Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1916-04-21

! Jr., beaic:ulse he didn't see anything OUT
of place in the Sheridan building in
i sugar."
Mrs. vertrees' expression had lost
none of it's anxiety and she shook hel
head sravcly. MY dear, dear child"
she said. lit seems to me- 1t looks
I'm afraid"
"Say as much Of it as you can
mamma" said Mary, eneouragingly. III
can get it, if you'll just give me one
keyword.''
Everything you say Mrs. Yer
trees began, timidly. seems to havfa
the all. Of 1t is as if you were seek
ing toto make yourself
"Oh, see! You mean sound as il /
I were trying to force myself to IKE
him"
Not exactly, Mary. That wasn't
quite what l meant" said Mrs. Yer
trees, speaking direct untruth with per.
feet Inconsistencies. "But you said
that-that you found the latter part
of the evening at young Mrs. Sheri.
dams unentertaining-" Z
''And as Mr.. James Sheridan was
there, and saw more of him than al
dinner, and had a horribly stupid time
in spite of that, you think - And
then it was Mary who left the deduc.
ton unfinished. :, Is
Mrs. Vertrees nodded; and though
both the mother and the daughter I'm.
derstood, Mary felt it better to make
the understanding definite.
"Well," she asked, gravely, lis there
anything else can do? You and papa
don't want me to do anything that dis
tresses me, and so, as this is the only
thing to be done, it seems it's up to me
not to let it distress me. That's all
there is about it, isn't it," -
But nothing must distress you!"
the mother cried. T
'"That's what I say!' said Mary,
| cheerfully. ''And 50 it doesn't. It's
| all right" She rose, and took her cloak
over her arm, as if to 80 to her own
room. But on the way to the door she
stopped. and stood leaning against the
| foot of the bed, contemplating thread.
bare rug at her feet. Mother, you've
| told me a thousand times that it doesn't
! really ma liter whom a girl marries."
"No, no!' Mrs. Vertrees protested. u
| never said such "a
"No, not in words; mean what you
meant It's true, isn't it, that marriage
1 80 lint fold
of battle'?. 10 get right down to it, a
girl could fight it out with anybody,
couldn't she? One man as well as an.
other?" ... -.v.s#. ... .
"Mary. can't bear for you to talk
like that" And Mrs. Vertrees lifted
pleading eyes to her daughter-eyes
that begged to be spared. 1T sounds
almost reckless
Mary caught the appeal, came to her;
and kissed her gayly. "Never fret,
dear! Pm not likely to do anything !
don't want to-I've always been too
thorough going little pig u
She gave her mother final kiss and
went gaylYt all the way to the door this
thine, pauAng ssfof hen postscript with
her hand on the knob. "Oh, the one
that caught me looking in the window,
mamma, the youngest one"
did he speak Of it," Mrs. vertrees
asked, apprehensively. ii
"No. He didn't speak at all, that I
saw, to anyone. didn't meet him,
But he isn't insane, I'm sure; or il he
is, he has long intervals when he's not.
Mr.. James Sheridan mentioned that ha
lived at home when he was well
enough; and it may be he's only an I'M
valid. He looks dreadfully I'LL, but
he has pleasant eyes, and it struck me-
that Tiff one were in the Sheridan
family"-she laughed little ruefully
The might be interesting to talk to
sometimes, when there was too much
stocks and bonds. didn't see him att
er dinner"
There must be something wrong
with him." said Mrs. Vertrees. They'd !,
have introduced him if there weren't
Il don't know. His father spoke OF
sending him back to machine shop
of some sort; ! glanced at him just
then and he was pathetic-looking
enough before that, but the most tragic
change came over him. He seemed
just to die, right there at the table,"
"Mr Sheridan must be very unfeel.
ing"
NO said Mary. thoughtfully, II
don't think he is; but he might be I'M
comprehending, and certainly he's the
kind of man to do anything he once
sets out to do. But wish hadn't been
looking at that poor boy just then!
I'm afraid III keep remembering
II wouldn't" Mrs. Vertrees smiled
family. and in her smile there was the
remotest ghost of a genteel roguish-
ness. I'D keep my mind on pleasanter
things, Mary
Mary laughed and nodded Eyes, in.
deed! Plenty pleasant enough, and
probably, If all were known, too good
even for me!''
And when she had gone Mrs. Yer.
trees drew long breath. as If a bur.
den were OF her mind, and, smiling,
began to undress in gentle reverie.
| (To be Continued)