Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1916-06-11
CHAPTER XXI.

The Sheridans dined on Sundays at
five. Sibyl had taken pains not to ar
rive either before or after the hand
was precisely on the hour, and the
members Of the family were all seated
at the table within two minutes after
she and Roscoe had entered the house.
it was glum gathering, Overhung
with pOrtents. The air seemed charged.
awaiting any tiny ignition to explode;
and Mrs. Sheridan's expression. as
she sat with her eyes fixed almost con-
tinually upon her husband. was that
Of a person engaged in prayer. Edith
was pale and intent. Roscoe looked
i'll: Sibyl looked Ill, and Sheridan
looked both i'll and explosive. Bibbs
had more color than any of these, and
there was a strange brightness, like a
light, upon his face. 1t was curious
! to see anything so happy in the tense
gloom of that household.
Edith ate little She never once
looked at Sibyl though Sibyl now and
then gave her quick glance, heavily
charged, and then looked away. ROs-
coe ate nothing. He did not once look
ut his father, though bis father gaZed
heavily at him most OF the time. And
between Edith and Sibyl, and between
Roscoe and his father, some bitter
wireless communication seemed con-
tinually to be taking place throughout
the long silences prevailing during this
enlivening ceremony Of Sabbath refec-
ton.
Didn't you go to church this morn
ing, Bibbs?' his mother asked, in the
effort to break up one Of those CHASTITY
intervals.
81 think sO,'' he answered, as from
q rOseate trance.
"You think so! Don't you know?''
ooh. yes. Yes, / went to church,
"What was the sermon about?"
"What, mother?"
Cant you hear me" she cried. ~
asked you what the sermon was
about"
He reused himself. 81 think it was
about" He frowned, seeming to con-
centrate his will to recollect. II think
it was about something in the Bible. "
White jacket George was glad of an
opportunity to leave the room and lean
upon Mist Jackson's shoulder in the
pantry. Gle don't know they was
any suhmon!" he concluded, having
narrated the dining-roOm dialogue.
'All he know is he was with at lady
lives mex do" George was right.
did you go to church all by your
self, Bibbs?" Sibyl asked.
NO" he answered. no, didn't 60
alone"
"Oh?" Sibyl gave the ejaculation
an upward twist, us Of mocking in
quiry, and followed 1t by another, ex-
pressive of hilarious comprehension.
"Ohw
Bibbs looked at her studiOusly. but
she spoke no further. And that COM
pleted the conversation at the lugu.
brious feast.
Coffee came finally, was disposed
Of quickly, and the party dispersed to
other parts of the house. Bibbs fol-
lowed his father and Roscoe into the
library, but was not well received.
You 20 and listen to the phono-
graph with the women-folks,' Sheri-
dan commanded.
Bibbs retreated. "Sometimes you do
seem to be hard sort Of man!' he
said.
However. he went obediently into
the gilt-and- brOcade room to which his
mother and his sister and his sister,
in-law had helplessly withdrawn. ac-
cortling to their Sabbatical custom.
Mrs. Sheridan was looking over COZ
lection of records consisting exclu'
sively of Caruso apd ragtime. She
selected one Of the latter, remarking
! that she thought it right pretty and
followed it with one of the former and
the same remark.
AS the second reached its conclusion,
George appeared in the broad door
way, but he did not speak. Instead.
he favored Edith with a benevolent
smile, and she Immediately left the
room, George disappearing after her
in the hall with an air of successful
diplomacy. He made it perfectly clear
that Edith had given him secret in
structions and that it had been his
pride and pleasure to fulfill them to
the letter.
Sibyl stiffened in her chair; her lips
parted, and she watched with curious
eyes the vanishing back of the white
jacket.
whats that?" she asked, in low
voice. but sharply.
Here's another right pretty record"
said Mrs. Sheridan, affecting-with
patent nervousness--not to hear. And
she Embossed the music.