Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1919-10-23
CHAPTER xv-contlnued.

Sou age I was like you in many ways,
Especially In not being very cool
beaded, so I can't say. Youth can't be
trusted for much, except asserting
&seIf and fighting and making love-"
Indeed" George snorted. MAY l
ask what you think 1 ought to have
MoneF"
Nothing"
~%NothingT" George echoed, mock
ing bitterly. 81 suppose you think /
|He8A to let my mothers good name"
your mothers good namel" Am
3erSon cut him off impatiently. mo
Aody has a good name In a bad mouth.
Nobody has a good name in a silly
anouth. either. Well, your mothers
same was in some silly mouths, and
E3H you've done was to go and have
q cen with the worst old woman Cos
zip in the town-a scene that's going
10 make her into a partisan against
9our mother, whereas she q a mere
9rattier before. Don't you suppose
she'll be all over town with this to-
morrow? And she'll see to it that
everybody who's limited anything
about poor Isabel will know that
9oU're on the warpath; and that will
out them on the defensive and make
them vicious. The story will grow as
st spreads and"
George unfolded his arms to strike
sis right fist into his left palm. "But
DO you suppose I'm going to tolerate
ouch things" he shouted. "What do
TOu 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 seel I'm going to stop this
ching IL I have to force my way into
every house on National avenue and
Anderson boulevard"
His uncle laughed rather sourly but
made nc other comment.
well, what do you propose to doT"
George demanded. "Do you propose
TO sit there"
~Yea."
and let this riffraff handy my
mothers good name back and forth
among them? Is that what you pro-
pose to doT
"It's all I can do" Anderson re-
turned. ats all any of us can do
how: Just sit still and hope that the
thing may die down in time in spite
af your stirring up that awful old
woman"
George drew a long breath, then ad-
vsnced and stood close before his
uncTe. "Didn't you understand me
when I told you that people are say
2nE my mother means to marry this
aEnanT"
ayes, I understood you"
you say that my going over there
Mas made matters worse" George went
GEE How about it If such a-such an
Hnspe4kable marriage did take place?
&so you think that would make people
Believe they'd been wrong in saying
you know what they say"
-"No." said Anderson deliberately;
FL don't believe it would. But it
TEoUIdn't hurt Isabel and Eugene, if
they never heard of it; and if they did
Aear of 1t, then they could take their
choice between placating gossip or liv-
ting for their own happiness. If they
nave decided to marry"
George almost staggered. Good
heaven!" he gasped. "You speak of it
calmly"
Anderson looked up at him inquir-
dsngiy- "Why shouldn't they marry if
they want TOT" he asked. "It's their
avn affair. / don't see anything pre-
dciseIy monstrous about two people get
ting married when they're both free
and care about each other. What's
the matter with their marrying"
"Tt would be monstrous! 7" George
shouted. "Monstrous ever if this hor-
1ribBe thing hadn't happened, but now
An the face of this-oh, that you can
aRIt there and even speak of it! Your
own slsterl Oh" He became inco
sfSerent, swinging away from Anderson
and making for the door, wildly ges
during.
For heavens sake don't be so the
safrfcaIr' said his uncle, and then, see
Eng that George was leaving the room
Come back here. You mustn't speal
ito POUR mother Of this !"
Don't tend to-" George said indis
NfInctly, and he plunged into the big
ddimIy lit hall. He went home and go
a hat and overcoat wiShout seem
either his mother or Fanny. Then h
Jeff word that he would be out 70
dinner and hurried away from tn
house. 4
He walked the dark streets Of An
lherson addition for an hour, then wen
downtown and got coffee at a restal
rant. After that he walked throug
the lighted parts Of the town until te
o'clock, when he turned north an
came back to the purlieus Of the Add
t1ion. He walked 1ercely, though h
feet ached, but by and by he turne
hOmeward, and, when he reached tt
Majors, went In and sat upon II
steps Of the huge stone veranda
tfront-an obscure figure in that lone
and repellent place. All lights wei
-.,t - tha Mainr,a and finally. aft