The Hope pioneer. [volume] (Hope, N.D.) 1882-1964, 1919-09-04

you cOulu Dreuk tnaC engagement, 1
guess, If you wanted to! Girls always
can get out of things when they want
to. Won't you?"
II don't think So"
"Why not?"
because I promised him. Several
days ago"
"See here" said the stricken George.
"If you're going to decline to dance
that cotillion with me simply because
you've promised a-a-a miserable
red-headcd outsider like Fred Kinney,
why We might as we'll quit!"
"Quit what?"
"You know perfectly well what !
mean," he said huskily.
81 don't"
"Well, you ought to!"
"But l don't Mt all"
George, thoroughly hurt. and not a
little embittered, expressed himself
in a short outburst of laughter: "Well,
l ought to have seen It'll"
"Seen what?"
'That you might turn out to be a
girl who'd like n fellow of the red
Acitutu Nlllllcy SOIl. L Oue1AI W 1luV>
seen it from the irst"
Lucy bore her disgrace lightly. "Oh.
dancing a cotillion with a person
doesn't mean that you like him-but
I don't see anything in particular the
matter with Mr.. Kinney. What Isl"
II prefer not to discuss it," said
George CURLY. "He's an enemy Of
NINE"
"Why?" g,
II prefer not to discuss It,"
"Well, but"
II prefer not to discuss It'll"
Every we'll" She began to hum the
mir of the song which Mr.. George AM
berson was now discoursing, 20 moon
Of my delight that knows no wane'-
and there was no further conversation
on the back seat.
The contrivance stopped with a
heart-shaking jerk before Isabels
house. The gentlemen jumped down,
helping Isabel and Fanny to descend;
there were friendly leavetakings-and
n that was not precisely friendly.
tits 'au revoir' till tonight, isn't it,"
Lucy asked, laughing.
"Good afternoon !" said George, and
he did not wait, as his relatives did, to
see the old sewing machine start brisk
~ down the street, toward the Shar-
ons'; its lighter load consisting now
of only Mr.. Morgan and his daughter.
George vent into the house at once.
He found his father reading the
evening paper in the library. "Where
are your mother and your Aunt Fan
ny?" Mr.. Minafer inquired, not look
ing up.
"They're coming" said his son; and.
casting himself heavily into q chair,
stared at the fire.
His prediction was verified a few
moments later; the two ladies' came
in c%heerfully, unfastening their fur
cloaks. cts all right, Georgia." said
Isabel. "Your Uncle George called to
us that Pendennis got home safely.
Put your shoes close to the fire, dear,
or else go and change them"
"Look here" said George abruptly.
GLOW about this man Morgan and his
old sewing machine? Doesn't he want
to get grandfather to put money into
it? Isn't he trying to work Uncle
George for that? Isn't that what he's
up to-"
1t was Miss Fanny who responded.
"You little silly!" she cried. with sur
prising sharpness. "What on earth
are you talking about? Eugene Nor
gan's perfectly able to finance his wi
inventions these days."
"He strikes me as that sort of
man." George answered doggedly.
isn't he. father?"
Minafer set down his paper for the
moment. "He was a fairly wild young
fellow twenty years ago." he said.
glancing ut his wife absently. "He
was like you in n thing, Georgia: he
spent too much money-only he didn't
have any mother to get money out Of
a grandfather for him, so he was usu-
ally in debt. But I believe I've heard
he's done fairly we'll Of late years.
No, I can't say I think he's q swim
dler, and I doubt If he needs anybody
else's money to back his horsclcss car
riage."
swell what's he brought the old
thing here for, then? People that own
elephants don't take their elephants
around with 'em when they 60 visit
ing. What's he got it here for?"
I'm sure I don't know" said Mr..
Minafer, resuming his paper. "You
might ask him."
Isabel laughed and patted her hus-.
bands shoulder again. "Aren't you
going to dress? Aren't W. all going
to the dancer"