Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1919-11-06
CHAPTER xVIII-contlnued.

But a moment later, as ne turned
from the shelves of glass jars against
the wall, with the potion she had ask
ed for in his hand, he uttered an ex-
clamation: "For goshes' sake, Miss! !"
And, describing this adventure to his
fellow boarders, that evening, "Sagged
pretty near to the counter, she was"
he said "'F 1 hadn't been a bright,
quick, ready-for-auything young fella
she'd "a 1ummixed plum! l was
watchin' her out the window-talkin'
to some young s'iety fella, and she
was all right then. She was all right
when she came in the store, too. Yes,
sir; the prettiest girl that ever walk
ed in our place and took one good look
at me. I reckon it must be the truth
what some you town ways say about
my facet"
At that hour the heroine Of the
susceptible clerks romance was en-
gagged in Frightening the rosy little
coal fire under the white mantelpiece
In her pretty white and blue boudoir.
Four photographs all framed in decor
Gus plain silver went to the anthra-
cites fierce Observation-Disclosures and
all-and three packets of letters and
notes in a charming Florentine treas
ure box Of painted wood; o was the
box, any more than the silver frames,
spared this rousing finish. Thrown
heartily upon live coal, the fine wood
sparkled forth in stars, then burst in
to an alarming blaze which scorched
the white mantelpiece, but Lucy stood
and looked on without moving.
1t was not Eugene who told her
what had happened at Isabel's door.
When she got home, she found Fanny
Minafer waiting for her-a secret ex-
cursion of Fanny's for the purpose, pre-
sumably, of letting out" again; be-
cause that was what she did. She told
Lucy everything Except her own la
mentable part in the production of the
recent miseries) and concluded with
a tribute to George; '"The worst Of it
is, he thinks he's been such a hero,
and Isabel does, too. and that makes
him more than twice as awful. It's
been the same all his life; everything
he did a noble and perfect. He had
a domineering nature to begin with,
and she let it go on, and fostered it
till it absolutely ruled her. I never
saw a palmer case of a persons fault
making them pay for having it! She
goes about, overseeing the packing
and praising George and pretending to
be perfectly cheerful about what he's
done. She pretends he did such a fine
thing-so manly and protective-go-
ing to Mrs. Johnson. And so heroic
doing what his principles made him
even though he knew what it would
cost him with you! And all the while
It's almost killing her-what he said
to your father! She's always been
lofty enough, so to speak, and had the
greatest idea of the Ambersons being
superior to the rest of the world, and
all that, but rudeness, or anything like
a scene or any bad manners-they
always just made her sicki But she
could never see what Georges man.
ners were-oh, it's been a terrible
adulation! -. It's going to be a task
for me, living in that big house, all
alone; you must come and see me
/ mean after they've gone, of course.
' I'll go crazy if l don't see something
of people. I'm sure you'll come as
often as you can. l know you too well
to think you'll be sensitive about com
ing there, or being reminded o1
George. Thank heaven you're too well
balanced" Miss Fanny concluded
with a profound fervor, "you're tot
well-balanced to let anything affec
you deeply about that-that monkey
The four photographs and the paint
ed Florentine box went to their crema
ton within the same hour that Mis-:
Fanny spoke; and a little later Lucy
called her father in, as he passed hel
door, and pointed to the blackened ares
on the underside of the mantelpiece
and to the burnt heap upon the coal
where some metallic shapes still re
tanned outline. She flung her arm
about his neck in passionate sym
patty, telling him that she knew wha
had happened to him; and present.,
he began to comfort her and manage
an embarrassed laugh.
swell, we'll" he said. ." was to
old for such foolishness to be gettin
into my head, anyhow"
mo, mol" she sobbed. sand If 20
knew how / despise myself for-fo
ever having thought n instant abou
oh. Miss Fanny called him the righ
name that monkey He Is"
"There, I think ] agree with you,
Eugene said grimly, and In his eye
there was a steady light of anger thi
was to last. "Yes / think I agree wit
you about thatP"
"There's only n thing to do wit
such a person" she said vehement
"That's to put him out Of our though
forever-foreverl !"
And yet, the next day, at six o'cloc
which was the hour, Fanny had to
her. when George and his mother wei
to leave upon their long journey, Luz
touched that scorched place on h
manta1 With har hand inst MS the lit