The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1919-11-27
'Ou suppose I'll be doing?"

You'll see! I'm going to stop this
thing If have to force my way into
every house on National avenue and
ANDERSON boulevard"
His uncle laughed rather sourly but
made no other comment.
"Well, what do you propose to DOR
George demanded. do you propose
TO sit there"
"Yes."
and let this riffraff handy my
D0ther's good name back and forth
among them? Is that what you pro-
pose to doY
Its all I can do" Anderson re-
turned. ITS all any Of us can do
now: just sit still and hope that the
thing may die down in time in spite
Of your stirring up that awful old
woman"
George drew a long breath, then ad-
vanced and stood close before his
uncle. "Didn't you understand me
when l told you that people are say
ing my mother means to marry this
man?"
"Yes, / understood you"
you say that my going over there
has made matters worse" George went
on. How about 1t If such a-such an
unspeakable marriage did take place?
DO you think that would make people
believe they'd been wrong in saying
you know what they say"
NO" said ANDERSON deliberately;
81 don't believe it would. But it
wouldn't hurt Isabel and Eugene, If
they never heard of it; and if they did
hear Of it, then they could take their
choice between placating gossip or liv-
ing for their own happiness. If they
have decided to marry"
George almost staggered. Good
heaven!" he gasped. you speak of it
calmly!"
Anderson looked up at him inquir-
ingly. "Why shouldn't they marry If
they want tO?" he asked. ITS their
own affair. l don't see anything pre-
cisely monstrous about two people get
ting married when they're both free
and care about each other. What's
the matter with their marrying?"
1T would be mOnstrous !" George
shouted. "Monstrous even if this hor-
rible thing hadn't happened, but now
in the face of ths-oh, that you can
sit there and even speak of it Your
own sister! Oh" He became inco-
herent, swinging away from Anderson
and making for the door, wildly ges-
turing.
"For heavens sake don't be so the
atrical!" said his uncle, and then, see
ing that George was leaving the room:
Come back here. You mustn't speak
to your mother of this!"
Don't tend to-" George said indis-
tinctly, and he plunged into the big,
dimly lit hall. He went home and got
hat and overcoat without seeing
either his mother or Fanny. Then he
left word that he would be out for
dinner and hurried away from the
house.
He walked the dark streets Of Am
berson addition for an hour, then went
downtown and got coffee at a restau-
rant. After that he walked through
the lighted parts of the town until ten
o'clock, when he turned north and
came back to the purlieus of the Addi-
tion. He walked fiercely, though his
feet ached, but by and by he turned
homeward, and, when he reached the
Majors, went In and sat upon the
steps of the huge stone veranda In
front-an obscure figure in that lonely
and repellent place. All lights were
out at the Majors, and finally, after
twelve. he saw his mothers window
darken at home.
He waited half an hour longer, then
crossed the front yards of the new
houses and let himself noiselessly In
the front door. The light In the hall
had been left burning. and another In
his own room, as he discovered when
he got there. He locked the door
quickly and without noise, but his fin
gers were still upon the key when
there was a quick football n the hall
outside.
George, dear2"
He went to the other end Of the
room before replying.
"Yesf
I'D been wondering where you were,
dear"
Had your"
There was a pause; then she said
wherever 1t was, hope you
had pleasant evening"
After silence, "Thank YOU" he
said without expression.
Another silence followed before she
spoke again.
"You wouldn't care to be kissed
good night, 1 suppose?" And with a
little furry of placative laughter she
added: "At your age Of course!"
'I'm going to bed now," he said.
Good night" /
Another silence seemed blanker
than those which had preceded it, and
finally her voice came-it was blank,
too.
"GOod night"
After he was In bed his thoughts be-