The Madison journal. (Tallulah, Madison Parish, La.) 1888-current, 1919-11-01
CHAPTER %V-Continued.

your age ] was like you in many ways,
especially in not being very cool
headed, 50 ! can't say. Youth can't be
trusted for much. except asserting
itself and fighting and making love-
Indeed" George snorted. May
ask what you think | ought TO have
done"
Nothing"
"'NOthingT" George echoed. mock
Ing bitterly. 81 suppose you think
mean to let my mothers good maine
Your mothers good name. Am
berS0n cut him off impatiently. No
body has Il good name in Il bad mouth.
Nobody has a good name in silly
mouth, either. Well, your mothers
name was in some silly mouths, and
all you've done was 10 20 and have
a scene with the worst old woman Cos
sip In the town-a scene that's going
TO make her into "a partisan against
your mother, whereas she was mere
prattler before. Don't you suppose
she'll be all over town with this to-
morrow? And she'll see 10 ii thar
everybody who's limited anything
about poor Isabel Will know that
you're on the warpath; and that will
put them on the defensive and make
them vicious. The story will grow as
ii spreads and"
George unfOlded his arms to strike
his right fist into his left palm. But
do you suppose I'm going to tolerate
tl,inugsp M Sh,ntnI ssWhpt do
you suppose I'll be doingT"
"You can do absolutely nothing"
said Anderson. Nothing of any use.
The more you do the more harm you'll
do"
you'll see, I'm going to stop this
thing If | have to force my way into
every house on National avenue and
Anderson Boulevard
His uncle laughed rather sOurly but
made no other comment.
well, what do you propose to dog
George demanded. "Do you propose
TO sit there"
ayes"
and LET this riffraff handy my
mothers good name back and forth
among them? Is that what you pro-
pose to do?"
ITS all can do" Anderson re-
turned. ITS all any of us can do
now: just sit still and hope that the
thing may die down in time in spite
Of your stirring up that awful old
woman"
George drew long breath, then adj
vanced and stood close before his
uncle. Didn't you understand me
when | told you that people are say
ing my mother means 10 marry this
MANI?
Yes, / understood YOU"
You say that my going over there
has made matters worse" George went
on. i"IIow about 1t If such a-such an
unspeakable marriage did take place?
Do you think that would make people
believe they'd been wrong in saying
you know what they say"
NO." said Anderson deliberately
81 don't believe ii would. But II
wouldn't hurt Isabel and Eugene. If
they never heard of IL; and If they did
hear Of it, then they could take their
choice between placating gossip or liv-
ing for their own happiness. If they
\ have decided to marry"
George almost staggered. Good
henven!" he gasped. You speak of it
CALMLY
ANDERSON looked up at him inquir-
ingly. "Why shouldn't they marry If
they want to-" he asked. ITS their
own affair. | don't see anything pre-
cisely mOnstrous about two people get
ting married when they're both free
and care about each other. What's
the matter with their marrying?"
1T would be monslrous :" George
shouted. industrious even if this hor-
rible thing hadn't happened, but now
In the face of this--oh, that you can
sit there and even speak of II! Your
own sister Oh" He became inco.
herent, swinging away from ANDERSON
and making for the door, wildly ges.
turing.
y "For heavens sake don't be so the.
atrfcnlr' said his uncle. and then, see.
ing that George was leaving the room
~Come back here. You mustn't speak
to your mother of thls,"
Don't tend to-" George said indis
tiilciiy, and he plunged into the big
dimiy lit hail. He went home and col
d Int and overcoat without seeing
either his mother or Fanny. Then ht
lcfs word that he would be out fol-
dinner and hurried away from tn,
house
He walked the dark streets of Am
bcrSon addition for an hour. then wen
downtown and got coffee at restau
vant. After that he walked through
the lighted parts Of the town until ter
o'ciock. when he turned north an,
came back TO the purlieus Of the Addi
tion. He walked fierceiy. though hi,
feet ached. bur by and by he turned
homcward, and. when he reached tn,
Majors. went In and sat upon tn,
steps Of the huge stone veranda II
front--an obscure figure In that lionel,
and repeiienf place. All lights wer,
ont at lhe Majors, and finally. afte
rweiSe. he saw his mothers window
farken at home.
He waited half an hoHr longer. ther
crossed the front yards of the new
houses and let himself noisefessIy II