River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1919-12-25
Continued from page 8

door with a light step, singing cheer
fully to herself as she went to her
room, he perceived that she had mis-
taken his intention altogether, or, in
deed, had failed to perceive that he
had any intention at all.
There came a delicate, eager tap
ping at his door, not done with a
knuckle but with the tip of finger
nail, which was instantly clarified to
Georges minds eye as plainly as if he
saw it: the long and polished white
moOned pink shield on the end of his
Aunt Fanny's right forefinger. But
George was in no mood for human
communications, and even when things
went we'll he had little pleasure in
Fanny's society. Therefore it is not
surprising that at the sound of her
tapping. instead of bidding her enter,
ne Immediately crossed the room with
the intention of locking the door to
keep her out.
Fanny was too eager and, opening
the door before he reached it, came
quickly in, and closed it behind her.
Her look was that of person who
had just seen something extraordinary
or heard thrilling news.
"Now, what on earth do you want?"
her chilling nephew demanded.
George she said hurriedly, II saw
what you did when you couldn't speak
to them. was sitting with Mrs. John
son at her front window, across the
street, and I saw it ALL"
"Well, what of it," se-
"You did right |" Fanny said with a
vehemence not the less spirited be-
cause she suppressed her voice almost
to whisper. "You did exactly
right! You're behaving splendidly
about the whole thing, and 1 wait to
tell you / know your father would
thank you if he could see what you're
doing"
my Lord!" George broke out at her.
"You make me dizzy! For heavens
sake quit the mysterious detective
business-at least do quit it around
me! Go and try it on somebody else,
If you like; but don't want to hear
it y"
She began to tremble, regarding him
with fixed gaze "You don't care to
hear. them" she said huskily, "that I
approve of what you're doing?"
Certainly not! Since / haven't the
faintest idea what you think I'm do,
Ing naturally don't care whether
you approve Of it or not. All I'd like,
If you please, is to be alone. I'm not
giving tea here, this afternoon. if
you'll permit me to mention it!''
Fanny's gaze wavered; she began
to blink; then suddenly she sank into
a chair and wept silently, but with
terrible desolation
"Oh, for the Lords sake!' he
moaned. "What in the world is wrong
with your
you're always picking on me-" she
quavered wretchedly, her voice indis-
tinct with the wetness that dubbed in
to it from her tears. "You do-you
always pick on me! You've always
done it-always-ever since you were
little boy! Whenever anything goes
wrong with you, you take it out on
me! You do! You always"
George flung to heaven gesture of
despair; it seemed to him the last
straw that Fanny should have chosen
this particular time to come and sob
In his room over his mistreatment of
her!
"Oh, my Lord! !" he whispered; then,
with a great effort, addressed her in q
reasonable tone: Look here, Aunt
Fanny; don't see what you're making
all this fuss about. OF course know
I've teased you sometimes, but"
"Teased' me?' she walled.
"Teased' me! Oh. it does seem too
hard sometimes-this mean old life of
mine does seem too hard! I don't
think can stand it! Honestly, don't
think / can! / came in here just to
show you I sympathized with you
just TO say something pleasant to you,
and you treat me as if / were-oh, no,
you wouldn't treat servant the way
you treat me! You wouldn't treat any
body In the world like this except old
Fanny!"
'Oh, my Lord'' George groaned.
Fanny spread out her small, soaked
handkerchief, and shook 1t in the air
to dry it a little, crying as damply and
as wretchedly during this operation as
bef0re-a sight which gave George a
curious shock to add to his other agi-
tations, it seemed so strange.
You're so proud" she quavered,
land so hard! tell you didn't mean
to speak of it to you, and I never.
never in the world would have told
you about it, nor have made the faint
est reference to it, if hadn't seen that
somebody else had told you, you'd
found out for yourself some way
II
In despair Of her intelligence, and
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