Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1919-10-16
CHAPTER v.

Having thus, in a word, revealed
his ambition for a career above
courts, marts and polling booths,
George breathed more deeply than
usual, and, turning his face from
the lovely companion whom he had
just made his confidant, gazed out at
the dancers with an expression in
which there was both %sternness and a
contempt for the squalid lives of the
unyachted Midlanders before him.
However, among them he marked his
mother, and his somber grandeur re-
Taxed momentarily; a more genial
light came into his eyes.
Isabel was dancing with the queer
looking duck; and it vas to be noted
that the lively gentleman's gait was
more sedate than it had been with
Miss Fanny Minafer, but not less dex-
ferrous and authoritative. He saw
George and the beautiful Lucy on the
stairway and nodded to them. George
waved his hand vaguely: he had a
momentary return Of that inexplicable
uneasiness and resentment which had
troubled him downstairs.
"How lovely your mother is !" Lucy
said.
II think she is" he agreed gently.
"She's the gracefulest woman in that
ballroom. How wonderfully they dance
together!"
"Who?"
"Your mother and-and the queer.
/ I~o1xs>. a,,al~S --sl T..-. ~ =
to dance with him pretty soon."
II don't care-so long as you don't
give him one of the numbers that
belong to me-"
"Ill try to remember" she said.
and thoughtfully lifted to her face
the bouquet of violets and lilies, a
gesture which George noted without
approval.
"Look here! Who sent you those
flowers you keep maxim such a fuss
over?"
HE did"
"Who's hep"
"The queer-looking duck"
George feared no such rival; he
laughed loudly. II s'pose he's some
old widower!" he said, the object
thus described seeming ignominious
enough to a person of eighteen, with.
out additional Characterization.
Lucy became serious at once. eyes.
he is a widower," she said. II ought
to have told you before; he's my IA
ther."
George stopped laughing abruptly.
"Well, that's a horse on me. If I'd
known he was your father of course
I wouldn't have made fun of him. I'm
sorry"
Nobody could make fun of him.
she said quietly.
why couldn't they?"
1T wouldn't make him funny: il
would only make themselves silly"
Upon this George had a CLEAN OF
intelligence. "Well, I'm not going to
what's he invented?"
"Just lately" said Lucy, "he's been
working on a new kind of horseless
carriage"
"Well I'm sorry for him." George
said, in no unkindly spirit. '"Those
things are never going to amount to
anything. People aren't going to
spend their lives lying on their backs
in the road and letting grease drip in
their faces"
"Papa'd be so grateful" she re-
turned, "if he could have your adj
vice."
Instantly Georges face became
flushed. "I don't know that I've done
anything to be insulted for!" he said.
II don't see that what I said was par
ticularly fresh"
mo, indeed!"
"Then what do YOU"
She laughed gayly. II don't! And
I don't mind your being such a lofty
person at all. / think it's ever so
interesting-but papa's a great man.! p
"Is he?" George decided to be
good-natured. We'll, let us hope so.
1 hope so, I'm sure"
Looking at him keenly, she saw that
the magnificent youth was incredibly
sincere in this bit of ~graciousness.
She shook her head in gentle wonder.
"I'm just beginning to understand
she said.
understand What?"
"What it means to be a real Am
berson in this town. Papa told me
something about it before we came,
but I see he didn't say half enough !"
George superbly took this all for
tribute. did your father say he
knew the family before he left here?"
eyes. I believe he was particularly
a friend of your Uncle George; and
he didn't say SO, but l imagine he
must have known your mother very
well, too. He wasn't an inventor
then; he was a young lawyer. The
town was smaller in those days, and
I believe he was quite well known
II dare say. I've no doubt the fam.
lily r all very glad to see him back,
especially if they used to have him
at the house a good deal, as he told
you"
Il don't think he meant to boast of