The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1919-10-31
CHAPTER vlII-continued.

g.
In the matter of GOODNESS George
met Lucy upon her own predeter-
mined ground; in fact, he was there
first, and at their next encounter
proved loftier and more formal than
she did. Their estrangement lasted
three weeks, and. then disappeared
without any preliminary treaty: it
had worn itself out and they forgot it.
The Major had taken great fancy
to her, insisting upon her presence
and her fathers at the ANDERSON fam
lily dinner at the Mansion every Sun
day evening. She knew how to flirt
with old people, he said, as she sat
next him at the table on one of these
Sunday occasions; and he had always
liked her father, even when Eugene
was a "terror" long ago. "Oh, yes
he was! p the Major laughed when she
demonstrated. "He came up here
with my son George and some others
for serenade one night, and Eugene
stepped into O bass fiddle, and the
poor musicians just gave up! That
serenade was just before Isabel was
married-and don't you fret, Miss
Lucy: your father remembers it well
enough!" The old gentleman burst
into laughter, and shook his finger at
Eugene across the table. "The fact
is" the Major went on hilariously, II
believe if Eugene hadn't broken that
bass fiddle and given himself away
Isabel would never have taken Will
bur! shouldn't be surprised if that
was about all the reason that Wilbur
got her! What do you think, Will
burr"
Il shouldn't be surprised said Will
bur placidy. IF your notion is right
I'm glad Gene broke the fiddle. He
was giving me a hard run!
The Major always drank three
glasses of champagne at his Sunday
dinner, and he was finishing the third.
"What do you say about it, Isabel?
BY Jove!" he cried, pounding the
table, "she's blushing!'
: Eugene was as pink as Isabel, but
he laughed without any sign of embar-
rassment other than his heightened
color. There's another important
thing-that is, for me-" he said. "Its
the only thing that makes me forgive
that bass viol for getting in my way"
what is it?" the Major asked.
Lucy" said Morgan gently.
Isabel gave him a quick glance, all
warm approval, and there was MUIR
muir of friendliness round the table.
Summer glided by evenly and quick
ly enough, for the most part, and at
the end seemed to fly On the last
night before George went back to be
a Junior his mother asked him conf
IDENTIFY if it had not been a happy
summer
He hadn't thought about it, he an
swered. "Oh, suppose so. Why?"
II just thought it would be nice to
hear you say so," she said, smiling
"It's seemed to me that it must have
been happy summer for you-a real
summer of roses and wine'-without
the wine. perhaps. Gather We roses
while We mayor was it primroses?
Time does really fly, or perhaps it's
like the sky-and smoke"
George was puzzled. 'Tt strikes me
you're getting mixed. don't see
much resemblance between time and
the sky, or between things and smoke
wreaths; but I do see one reason you
like Lucy Morgan so much. She
talks that same kind of wistful.
moony way sometimes don't mean
to say / mind it in either of you, be-
cause l rather like to listen to it,
and you've got very good voice,
mother. It's nice to listen to, no mat
ter how much smoke and sky, and
SO on, you talk. Sos Lucy's, for that
matter; and see why you're con-
genial. She talks that way to her
father. too; and he's right there with
the same kind of CUFF. Well, it's all
right with me! I've, got plenty to
think about when people drool along !"
She pressed his hand to her cheek.
and tear made tiny warm streak
across one of his knuckles.
''For heavens sake!" he said.
WHdt . the natter! ISL everything
all rightf"
you're going away! 1 never can
bear to see you go-that's the most
of it. I'm little bothered about your
father, too"
"Why?"
1T seems to me he looks so bad.
Everybody thinks So"
.'What nonsensep George laughed.
"He's been looking that way all sum-