The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1919-11-13

| The Major stared hard at George
from under his white eyebrows. You
didn't mean him. you say, George?
suppose If we had clergyman as a
guest here you'd expect him not 10 be
offended. and to understand that your
remarks were neither personal nor un-
tactful If you said the church was a
nuisance and ought never to- have been
invented. We seem to have q new
kind of young people these days. It's
new style Of courting pretty girl,
certainly. for young fellow to go de-
| liberately out Of his way to try and
make an enemy of her father hy at
tacking his business! BY Jove That's
n new way To win a woman!"
George flushed angrily and seemed
about tu offer retOrt, but held his
breath for a moment; and then held
his peace. Ii was Isabel who respond
ed to the Major. "Oh. no" she said
"Eugeua would never be anybodvs
enemy-he couldn't !-and last of all
Georgie's. I'm afraid he was hurt, but
! don't fear his not having understood
that George spoke without thinking OF
what he was saying-I mean, without
realizing its bearing on Eugene"
well. WELL" said his grandfather,
rising. "Tt wasn't very successful lIt.
tie dinner!" -
Ihereupon he offered his arm to his
daughter. who took it fondly. and they
left the room, Isabel assuring him that
all his little dinners were pleasant,
and that THIS one was no exception.
'ieorge did not move, and Fanny,
following the other two came round
- table and paused c.:-t beside -
chair; but George remained posed IN
great imperturbabiity, cigar between
teeth, eyes upon ceiling, and paid no
attention to her. Fanny waited until
the sound Of Isabel's and the Majors
voices became inaudible in tho hall.
Then she said quickly, and in low
voice so eager that it was unsteady:
George, you've struck just the
treatment TO adopt; you're doing the
right thing"
She hurried out. scurrying after the
others with n faint rustling Of her
black skirts, leaving George mystified
but incurious.
In truth, however, he was neither so
comfortable nor so imperturbable as
he appeared. He felt some gratifica-
tion; he had done little to put the
man in his place-that man whose in
fiuence upon his daughter was precise
ly the same thing as cOntemptuous
criticism Of George Anderson Nina
fer, and of George ANDERSON Nina
fer's ideals of life" Lucy's going
away without word was intended.
he supposed, as bit Of punishment.
Well, he wasn't the sort Of man that
people were allowed to punish; he
could demonstrate that to them
since they started it!
Isabel came to Georges door that
night and, when she had kisesd him
goodnight, she remained in the open
doorway with her hand upon his
shoulder and her eyes thoughtfully
lowered, so that her wish to say some
thing more than goodnight was evi.
dent. Not less obvious was her per-
plexity about the manner Of saying
1t; and George, divinlng her thought,
amiably made an opening for her.
"Well, old lady," he said. indulgent-
ly, "you needn't look so worried.
won't be tactless with Morgan again.
After this I'll just keep out of his
way"
Dear" she said. 81 wish you'd tell
me something: Why don't you like Eu-
gene?"
"Oh. like him well enough" George
returned with a short laugh, as he sat
down and began to unlace his shoes.
81 like him well enOugh-in his place."
"No, dear" she said hurriedly. "Tve
had a feeling from the very first that
you didn't really like him-that you
really never liked him. l can't under
stand it, dear; don't see what can be
the matter"
"NOthing's the matter"
This easy declaration naturally
failed to carry great weight, and Isa-
bel went on, in her troubled voice: 1T
seems so queer, especially when you
feel as you do about his daughter"
At this, George stopped unlacing his
shoes abruptly. and sat up. "How do
feel about his daughterT he de-
manded
'Well. it's seemed-as if-as If"
Isabel began timidly. "It did seem
At least. you haven't looked at any
other girl ever since they came here,
and--certainly you've seemed very
much interested in her. Certainly
you've been very great friends?"
"Well, what of thatT
"It's only that I'm like your grand
father: can't see how You could be
so much interested In girl and-and
not feel very pleasantly toward her
father"
"Well. I'll tell you something"
George said slowly, and frown Of
concentration conld he seen upon his
brow. as from profound effort at
self-examination. "The truth Is, !
don't believe I've ever thought Of the