The Ordway new era., 1919-12-12
CHAPTER xv-continued.

especially in not being very cool
headed, so 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 I ought to have
done?"
Nothing"
'NothingT" George echoed, mock
ing bitterly. II suppose you think
mean to let my mothers good name"
"Your mothers good name!" Am
berson cut him of impatiently. NO
body has a good name in bad mouth.
Nobody has n good name In n silly
mouth, either. Well. your mothers
name was in some silly mouths, and
all you've done was to go and have
scene with the worst old woman gos-
sip In the town-a scene that's going
TO make her into partisan against
your mother, whereas she was mere
prattler before. Don't you suppose
she'll be nll over town with this to-
morrow? And she'll see to 1t that
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
1t spreads and"
George unfolded his arms to strike
his right fist into his left palm. but
do you suppose I'm going to tolerate
such things?" he shouted. what do
you suppose I'll be doing?
"You can do absolutely nothing"
said Anderson. Nothing of any use.
The more you do the more harm you'll
do"
You'll seei I'm going TO stop this
thing II have to force my way into
every house on National avenue and
ANDERSON bouIevardw
His uncle laughed rather sourly but
made no other comment.
''Well, what do you propose to do?"
George demanded. "Do you propose
to sit there"
"Yes."
''-and let this riffraff handy my
mothers good name back and forth
among them? Is that what you pro-
pose to do?"
"It's all 1 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 a long breath. then ad-
vauced and stood close before his
uncle. "Didn't you understand me
when told you that people are say
Ing my mother means to marry this
manT
"Yes, I understood you."
you say that my going over there
has made matters WORSE" George went
on "How about it 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 1t would. But 1t
wouldn't hurt Isabel and Eugene, If
they never heard of 1t; and IL they did
hear OF 1t, 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
heaven" he gasped. you speak Of 1t
calmlyl"
Anderson looked up at him inquir-
fngly. "Why shouldn't they marry If
they want tor" he asked. 'It's 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?"
at would be monsirousw George
shouted. "Monstrous even IL this hor-
chile thing hadn't happened, but now
In the face of this-oh, that you can
sit there and even speak of It'll Your
own slsterl Oh" He became inco-
herent, swinging away from Anderson
and making for the door. wildly ges-
turing.
For heavens sake don't be so the
atrical!" said his uncle. and then. see
Ing that George was leaving the room
-COme back here. You mustn't speak
to your mother of thlsi"
Don't tend to-" George said indis-
rlnctly, and he plunged into the big
almly lit hall. He went home and got
= hat and overcoat without seeing
either his mother or Fanny. Then he
left word that he would be out fol-
gtlpner and hurried away from the
house.
He walked the dark streets of Am
oerson addition for an hour. then wen
sowntown and got coffee at restau
tant. After that he walked through
the lighted parts of the town until ter
o'clock, when he turned north ant
rame back to the purlIeus Of the Addi
ton. He walked fiercely. though hi
feet ached, but by and by he turnet
ilomeward. and. when he reached thu
Majors, went In and sat upon tn
steps of the huge stone veranda II
front-an obscure figure IN that lionel!