Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1919-11-28

was just suffering SO that wanted to
let out little-I didn't mean any real
harm. But now | see what's happened
or I was a fool haven't any bust
ness interfering. Eugene never would
have looked at me, anyhow, and, oh,
why couldn't have seen that before
He never came here single time in
his life except on her account, never!
and I might have let them alone, be-
cause he wouldn't have looked at me
even if he'd never seen Isabel. And
they haven't done any harm; she made
Wilbur happy, and she was a true
wife to him as long as he lived. 1t
wasn't a crime for her to care for
Eugene all the time; she certainly
never told him she did-and she gave
me every chance in the worldl She
left us alone together every time she
could-even since Wilbur debut
what was the use? And here go, not
doing myself bit of good by it. and
just"-Fanny wrung her hands again
-"just running them!"
II suppose you mean I'm doing
that" George said bitterly.
mo. She doesn't let anybody know,
but she goes to the doctor regularly"
"Women are always going to doc
tors regularly"
"No. He told her to-"
George was not impressed. tits
nothing at all; she spoke of it to me
years ago-some kind of family fail
ing. She said grandfather had it, too;
! and look at him! Hasn't proved very
serious with him You act as if I'd
done something wrong in sending that
man about his business. and as if |
were going to persecute my mother,
instead of protecting her. By Jove,
! it's sickening! You told me how all
the riffraff in town were busy with
her name. and then the minute | lift
my hand to protect her. you begin to
attack me and"
"Sh!" Fanny checked him, laying
her hand on his arm. "Your uncle is
going"
| ing, and a moment later there came
the sound of the front door closing.
George moved toward the head of
the stairs, then stood listening, but
the house was silent.
Fanny made a slight noise with her
lips to attract his attention, and, when
he glanced toward her, shook her heal
| at him urgently. Let her alone" she
whispered. "She's down there by her.
self. Don't go down. Let her alone"
She moved few steps toward him
and halted, her face pallid and awe
struck, and then both stood listening
for anything that might break the 81
lence downstairs. No sound came to
them; that poignant silence was con-
tinued throughout long, long minutes,
while the two listeners stood there IN
der it's mysterious spell; and in its
plaintive eloquence-speaking, as It
! did, of the figure alone in the big.
dark library, where dead Wilbur's new
silver frame cleaned in the dimness-
There was something that checked
even George.
Fanny Minafer broke the long 81
| lence with a sound from her throat,
stifled gasp; and with that great COM
paniOn of hers, her handkerchief, re-
tired softly to the loneliness OF her
own chamber. After she had gone
George looked about him bleakly, then
on tiptoe crossed the hall and went
into his own room, which was filed
with twilight. Still tiptoeing, though
he could not have said why, he went
across the room and sat down heavily
| in a chair facing the window. Out
side there was nothing but the dark
ening air and the wall of the nearest
of the new houses. He had not slept
at all the night before and he had eat
en- nothing since the preceding day at
| lunch, but he felt neither drOwsiness
nor hunger His set determination
| filled him, kept him but too wide
awake, and his gaze at the grayness
beyond the window was wide-eyed and
|. bitter.
Darkness had closed in when there
was a step in the room behind him.
Then someone knelt beside the chair,
two arms went round him with infinite
compassion, a gentle head rested
against his shoulder, and there came
the faint scent of apple-blossoms far
away.
''You mustn't be troubled darling"
his mother whispered.
! (TO BE CONTINUEDD