Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1919-09-05
George turned pale.

/ tuiCb lHuDtl Sulu BSHlly. lou really
are. Don't pay any attention to her,
George. Fred Kinney's only clerk
in his uncle's hardware place. he
couldn't marry for ages-even if any
body would accept himw
George breathed unanimously. 81
don't care anything about ages ?
What's that got to do with it?" he
said, his thoughts appearing to be
somewhat disconnected. cages don't
mean anything only want to know
i want to know I want" He
stopped.
! you must finish your dinner, dear"
his mother urged. Don't"
II have finished. I've eaten all
want. don't want any more than
wanted. don't want-I-" He rose
still incoherent. 81 prefer-I want
please excuse mew
He left the ROOM and a moment
later the screens outside the open
front door were heard to slam.
"Fanny You shouldn't"
Isabel, don't reproach me. He did
have plenty Of dinner, and I only told
the truth: everybody has been say
ing"
1--WE don't actually know there
isn't" Miss Fanny insisted, gigglng.
We've never asked Lucy"
II wouldn't ask her anything so alb
surdw
George would" Georges father re-
marked. That's what he's gone to
do"
Mr.. Minafer was not mistaken: that
was what his son had gone to do.
Lucy and her father were just rising
from their dinner table when the
stirred youth arrived at the front
door of the new house. 1t was a cot
tnge, however, rather than a house:
and Lucy had taken a free hand with
the architect, achieving results in
white and green outside and white
and blue inside to such effect of youth
and daintiness that her father COM
planned of too much springtimew
The whole place, including his own
bedroom, was young damsels bou-
doir, he said, so that nowhere could
he smoke a cigar without feeling like
a ruffian. However, he was smoking
when George arrived, and he encour-
aged George to join him in the pas
time, but the caller, whose air was
both tense and preoccupied, declined
with something like agitation.
81 never smoke-that is. I'm sell
dom-I mean, no, thanks" he said.
Il mean not at ALL I'd rather not"
aren't you WELL George" Eugene
asked, looking aC him in perplexity.
"llave you been overworking at col
lege? You do look rather pa"
Il don't work." said George 81
mean l don't work. I think, but l
dent work. l only work at the end
of the term. There isn't much to do"
Eugene's perplexity was little de-
creased, and tinkle of the doorbell
afforded him obvious relief. ITS my
foreman" he said, looking at his
watch. "I'll take him out in the yard
to talk. This is no place for a fore
man." And he departed, leaving the
living room to Lucy and George.
whats wrong, George?" she asked
softly.
what dc you mean: What's
wrongY What makes you think any
things wrong with me?"
you do look pale, as papa said,
and it seemed to NE that the way you
talked sounded-well, a little con-
fused"
"See here" George stepped close
to her. Are you glad to see me?"
you needn't be so fierce about it!"
Lucy protested, laughing at his dra-
matte intensity. "Of course l am
Do tell me what's the matter with
you, GeOrge~
81 will" he exclaimed. 81 was a
boy when l saw you last. see that
now, though didn't then. Well, I'm
not a boy any longer. I'm man. and
a man has right to demand totally
different treatment"
81 don't seem to be able to under
stand you at all, George Why
shouldn't a boy be treated just as
well as a mann"
George seemed to find himself at a
loss "Why shouldn't Well he
shouldn't, because a man has a right
to certain explanations"
"What in the world do you want me
to explain"
"YOur conduct with Fred Klnneyw
George shouted.
Lucy uttered a sudden cry of
laughter; she was delighted. ITS
been awful !" she said. II don't know
that ] ever head of worse misbe-
havior Papa and have been twice
to dinner with his family, and I've
been three times to church with Fred
and once to the circus! l don't
KuOw when they'll be here to arrest
mel"
"Stop thatp George commanded
flercely. 81 want to know just onc
thing, and 1 mean to know it, toow
7 A.