Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1919-11-21
By Booth
Harrington

on what may be nothing more than
unfortunate appearances and"
MY God!" said George. 81 can't
stand this!"
"You have the option of dropping
the subject" Mrs. Johnson suggested
tartly, and she added: Cor of leaving
the house."
'I'll do that soon enough. but first
mean to know
Il am perfectly willing to tell you
anything you wish if you will remem-
Der to ask it quietly. I'll also take
the liberty Of reminding you that I
had perfect right to discuss the SUBJ
ject with your aunt. Other people"
"Other people!" the unhappy George
repeated viciously. 'That's what
want to know about-these other peo-
pie! You say you know of other peo-
pie who talk about this
Il presume they do"
Show many?"
''What?"
II want to know now many other
people talk about it?"
Dear, dear!" she protested. "How
should / know that?"
Haven't you heard anybody men
ton it?"
Il presume So"
swell, how many have you heard?"
Mrs. Johnson was becoming more
annoyed than apprehensive, and she
showed it. Really, this isn't a court
room," she said. "And I'm not de-
PENDANT in a libel suit, either -
The unfortunate young man lost
what remained of his balance. you
may be! !" he cried II intend to know
just who's dared to say these things,
if have to force my way into every
house in town, and I'm going to make
them take every word of it back! |
mean to know the name of every SLAM
derer that's spoken of this matter to
you and of every tattler you've passed
it on to yourself. / mean to know
you'll know something pretty
quick!" she said, rising with difficult
ty; and her voice was thick with the
sense of insult. you'll know that
you're out in the street. Please to
leave my housed"
George stiffened sharply. Then he
bowed, and strobe out of the door.
Three minutes later, disheyeled and
perspiring, but cold all over, he burst
into his Uncle Georges room at the
Majors without knocking. Anderson
was dressing.
"Good gracious, Georgiev' he ex-
claimed, whats up?"
1--WE just come from Mrs. john
son's-across the street." George pant
ed.
"You have your own tastes T. was
Ambersons comment. "But curious as
they are you ought to do something
better with your hair. and button
your waistcoat to the right buttons
even for Mrs. Johnson! What were
you doing over there?"
"She told me to leave the house., .
George said desperately. II went
there because Aunt Fanny told me the
whole town was talking about my
mother and that man Morgan-that
they say my mother is going to marry
him and that proves she was too fond
Of him before my father died-she
said this Mrs. Johnson was one that
talked about it, and 1 went to her to
ask who were the others"
Amberson's jaw fell in dismay.
Don't tell me you did that!' he said.
in low voice; and then, seeing it was
true, ooh, now you have done it
'Pve done tt" George cried. "What
do you mean: I've done It? And what
have I done"
ANDERSON had collapsed into an
easy chair beside his dressing table,
the white evening tie he had been
about to put on dangling from his
hand, which had fallen Imply on the
arm of the chair. "By Jove!" he NUT
tered. "That is too bad!"
George folded his arms bitterly.
"Will you kindly answer my question?
What have / done that wasn't honor
able and right? Do you think these
riffraff can go about bandying my
mothers name"