The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1916-07-27
CHAPTER xIl-continued.


There came second explosion, and
Uncle Gideon ran out into the hall.
Bibbs went to the head of the great
staircase. and, looking down, discov-
cred the source of the disturbance.
Gldeon's grandson, boy OF fourteen,
had brought his camera to the funeral
and was taking flashlights" of the
Moor. Uncle Gideon, reassured by
Bibbs' explanation, would have re-
turned TO finish his quotation from Bill
dad the Shuhlte, but Bibbs detained
him, and after little argument per-
suaded him 10 descend to the dining
room whittier Blbbs followed, after
,losing the door of his fathers room.
He kept his eyes on Gideon after
dinner, automatically preventing sew
eral attempts on the part OF that COM
forter to rcascend the stairs; and 1t
was a relief TO Bibbs when George an
nounced that an automobile was wait.
ing 10 convey the ancient man and
his grandson to their train. They were
the last TO leave, and when they had
gone Bibbs went sighlng to his own
room.
He stretched himself wearily upon
the bed, but presently rose, went to
at the darkened house where Mary
Vertrces lived. Then he opened his
trunk, took therefrom a small notebook
half filed with fragmentary scrib-
blings, and began to write:
Laughter after a funeral. In this re-
Ncticn people will laugh at anything and
at nothing. The band plays a dlrge on
the way to the cemetery, but when II
lurns back. and the mourning carriages
are out of hearing. 1t strikes up. Dark
town Is Out Tonight" That Is natural
but there are women whose laughter Is
ike the whlrring of whips. -.
Beauty is not out of place among grave
stones. II Is not out OF place anywhere.
But woman who has been betrothed to
a man would not look beautiful at his
funeral. A woman might look beautiful
though, at the funeral of man whom
she had known and liked. And In that
case. too. she would probably not want
to talk IL she drove home from the ceme-
terry with his brother; nor would she
want the brother to talk. .. Neverthe-
less, too much silence is open to suspl-
sion. II may be reticence, or II may be a
vacuum. 1t may be dignity, or II may be
false teeth.
Silence can be golden? Yes. But per
haps II a woman OF the world should find
herself by accident sitting beside mar
for the length OF time II must necessarily
take two slow old horses to jog three
miles. she might expect that man TO say
something of some sort II he did not
even try. but sat every step OF the way
as dumb as frozen fish, she might
think him a frozen fish. And she might
be right. She might be right II sh,
thought him about as pleasant a com
1anion-as Bildad the shuhite!
Bibbs closed his notebook, replacing
Il in his trunk. Then, after period
Of melancholy contemplation, he un
dressed, put OIL a dressing gown ant
slippers, and went softly out into thu
ball-to his fathers door. Upon tn,
floor was tray which Bibbs had sen
George. earlier In the evening, TO plac,
lpon a table in Sheridan's room-bu
The food was untouched. Bibbs stoot
listening outside the door for severa
minutes. There came no sound from
within. and he went back to his owl
room and to ned.
In the morning he woke to a stat
u being hitherto unknown in his ex
perlence. Sometimes In the process
OF waking there is little pause
sleep hus gone, but coherent though
has not begun. 1t Is the moment, n
we say, before we "remember;" ant
Cor the FIRST time in Bibbs' life 1t cam
to him bringing a vague happiness
However, 1t was a brief visitation AM
was gone before he had finished dress
ing. IL left little trail, the please
recollection Of 1t and the puzzle OF Il
which remained unsolved. Ard. 4
fact. waking happily In the morning