The Tomahawk., 1919-11-13

withdrew. Evidently Isabel had gone
to the door. Then murmur was
heard, and George Amberson's voice.
quick and serious: II want to talk
to you, Isabel and another
murmur; then Isabel and her brother
passed the foot of tho broad, dark
stairway, but did not look up. and
remained unconscious of the watchful
presence above them.
For q time all that George could
hear was the indistinct sound Of his
uncle's voice: what he was saying
could not be surmised, though the
troubled brotherliness of his tone was
evident. BE seemed to be explaining
something at considerable length, and
there were moments when he paused,
and George guessed that his mother
was speaking, but her voice must have
been very low, for it was entirely In.
audible to him.
Suddenly he did hear her. Through
the heavy doors her outcry came,
clear and loud:
"Oh, nor
1t was a cry of protest, as If some
thing her brother told her must be un-
true, or. If it were true, the fact he
stated must. be undone; and it was q
sound of sheer pain.
Another sound Of pain, close to
George, followed it; this was a vehe-
ment shifting which broke out just
above him, and, looking up. he saw
Fanny Minafer on the landing, lean
ing over the banisters and applying
her handkerchief to her eyes and
nose.
II can guess what that was about" "
she whispered huskily. "He's just
told her what you did to Eugene!"
George gaye her dark look over
his shoulder. "You 60 on back to
your room!" he said; and he began to
descend the stairs; but Fanny, guess
ing his purpose, rushed down and
caught his arm, detalning him.
"You're not going in there7" she
whispered huskily: "You don't"
'"Let 60 of mel"
But she clung to him savagely. mo.
you don't, George Minafer! You'll
keep away from there! You Wilt"
"You let 60 Of"
II won'tl You come back here
You'll come upstairs and let them
alone: that's what you'll do" And
with such passionate determination
did she clutch and tug, never losing
a grip of him somewhere, though
George tried as much as he could,
without hurting her, to wrench away
with such utter forgetfulness of her
maiden dignity did she assault him,
that she forced him, stumbling up
ward, to the landing.
"Of all the ridiculous" he began
furiously; but she spared one hand
from its grasp Of his sleeve and
clapped it over his mouth.
"Hush upl" Never for an instant in
this grOtesque. struggle did Fanny
raise her voice above husky whisper.
'Husll upl It's indecent-like squab-
bling outside the door of an operating
room! Go on to the top of the stairs
80 on!
Ard when George had most unwill-
ingly obeyed, she planted herself In
hts way, on the top step. "There !"
she said. 1.-THE idea. Of your going In
there now! I, never heard of such q
thingl" And with the sudden depart
ure Of the nervous vigor she had
shown SO amazingly. she began to cry
again. II was an awful fool. Do you
suppose I dreamed you'd 60 making
everything into such a tragedy Do
your"
II don't care what you dreamed"
George muttered.
But Fanny went on, always taking
care to keep her voice from getting
too loud, In spite Of her most grievous
agitation, do you dream I thought
you'd go. making such fool Of your
self at Mrs. Johnson's? Oh, saw her
this morning! She wouldn't talk to
me, but met George Anderson on my
way back, and he told me what you'd
done over there! And do you dream I
thought you'd do what you've done
here this afternoon to Eugene7 oh,
1 knew that, tool OF course he went
to George Anderson about it, and
that's why George is here. He's got
to tell Isabel the whole thing now.
and you wanted to 60 in there inter-
fering-God knows whati You stay
here and let her brother tell her; he's
got some consideration for her!"
II suppose you think ! haventr'
George said, and Mt that Fanny laugh
ed witheringly.
"You! Considerate Of anybody"
I'm considerate Of her good name ]"
he said hotly. 1T seems to me that's
about the first thing to be considerate
of, in being considerate Of a person
And look here; 1t strikes me you're
taking a pretty different tack from
what you did yesterday afternoon"
Fanny wrung her hands. II did a
| terrible thing!" she lamented. "Now
that it's done and too late, I know
what It vast I didn't have sense