would be a
dreadful thing for the whole family.
She's the very apple of Father Sheri-
dams eye and it would be a horrible
thing for him to have her marry a
man like Robert LamhOrn; but he
doesn't know anything about him, and
If somebody doesn't tell him. what I'm
most afraid of is that Edith might get
his consent and hurry on the wedding
before he finds out. and then it would
be too late. You see, Miss VertreeS,
it's very difficult for me to decide just
what it's my duty to do
Il see" said Mary, looking at her
thoughtfully. docs Miss Sheridan
seem TOTO care very much about
him?"
Hes deliberately fascinated her."
returned the visitor, beginni1 TO
breathe quickly and heavily. She was
launched now; her eyes were furious
and her voice shook. He went after
her deliberately, the way he does ev-
erything; he's as cold blooded as a fish.
All he cares about is his own pleasure,
and lately he's decided it would be
pleasant to get hold of a piece Of real
money-and there was Edith! And
he'll marry her! He told me so last
might. He said he was going to marry
her the first minute he could persuade
her to it-and little Edith's all ready
TO be persuadedr' SibyPs eyes flashed
green again. And he swore he'd do
it." she painted He swore he'd
marry Edith Sheridan, and nothing on
earth could stop htmr'
And then Mary understood. Her
lips parted and she stared at the bab-
Bling creature incredulously, q sudden
vivid picture in her mind. a canvas Of
unconscious SibyFs painting. Mary
beheld it with pity and horror; she
saw Sibyl clinging to Robert Lamhorn,
raging, in a whisper, perhaps-for ROs-
coe might have been in the house, or
servants might have heard. She saw
Sibyl entreating, beseeching, threaten
ing despairingly, and Lamhorn-tired
of her--first evasive, then brutality let
ting her have the truth; and at last,
Infatuated, swearing to marry her
rival. If Sibyl had not babbled out
the word ''swore" 1t might have been
less plain.
The poor woman Numbered on,
wholly unaware of what she had con-
fessed You see," she said, more qui-
city, "whatever's going to be done
ought to be done right away. l went
over and told Mother Sheridan what
I'd heard about Lamhorn. but Mother
Sheridan's under Edith's thumb, and
she's afraid to ever come right out
No4I hn, 40 -