The diamond drill., 1919-09-20

cnecf1uuys In mourning, or course
! all she could do was just cit around
and look on. That's all Lucy could do
| either. for the matter Of that"
| II suppose so." his aunt sssented.
How did Lucy get homer Did you
| drive out to their house with her be-
| fore you came hereT
mo. She drove home with her IA
ther. Of course"
"0h, ] zee. So Eugene came to the
station to meet you"
ITO meet usf" George echoed. re
newing his attack upon the salmon
salad. How could her.
II don't know what you mean"
Fanny said dresTiiy. In the desoIate
voice that had become her habit. sT
haven't seen him while your mothers
been away"
Naturally" said George. Hes
been East himself"
At this Fanny's dropping eyelids
opened wide.
did you see himY
swell, naturally. since he made the
trip home with u.s."
Fanny's eyelids dropped, and she
sat silent until George pushed back his
chair and lit cigarette, declaring his
satisfaction with what she had pro-
vided. you're a fine housekeeper,"
he said benevolently. IL don't believe
you'd stay single very long IL some of
the bachelors and widowers around
town could just once see"
She did not hear him. Its little
odd" she said.
whats odd?"
"Your mothers not mentioning that
Mr.. Morgan had been with you
Didn't think of II. / suppose said
George carelessly; and, his benevolent
mood increasing. he conceived the idea
that a little harmless ralIying might
serve 10 elevate his aunt's dropping
spirits. 'Tll tell you something, In
confidence" he said solemnly.
She looked up, startled. ''what?"
"Well. IL struck me that Mr.. Nor
gan was looking pretty absent.mlnded.
most OF the time: and he certainly is
dressing better than he used to.
shouldn't be bit surprised if all the
young fellow had been waiting for was
TO know he had an assured income be-
fore he proposed <-&w.esss
'swhat young fellowY"
'"rhis young fellow Morgan" laughed
George. Honestly. Aunt Fanny. I
shouldn't be BIT surprised to have
him request an interview with me any
syav ond .laol. ~. tl,., ~. s,to..t-.>. =
honorable, and ask my permission to
pay his addresses to you. What had
better tell him"
Fanny burst into tears.
''Good keayensl" George cried. II
was only teasing. didn't mean"
''Let me alone" she said lifelessly;
and. continuing to weep, rose and be-
gan to clear away the china and silver.
George was distressed. II didn't
mean anything. Aunt Fanny didn't
know you'd got SO sensitive as all
that"
You'd better go mp TO bed" she
said desolately. going on with her work
and her weeping.
He obeyed. and could still hear
pathetic smiling from the dining room
as he went up the stairs.
by George" he grunted. as ne
reached his own room and his thought
was that living with a person so sensi-
tive to kindly raillery might prove
lugubrious. He went to the window
and looked through the darkness to
the great silhouette OF his grnndfa-
ther's house. Lights were burning over
there, upstairs; probably his newly
arrived uncle was engaged In talk with
the Major
Georges glance lowered, resting cas-
ually upon the indistinct ground, and
he beheld some vague shapes. unfa-
miliar to him. Formless heaps, they
seemed; but. without much curiosity,
he supposed that sewer connections or
water pipes might be out OF order.
making necessary some excavations.
Not greatly disturbed. he pulled down
the shade, yawned, and began 10 un-
dress. leaving further investigation for
the morning.
&<tt - tts' sattt'ssE Nv ha1 Att SVahNtt
all about II. and raised his shade. 10
let In the light. without even glancing
toward the ground. Not until he had
finished dressing did he look forth
from his window. and then his glance
was casual. The NEXT instant his at
titude became electric. and he ran
from his room. plunged down the
stairs, out OF the front door. and. upon
a nearer view OF the destroyed lawn.
began 10 release profanity upon tff6
breezeless summer air. which remained
unaffected. Between his mothers
house and his grandfather's. excava-
tions for the cellars OF five new
houses were In process. each within a
few feet Of Its neIghbor.
II was Sunday. and no the workmen
implicated in these defacings were de-
MED what unquestionably they would
have considered treat: but as the