Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1919-09-30
CHAPTER VII.

I =
Morgan's cheek, snowy and cold, was
pressing his nose slightly to one side /;
and a monstrous amount of her fur
! boa seemed to mingle with an equally
unplausible quantity of snow in his
mouth. He was confused, but con-
scious of no objection to any of these
! juxtapositions. She was apparently
uninjg.ed, for she sat up, hatless, her
hair down, and said mildly:
GOOD heavens r
| Though her father had been under
his machine when they passed, he was
the first to reach them He threw
himself on his knees beside his daugh-
ter, but found her already laughing,
and was treasured. They're all
right" he called to Isabel, who was
running toward them, ahead of her
brother and Fanny Minafer. "This
snowbank's a feather bed-nothing
the matter with them at ALL Don't
look so palel'
.Georgie!' she gasped. George ~
George was on his feet, snow all
over him.
Don't make fuss, motherl Moth
ing's the matter. That darned silly
horse"
Sudden tears stood in IsabePs eyes.
'To see you down underneath-drag
| ging-oh -" Then with shaking
hands she began to brush the snow
from him.
"Let me alone" he protested. you'll
ruin your gloves. You're getting snow
| all over you, and"
mo, nor she cried. you'll catch
cold; you mustn't catch cold" And
she continued TO brush him.
Anderson had brought Lucy's hat !;
Miss Fanny acted as lady's maid; and
both victims of the accident were
presently restored TO about their usual
appearance and condition of apparel.
In fact, encouraged by the two older
! gentlemen, the entire party, with one
exception, decided that the episode
was after all merry one, and began
| to laugh about it. But George was
| GUNNER than the December twilight
now swiftly closing in.
! 1naL uarueu morse - ne SdlQ.
SCI wouldn't bother about Pendennis,
George" said his uncle. 'You can
send a man out for what's left of the
cutter tomorrow, and Pendennis will
| gallop home to his stable: he'll be
there a long while before we will, De-
cause all we've got to depend on to
get us home is Gene Morgans broken
down chatting dish yonder."
They were approaching the machine
as he spoke, and his friend, again I'M
derneath it, heard him. He emerged,
smiling shell 60" he said.
what! p
"All aboard :"
He offered his hand to Isabel. She
was smiling but still pale, and her
eyes, in spite of the smile, kept upon
George in a shocked anxiety. Miss
Fanny had already mounted to the
rear seat, and George, after helping
Lucy Morgan to climb up beside his
aunt, was following. Isabel saw that
his shoes were light things of patent
leather, and that snow was clinging
to them. She made d little rush
| toward him, and, as one of his feet
rested on the iron step of the machine,
in mounting, she began to clean the
snow from his shoe with her almost
aerial lace handkerchief. "You mustn't
catch coldl" she cried
"Stop that!' George shouted, and
furiously withdrew his foot. "For
heavens sake get in You're stand
ing in the snow yourself Get in"
Isabel consented, turning to Morgan,
whose habitual expression of appre-
hensiveness was somewhat accentu-
ated. He climbed up after her, George
ANDERSON having gone to the other
side. you're the same Isabel l used
to know!" he said in a low voice.
you're dfvinely ridiculous woman -
"Am I. Eugene?" she said, not dis
pleased. 'Divinely' and ridiculous
just cOunterbalance each other, don't
they? Plus one and minus one equal
nothing; so you mean I'm nothing in
PARTICULAR"
NO" he answered, Juggling at a
| lever. "That doesn't seem to be pre-
cisely what l meant. There!" This
exclamation referred to the subterra-
mean machinery, for dismaying sounds
came from beneath. the floor. and the
vehicle plunged. then rolled noisily
forward.
Behold !" George Anderson ex-
claimed. "She does novel 1t must
be another accident"
'Accident?'" Morgan shouted over
the din. mol She breathes. she
stirs; she seems to feel thrill of life
along her keelr' And he began to
sing 'The Star Spangled Banner"
Anderson Joined him Justify. and
sang on when Morgan stopped His
nephew, behind, was gloomy. He had
overheard his mothers conversation
with the inventor: it seemed curious
to him that this Morgan, of whom he
had never heard until last night,
should be using the name 'IsabeI'' so
easily; and George felt that it was not
just the thing for his mother to call
Morgan Eugene" the resentment of
| the previous night came upon George
again. Meanwhile his mother and
Morgan continued their talk; but he
could no longer hear what they said
! the noise of the car and his uncle's
songful mood prevented. He marked
how animated Isabel seemed; il was
not strange to see his mother so gay.
but it was strange that a man not of
ting family should be the cause of
her gayety. And George sat frowning.
Lacy turned to him. "You tried to
swing underneath me and break the
1 fall for me when we went over" she
said Il knew you were doing that,
and-ft was nice of you"
Wasn't ans fall to speak Of" he
returned brusquely. Couldn't have
| hurt either of u.s."
still it was friendly of you-and
awfully quick. too. I'll not-In not
| forgot If -