The Aberdeen weekly. [volume] (Aberdeen, Miss.) 1878-1933, 1919-12-05

was just suffering 50 that wanted to
let out little-I didn't mean any real
HARM But now / see what's happened,
or, l was a fool, haven't any Susi
ness interfering Eugene never would
have looked at me. anyhow. end. oh
why couldn't I have seen that before
He never came heis Il single time IL
his lie except On her account. never
and l might have let them alone. he
cause he wouldn't have looked ar m
esen = bed never seen Isabel. Ant
they haven't done any harm: She mad,
Wilbur happy, and she was a true
wife 20 hIsa rs long a. he lived. I
wasn't a crime for Ter TO care 70.
Eugene al The time: she certainly
never told him Sic did-ana sae gav,
me every chance in the world Sh'
left Us alone together every time sht
couid-even since WiIinr died-bu
wllae was the user And here I so. noi
doing myself lit of coed ~ I. and
jusfs-I'aany WIRING Ter baads AGAR.
-"just r9l5ning them. :"
I suppose Sou mean I'm doinc
that" George SAID bitterly.
No. She deesn't Ter anybody know
but she goes . the deetar eesularly.'
women are always going 10 doc
tors regularly"
No lie told her to-"
George vas net Impressed It's
nothing ut all; she spoke OF II 20 N,
years ago-Some Kind of family fail
ing. She said grandfather had it, too
and look at him, Hasn't proved very
serious with him. You act rs # I'd
done something wrong IN sending TINT
man about his business. and as il ]
We're going to persecute my mother
instead of protecting her. By love,
it's sickening. You told me how all
the riffraff in town were busy with
her name, and then the minute : lift
my hand to protect her. you begin to
attack me and
''Shr' Fanny checked him. laying
her hand on his arm. Your uncle i
going"
The library doors were heard open
ing. and moment later there came
the sound of the front door closing.
George moved toward the head of
the stairs. then stood listening. but
the house was silent.
Fanny made a slight noise with her
lips TO attract his attention. and. when
he glanced toward her. shook her head
at him urgently. Let her alone" SHIT
whispered. "She's down there by her
self Don't go down. Let her alone"
She moved a few steps toward him
and halted, her face pallid and awe
for anything that might break the 81
lence downstairs. No sound came to
them; that poignant silence was con-
tinued throughout long, long minutes,
while the two listeners stood there I'M
der its mysterious spell; and in its
piaintive eloquence-Speaking. as II
did, of the figure alone in the big,
dark library, where dead Wilbur's new
silver frame cleaned in the dimneSs-
There was something that checked
even George.
Fanny Minafer broke the long ST.
lence with sound from her throat,
stified gasp; and with that great conn
panion of hers, her handkerchief, re-
tired softly to the loneliness of her
own chamber After she had gone
George looked about him bleakly, then
on tiptoe crossed the hall and went
into his own room, which was filed
with twilight. Still tiptoeing. though
he could not have said why. he went
across the room and sat down heavily
in chair facing the window. out
side there was nothing but the dark
ening air and the wall of the nearest
of the new houses. He had not slept
at ali the night before and he had eat
en- nothing since the preceding day 1T
lunch. but he felt neither drowSiness
nor hunger. His set determination
filed him, kept him but too wide
awake. and his gaze at the grayness
beyond the window was wide-eyed and
bitter.
Darkness had closed in when there
was q step in the room behind him.
Then someone knelt beside the chair,
two arms went round him with infinite
compassion, q gentle head rested
against his shoulder. and there came
the faint scent of apple-blossoms far
away.
You mustn't be troubled darling"
his mother whispered.
CTO BE CONTINUED