The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1919-12-05
SIN would remtR but h, wished 70


Withdrew. Evidently Isabel had gone
to the door. Then a murmur was
heard, and George Amberson's voice,
quick and serious: 81 want to talk
to you, Isabel" and another
murmur; then Isabel and her brother
tpassed the foot Of the broad, dark
stairway, but did not look up, and
remained unconscious of the watchful
presence above them.
For a time all that George could
hear was the indistinct sound Of his
uncle's voice: what he was saying
could not be surmised. though the
Troubled brotheriiness Of his tone was
evident. He seemed to be explaining
something at considerable length, and
lthere were moments when he paused,
land George guessed that his mother
was speaking, but her voice must have
been very low, for it was entirely in
audible to him.
Suddenly he did hear her. Through
1.-the heavy doors her outcry came,
clear and loud:
"Oh, no!'
T It was cry Of protest, as If some
thing her brother told her must be I'M
ltrue, or, if it were true, the fact he
stated must be undone; and it was q
sound of sheer pain.
Another sound of pain, close to
George, followed it; this was vehe-
ment shifting which broke out just
above him, and, looking up, he saw
Fanny Minafer on the landing lean
! ing over the banisters and applying
her handkerchief to her eyes and
nose.
II can guess what that was about"
she whispered huskily. "He's just
told her what you did to Eugene!"
/ George gave her dark hook over
his. shoulder. 'You so on back to
your roomw he said; and he began to
descend the stairs; but Fanny. guess
ing his purpose. rushed down and
caught his arm, OBTAINING him.
! you're not going in thereT" she
whispered huskily: you don't"
'Let go Of me?'
But she chung to him savagely. 'No.
you don't, George Minafer! You'll
keep away from there! You Wilt"
"You let go Of"
81 won'tl You come back here!
You'll come upstairs and let them
alone; that's what you'll dot" And
with such passionate determination
did she clutch and tug. never losing
a grip of him somewhere, though
! George tried as much as he could,
without hurting her, to wrench away
with such utter forgetfulness of her
maiden dignity did she assault him,
that she forced him, stumbling up
ward, to the landing.
"Of all the ridiculous" he began
furiously; but she spared one hand
from its grasp Of his sleeve and
clapped it over his mouth.
FLUSH up" Never for an instant in
this grotesque struggle did Fanny
raise her voice above husky whisper.
Flush up! It's indecent-like squab-
| bling outside the door of an operating
room Go on to the top of the stairs
| 20 onp
And when George had most unwill-
| ingly obeyed, she planted herself in
his way, on the top step. "There ]"
| She said. "The idea of your going in
there now! / never heard Of such q
thing!" And with the sudden depart
| ure Of the nervous vigor she had
shown so amazingly, she began to cry
again. II was an awful fool. Do you
suppose I dreamed you'd go making
everything into such tragedy? Do
you?"
81 don't care what you dreamed"
| George muttered.
/ But Fanny went on, always taking
| care to keep her voice from getting
too loud, in spite of her most grievous
| agitation. "Do you dream thought
| you'd go making such fool Of your
self at Mrs. Johnson's? Oh, saw her
| this morning! She wouldn't talk to
me, but met George Anderson on my
way back, and he told me what you'd
! done over there! And do you dream
thought you'd do what you've done
| here this afternoon to Eugene? Oh,
| / knew that, too OF course he went
| to George Anderson about 1t, and
that's why George is here. He's got
to tell Isabel the whole thing now.
! and you wanted to go in there inter-
fering-God knows what! You stay
here and let her brother tell her; he's
got some consideration for herl"
81 suppose you think ! haven'tw
George said, and at that Fanny laugh
ed witheringly.
'You! Considerate of anybody"
I'm considerate of her good name!"
he said holly. 1T seems to me that's
about the first thing to beAconsiderate
OF. In being conslderate of person!
And look here; it strikes me you're
taking pretty different tack from
what you did yesterday afternoon"
Fanny wrung her hands. II did &
terrible thing" she lamented. Nov
| that IFS done and fOO late I know