The Oakley herald. [volume] (Oakley, Idaho) 1908-1961, 1919-11-28

a man who could write such q letter
as that" He stopped, faced her. and
spoke with more self-control: "Well,
what are you going to do about 1t,
mOthery
George was right about his mothers
being proud. And even when she
laughed with a negro gardener, or even
those few times In her life when peo-
pie saw her weep. Isabel had proud
look-sOmething that was independent
and graceful and strong. But she did
not have 1t now: She leaned against
the wall, beside his dressing table, and
seemed beset with humility and with
weakness. Her head dropped.
"What answer are you going to
make to such a letter." George de-
manded. like judge on the bench.
II don't quite know. dear" she
murmured
'You don't?'' he cried. tYou-"
"Wait," she begged him. I'm 30
confused"
Il want to know what you're going
to write him. Do you think IL you
did what he wants you to l could
bear to stay another day in this town,
mother? Do you think could ever
bear even to see you again If you
married him1 I'd want to, but you
surely know just-couldn't
She made futile gesture, and
seemed to breathe with difficulty. Il
II Uoou,t-uufto u,,~o ob, <ol&o-oa
"about-about it's being wise for us
to be married-even before knowing
how you feel about it. l wasn't even
sure 1t was quite fair toto Eugene.
/ have-I seem to have that family
trouble-like father's-that I spoke
to you about once" She managed a
deprecatory little dry laugh. mot
that 1t amounts to much, but I wasn't
at all sure that it would be fair to
him. Marrying doesn't mean 50 much,
after all-not at my age. It's enough
to know that-that people think of
were all--oh, pretty happy the way
thugs were, and don't think it would
mean giving up great deal for him
or me, either, if we just went on as
we have been. II see him almost
every day, and"
'Mother!" Georges voice was loud
and stern. do you think you could
go one seeing him after thisl"
She had been talking helplessly
enough before; her tone was little
more broken now. "Not-not even
see him?"
"How could your" George cried
Mother, 1t seems to me that If he
ever set foot in this house again
oh !! / can't speak of 1t Could you
see him, knowing what talk 1t makes
every time he turns into this street
and knowing what that means to me
Oh, Il don't understand all this
dontl II you told me, a year ago
that such things were going to hap
pen, I'd have thought you were In
sane--and now believe am %
Then, after preliminary gesture Of
despair, as though he meant harm t
the ceiling, he flung himself heavily
face downward, upon the bed. His
anguish was none the less real fol
Its vehemence; and the stricken lady
came to him instantly and bent ovel
him, once more enfolding him in hel
arms. She said nothing, but suddenly
her tears fell upon his head; she saw
them, and seemed to be startled
"Oh, this won't do !" she said. ave
never let you see me cry before, ex
cept when your father died.
mustn'tw
And she ran from the room
A little while after she hat
gone, George rose and began solemn,
to dress for dinner.
He sat gauntly at the dinner tabl,
with Fanny to partake OF a mea
throughout which neither spoke. Is
abel had sent word mot to wait" TO
her, an injunction 1t was as well the.
obeyed, for she did not come at all
But with the renewal of sustenanc
furnished to his system, some relax
alton must have occurred within tn
high-strung George. Dinner was no
quite finished when, without warning
could no longer restrain the lids abov
Them his head sagged beyond con
troll; and he got his feet, and wen
lurching upstairs, yawning with es
haustion. From the door Of his room
which he closed mechanically, with hi
eyes shut. he went blindly to his bee
fell upon it soddenly. and slept-wit
his face full upturned to the light.
1t was after midnigh
when he woke, and the room was DARK
He had not dreamed, but he woke wit
the sense that somebody or somethin
had been with him while he slept
. somebody or something infinitely con
passionate; somebody or something il
finitely protective, that would let hir
[ come to no harm and to no grief.
He got up, and pressed the light OF
, Pinned to the cover of his dressing ts
BILE was square envelope, with tn
| words, "For you, DEAR" written
pencil upon it. But the message il
, side was In ink, little smudged her