Cleveland County herald., 1919-11-06
CHAPTER VllI-Continued.


 In the matter of coolness George met Lucy upon her own predeter- mined ground; in fact, he was there first, and at their next encounter proved loftier and more formal than she did. Their arrangement lasted three weeks, and then disappeared without any preliminary treaty: 1t had worn itself out and they forgot it.
 Tine Major had taken great fancy to her, insisting upon her presence and her fathers at the Anderson fam fly dinner at the Mansion every Sun day evening. She knew how to flirt with old people, he said, as she sat next him at the table on one of these Sunday occasions; and he had always liked her father, even when Eugene was "terror' long ago. "Oh, yes, he wast" the Major laughed when she remonstrated. 'He came up here with my son George and some others for a serenade one night, and Eugene stepped into a bass fiddle, and the poor musicians just gave up! That serenade was just before Isabel was married-and don't you fret, Miss Lucy: your father remembers it we'll . enough!" The old gentleman burst l into laughter, and shook his finger at l Eugene across the table. "The fact is," the Major went on hilariously, q believe if Eugene hadn't broken that bass fiddle and given himself away Isabel would never have taken Will bur! I shouldn't be surprised if that was about all the reason that Wilbur got her! What do you think. VII burr"
 T shouldn't be surprised" said Will bur placidy. If your notion is right I'm glad Gene broke the fiddle. He was giving me hard runr
 The Major always drank three glasses of champagne at his Sunday dinner, and he was finishing the third. What do you say about 1t, Isabel? By Jove!" he. cried, pounding the table, "she's blushing"
 Eugene was as pink as Isabel, but he laughed without any sign of embaf- rassment other than his heightened color. "Theres another important thing-that is, for me-" he said. Its the only thing that makes me forgive that bass viol for getting in my way"
 "What is it?" the Major asked.
 Lucy" said Morgan gently.
 Isabel gave him quick glance, all warm approval and there was mur- mur of friendliness round the table.
 Summer glided by evenly and quick ly enough for the most part, and at the end seemed to fly. On the last night before George went back to be junior his mother asked him confi- lently if it had not been a happy summer.
 He hadn't thought about it. he an swered. "Oh, l suppose so. Why?"
 'I just thought it would be nice to hear you say so," she said, smiling Its seemed to me that it must have been a happy summer for you-a real summer of roses and wine'-without the wine. perhaps. Gather ye roses while ye mayor was it primroses? :? Time does really fly, or perhaps it's like the sky-and smoke"
 George was puzzled. Ut strikes me you're getting mixed. I don't see much resemblance between time and the sky, or between things and smoke wreaths; but I do see one reason you like Lucy Morgan so much. She talks that same kind of wistful, moony way sometimes--I don't mean to say I mind it in either of you, be- cause I rather like to listen to it, and you've got very good voice, mother. It's nice to listen to, no mat ter how much smoke and sky, and so on, you talk. Sos Lucy's, for that matter; and I see why you're con- genial. She talks that way to her father, too; and he's right there with the same kind of gulf. Well, it's all right with me! I've got plenty to think about when people drool along !' She pressed his hand to her cheek, and tear made tiny warm streak across one of his knuckles.
 "For heavens sake!" he said. whats the matter? Isn't everything all right?'
 '.You're going away! I never can pear to see you go-tnal the Hiosl of h. I'm little bothered about your father, too."
 "Why?"
 Tt seems to me he looks so bad. Eyerybedy thinks so."
 y What nonsense" George laughed. Hes hesn looking that way all sum-