The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1919-12-04

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Of the room.
"Why, Georgie!"
She came, leaned over from behind
him, and there was faint, exquisite
odOr as from distant apple blossoms
as she kissed his cheek. "Dear, !
waited lunch almost an hour for you,
but you didn't come Did you lunch
out somewherew
"Yes." He did not look up from the
book.
"Did you have plenty to eat3"
EYES,"
A tinkling bell was audible, and she
moved to the doorway into the hall
"I'm going out driving, dear. l."
She interrupted herself to address the
hOusemaid, who was passing through
the hall: II think it's Mr.. Morgan
Mary. Tell him I'll be there at once"
'Yes, ma'am."
Mary returned. "'Twas a peddler,
ma am"
Another one?" Isabel said, sur.
prised. II thought you said 1t was
peddler when the bell rang little
| while ago"
Mister George said 1t was, ma'am
he went to the door," Mary Informed
her, disappearing.
There seem to be great many of
them," Isabel mused. "What did
yours want to sell, George?"
"He didn't say"
| HYon tnnct houa hi,,, ofr cl>o-I
she laughed; and then, still standing
In the doorway, She noticed the big
| silver frame upon the table beside
| him. Gracious, Georgie!" she exclaim-
| ed. "You have been investing!" and
| as she came across the room for q
| closer view, SIS it's 1t Lucy?' she
asked half timidly, half archly. But
the next instant she saw whose like
ness was thus SCI forth in elegiac
| splendor-and she was silent, except
for a long, just-audible "Oh!"
He neither looked up nor moved.
"That was nice of you, GeOrgie,"
she said, In low voice presently. "I
ought to have had 1t framed, myself,
when I gave 1t to you"
He said nothing, and, standing b.
side him, she put her hand gently up
on his shoulder, then as gently with
drew 1t, and went out of the room.
But she did not go upstairs; he heard
the faint rustic OF her dress In the
hall, and then the sound Of her foot
steps In the reception ROOM" After
time, silence succeeded even these
slight tokens of her presence where
upon George rose and went warily in
to the hall, taking care to make no
noise, and he obtained an oblique view
OF her through the open double doors
of the reception ROOM" She was sit
ting In the chair which he had occu-
pied SO long; and she was looking
out Of the window expectantly-a lit
tie troubled.
He went back to the library, waited
an interminable half hour, then re-
turned noiselessly to the same position
in the hall, where he could see her.
She was still sitting patiently by the
! window
Waiting for that man. was she?
Well, it might be quite long watt
And the grim George silently ascended
the stairs to his own room, and began
to pace his suffering HOor.
He left his door open, however, and
when he heard the front door bell
ring, by and by, he went half way
down the stairs and stood to listen.
He was not much afraid that Nor
gan would return, but he wished to
make sure.
Mary appeared in the hall below
him, but, after glance toward the
front Of the house, turned back, and
Withdrew. Evidently Isabel had gone
to the door. Then murmur was
heard, and George Amberson's voice,
, quick and serious: 81 want to talk
J to you, Isabel" and another
murmur; then Isabel and her brother
! passed the foot Of the broad, dark
stairway, but did not look up, and
remained unconscious Of the watchful
presence above them.
For a time all that George could
hear was the indistinct sound Of his
4 uuCl6 NOlCc. Wudt he WIS saying
could not be surmised, though the
| troubled brotherliness Of his tone was
evident He 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 an6 loud:
"Oh, not"
| II was a cry of protest, as If some
thing her brother told her must be un-
| true. or. If IL were true, the fact he
stated must be undone; and 1t was a
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.