The Elk Mountain pilot., 1916-10-26

mite errand.
were chatting about some of the
people here in town the other day."
said Sibyl, repeating the cooling and
protracting 1t. "They said something
that took me by surprise! We were
talking about our mutual friend, Mr..
Robert Lamhorn-"
Mary interrupted her promptly. eve
shouldn't consider Mr.. Robert Lam
horn a friend Of ours"
To her surprise, sibyl nodded eager
ly, as If greatly pleased. That's just
the way Mrs. Kittersby talkedr' she
cried, with 4 vehemence that made
Mary stare. Eyes, and hear that's
the way all you old families here
speak of himv'
Mary looked aside, but otherwise
she was able to maintain her compos-
ure. Il had the impression he was
friend of yours" she said, adding,
hastily, land your husbands"
"Oh, yes" said the caller, absently.
HE Is, certainly. A mans reputation
for little gayety 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 q 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 disapprove of Miss Sheridan's do
ing so?"
THAT'S It exactlyv' was the naive
and ardent response of Sibyl. What
l feel about 1t Is that man with his
reputation isn't at all suitable for
Edith, and the family ought to be
made to understand 1t. 1 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 glimpse of 1t, as one
might catch glimpse of thing dart
ing forth and then scuttling back into
hiding under bush.
"Of course" said Sibyl, much more
composedly, II 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 1 can't help fretting about it
1t would break my heart to have
Edith's life spoiled"
This tune was of the key, to Mary's
ear. Sibyl tried to sing with pathos,
but she flatted.
"And Edlths life would be spoiled" I"
Sibyl continued. "It would be a
dreadful thing for the whole family.
She's the very apple of Father Sheri-
dams eye. and 1t would be horrible
thing for him to have her marry n
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 flnds out, and then 1t would
be too late. You see, Miss Vertrees,
It's very difficult for me to decide just
what it's my duty to do"
81 see," said Mary, looking at her
thoughtfully. "Does Miss Sheridan
seem TOTO care very much about
himf"
Hes deliberately fascinated her."
returned the visitor, beginning 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 fish.
All he cares about Is his own pleasure,
and lately he's decided it would be
pleasant to get hold of n piece of real
money-and there was Edith! And
he'll marry her! He told me so last
night. He said he was going to marry
her the first minute he could persuade
her to tt-and little Edlth's all ready
to be persuadedw Sibyrs 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 himv'
And then Mary understood. Her
lips parted and she stared at the bab-
bling creature incredulously, sudden
vivid picture in her mind, canvas of
unconscious Sibyrs painting. Mary
beheld it with pity and horror; she
saw Sibyl clinging to Robert Lamhorn.
raging, in 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 brutally let
ting her have the truth; and at last,
infuriated, Swearing to marry her
rival. If Sibyl had not babbled out
the word "swore" it might have been
less plain.
The poor woman blundered on,
wholly unaware of what she had con-
fessed. you see," she said, more qui-
city uwhafeynr,a rninp to be done