Omaha daily bee., 1918-09-09
CHAPTER XVI-(Continued1

"Nothing-nothing, Miss Maggie,
replied the man. Then, with business
like alertness he lifted his chin. "Hov
long do you say this has been goine
on?'
why, especially since they all
came home two weeks ago. Jane
knew nothing of Donald Gray till
them
Where does Carl pennock come
in?"
Miss Maggie gave a gesture of de.
Spair
oh, he comes in anywhere that he
can find a chance; though, to do hel
justice, Mellicent doesn't give him
many chances"
What does her father say to all
this? How does he like young
Gray?"
Miss Maggie gave another gesture
of despair.
He says nothing-or rather, he
laughs, and says: oh, we'll, it will
come out all right in time. Young
folks will be young folks!"
But does he like Gray? He knows
him, of course
"Oh, yes, he likes him. He's taken
him to ride in his car once, to, my
knowledge.
His car! Then Mr.. Frank Blais-
dell has-a carr"
oh, yes, he's just been learning to
run it. Jane says he's crazy over it,
and that he's teasing her to 60 all the
time. She says he wants to be on the
move somewhere every minute. He's
that?"
well, no, I-didn't."
'Oh, yes, he's joined the Hillerton
Country club, and he goes up to the
links every morning for practice"
Il can't imagine it, Frank Blaisdell
spending his mornings playing golf"
You forget" smiled Miss Maggie.
Frank Blaisdell is a retired business
man. He has begun to take some
pleasure in life now"
"Humph" muttered Mr.. Smith. as
he turned to go into his own room.
Mr.. Smith called on the Frank
Blalsdells that evening. Mr.. Blas-
dell took him out to the garage Every
lately barn) and showed him the
shining new car. He also showed him
his lavish supply of golf clubs, and
told him what "bully time" he was
having these days. He told him, too.
all about his western trip and said
there was nothing like travel to
broaden mans outlook. He said a
great deal about how glad he was to
get out of the old grind behind the
counter-but in the next breath he
asked Mr.. Smith if he had ever seen
a store run down as his had done
since he had left it. Donovan didn't
known any more than cat how such
store should be run, he said
When they came back from the
garage they found callers in the liv-
ing room. Carl Pennock and Hibbard
Gaylord were chatting with Melli-
cent. Almost at once the doorbell
rang, too, and Donald Gray came in
with his violin and roll of music.
Mellicent's mother came in also. She
greeted all the young men pleasantly
and asked Carl Pennock all about his
fishing trip. Then she sat down by
young Gray and asked many cues
tons about his music She was so in
terested in violins, she said.
Gray waxed eloquent and seemed
wonderfully pleased-for about five
minutes; then Mr.. Smith saw that his
glance was shifting more and more
and more and more unhap-
PLY to Mellicent and Hubbard Cav
lord, talking tennis across the room. |
Mr.. Smith apparently lost interest |
in young Pennock's fish story then. |
At all events, another minute found |
him eagerly echoing Mrs. Blaisdell's |
interest in violins, but with this differ
ence: violins in the abstract with
her became violin in the concrete
with with him. and he must hear it at
Mrs. Jane herself could not have
told exactly how it was done, but she
Knew that two minutes later Young
Gray and Mellicent were at the piano,
1e' shlnlng-eyed and happy, drawing
/, tentative bow across the strings:
'he, no less shining-eyed and happy,
giving him "a" on the piano.
Mr.. Smith enjoyed the music verv
much that he begged for
another selection and yet another,
Mr.. Smith did not appear to realize
hat Messrs. Pennock and GAYLORD
we're passing through sham interest
and frank boredom to disguised sill
snce. Equally oblivious was he of
Mrs. James efforts to substitute some
other form of entertainment for the
violin playing. He shook hands very
heartily. however. with Pennock and
Gaylord when they took their some
what naughty departure little later
and strange to say, his interest in the
music seemed to go with their going:
or at once then he turned to Mr.. and
Mrs. Frank Blaisdell with a verv |
animated account of some Blaisdeil
1ata he had found only the week be-
ore.
He did not appear to notice that
he music of the piano had become
nothing but soft ftful snatches with
great deal of low talk and laughter
between. He seemed interested only
hat Mr.. Blaisdell, and especially
Mrs. Blaisdell, should know the init
nate history of one Ephraim Blais-
lell, born in 1920, and his 10 children
nd 49 grandchildren. He talked of
'arious investments then. and of the
weather.. He talked of the Blaisdells'
rip, and of the cost of railroad fares
nd hotel life. He talked-indeed.
Lrs. Jane told her husband after he
eft that Mr.. Smith had talked of
verything under the sun and that she
early had fit because she could not
ret one minute to herself to break in
pom Mellicent and that horrid Gray