Meade County news., 1917-05-24
CHAPTER II-continued.

She came up to him and, at arms
length, touched him with cautious
finger-tips. "And do, please, there's a
dear boy" she pleaded, 'hurry as fast
as you can, and then come down and
be as nice as you can"-she hesitated
Especially to Hermione Woodruff.
She thinks you're a wonder and
don't want her to be disappointed"
"The widdy?" he asked. "Sure I'll
be nice to her."
She looked after him rather dubious
ly as he disappeared in the direction
of her husbands bathroom. There was
sort of hilarious contentment about
him which filled her with mfsgivings.
Well, they were justified!
According to Violet Williamson's ac-
count, given confidentially in the draw
ing-room afterward, it was really Her
mione's fault. "She just wouldn't let
Rodney alone-would keep talking
about crimes and Lombroso and
psychiatric laboratories-Pll bet she'd
got hold of a paper of his somewhere
and read it. Anyway, at last she
said, 4 believe Doctor Randolph would
agree with me- He was talking to
me then, but maybe that isn't why
she did it. Well, and Rodney straight
ened up and said, SIS that Randolph,
the alienistT You see he hadn't
caught his name when they were in
troduced. And that's how it started.
Bermione was game-I'n admit that.
She listened and kept looking inter-
ested, and every now and then said
something. Sometimes they'd take the
trouble to smile and say Yes, indeed !
politely, you know, but other times
they wouldn't pay any attention at all,
just roll along over her and smash
her flat-like what's his name-Jug-
gernaut."
"You don't need to tell me that"
said Frederick. "All 1 didn't know
was how it started. Didn't sit there
and watch fora mortal hour, not able
to do a thing? 1 tried to signal to
Martin, but Of course he wasn't oppo-
site to me, and :"
'He did all he could, really" Violet
assured her. 81 told him to go to
the rescue, and he did, bravely. But
what with Hermione being so nifty
about getting frozen out, and Martin
himself being so interested in what
they were shouting at leach other
because it was frightfully interest
ing, you know, if you don't have to
pretend you understood it-why, there
wasn't much he could do"
In the light of this disaster, she
was rather glad the men fingered in
the dining-room as long as they did
glad that Hermione had ordered her
car for ten and took the odd girl with
her. She made no effort to resist the
departure of the others, with reason
able promptitude, in their train.
When, after the front door had closed
for the last time, Martin released a
long yawn, she told him to run along
to bed; she wanted to talk to Rodney,
who was to spend the night while his
own clothes were drying out in the
laundry.
"Good night, old chap!" said Martin
in accents of lively commiseration,
'I'm glad I'm not in for what you are"
Rodney found a pipe, sat down
astride a spindling little chair, settled
his elbows comfortably on the back of
1t, and then asked his sister what Mar
tin had meant-what was he in for?
Frederica, curled up in a corner of
the sofa, looked at him at first with a
Wry pucker between her eyebrows,
then with smile, and finally answered |
his question. "Nothlng," she said. 81
mean, l was going to scold you, but |
I'm not"
linen, "Oh, was furious with you
an hour ago." she went on. "rd made |
such a really beautiful plan for you,
and then sat and watched you in that
thoroughgoing way of yours kicking
1t all to bits. The plan was, of course,
to marry you off to Hermione Wood
ruff"
He turned this over in his deliberate
way, during the process Of blowing |
two or three smoke rings, began |
gradually to grin, and said at last:
"That was some plan, little sister. |
How do you think of things like that?
You ought to write romances for the
magazines"
Il don't know" she objected. eff
reasonableness counted for anything |
In things like that, 1t was a pretty
GooS plan It would have to be some