River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1919-12-25

for Fanny had no doubt that George
had only pretended to be mystified be-
cause, in his pride, he would not in
words admit that he knew what he
knew.
'What did you say?' he asked in.
credulously.
s'Of course I understood what you
were doing" Fanny went on, drying her
handkerchief again. ut puzzled other
people when you began to be rude to
Eugene, because they couldn't see how
you could treat him as you did when
you were so interested in Lucy. But
remembered how you came to me,
that other time when there was SC
much talk about Isabel; and l knew
you'd give Lucy up in minute, if ii
came to a question of your mothers
reputation. because you said then
that"
Look here" George interrupted in
a shaking voice. "Look here, I'd
like" He stopped, unable to go on,
his agitation was SO great. His chest
heaved as from hard running, and his
complexion, pallid at first, had be.
come notified; fiery splotches appear.
ing at his temples and cheeks. ''What
do you mean by telling me-telling me
there's talk about-about-" He
gulped, and began again: "What do
you mean by using such words as
reputation? What do you mean,
speaking of a question of my-my
mothers reputation?"
Fanny looked up at him woefully
over the handkerchief which she now
applied to her Redeemed nose. "God
Knows | am sorry for you, George"
she murmured. II wanted to say so,
but it's only old Fanny, so whatever
she says-even when it's sympathy
pick on her for it," She sobbed. 'It's
only poor old lonely Fanny!''
"You look here!' George said harsh
~. when spoke to my Uncle
George after that rotten thing heard
Aunt Amelia say about my mother, he
said if there was any gossip it was
about you! He said people might be
laughing about the way you ran after
Morgan, but that was ALL"
Fanny lifted her hands, clenched
them and struck them upon her knees.
Eyes; it's always Fannyv' she sobbed.
Ridiculous old Fanny--always, al.
Ways!'
"You listenr" George said. "After
I'd talked to Uncle George 1 saw you;
and you said had mean little mind
for thinking there might be truth in
what Aunt Amelia said about people
talking. You denied it. And that
wasn't the only time; you'd attacked
me before then, because 1 intimated
that Morgan might be coming here too
often. You made me believe that
mother let him come entirely on your
account, and now you say"
Il think he did," Fanny interrupted
desolately. II think he did come as
much to see me as anything-for a
while it looked like it. He did act
good deal that way-and if Wilbur
hadn't died"
"You told me there wasn't any
talk"
II didn't think there was much,
then," Fanny protested. II didn't
know how much there was"
"What!"
People don't come and tell such
things to a PERSONS family, you know.
You don't suppose anybody was going
to say to George Anderson that his
sister was getting herself talked about,
do you? Or that they were going to
say much to me?'
"You told me-" said George, fiercely,
"that mother never saw him except
when she was chaperoning you."
'They weren't much alone together,
then" Fanny returned. Hardly ever,
before Wilbur died. Everybody knew
that he'd been engaged to her
What's that?" George cried.
Everybody knows it. Don't you re-
member your grandfather speaking of
1t at the Sunday dinner one night?'
He didn't say they were engaged
Or"
"Well, they were Everybody knows
that serenade when Eugene didn't
know what he was doing. He drank
when he was a young man, and she
wouldn't stand for it, but everybody
in this town knows that Isabel has
never really cared for any other man
in her life! Poor Wilbur! He was
the only soul alive that didn't know
TT
Nightmare had descended upon the
unfortunate George; he leaned back
against the footbOard Of his bed, gaz-
ing wildly at his aunt. II believe I'm
going crazy" he said. "You mean
when you told me there wasn't any
talk, you told me a falsehood?".
mol" Fanny gasped.
"You did,"
II tell you didn't know how much
talk there was, and it wouldn't have
amounted to much If Wilbur had
lived And Fanny completed this
with fatal admission: Il didn't want