The Hope pioneer. [volume] (Hope, N.D.) 1882-1964, 1919-10-16

LII AAS 1Oom over his OF
her!
"Oh, my Lord" he whispered; then,
with a great effort, addressed her in a
reasonable tone: G'Look here, Aunt
Fanny; I don't see what you're making
all this fuss about. OF course I know
I've teased you sometimes, but"
"Teased' me2" she walled.
leased me! Oh, it does seem too
hard sometimes-this mean old life of
mine does seem too hard! I don't
think I can stand it! Honestly, I don't
think I can! I came in here just to
show you I sympathized with YOU
just to say something pleasant to you,
and you treat me as if I were-oh, no.,
you wouldn't treat a servant the way
you treat me! You wouldn't treat any
body in the world like this except old
Fanny!"
"Oh, my Lord!" George groaned.
Fanny spread out her small, soaked
handkerchief, and shook it in the air
to dry it a little, crying as damply and
as wretchedly during this operation as
before-a sight which gave George a
curious shock to add to his other agi-
t%ations, it seemed SO strange.
you're SO proud" she %quavered,
land so hard! I tell you I didn't mean
to speak of it to you, and I never,
never in the world would have told
you about it, nor have made the faint
est reference to 1t, if I hadn't seen that
somebody else had told you, or you'd
found out for yourself some way.
L"
In despair of her intelligence, and
in some doubt Of his own, George
struck the palms of his hands together.
"Somebody else had told me what?
I'd found what out for myself"
"How people are talking about your
mother"
Except for the incidental teariness
Of her voice, her tone was casual, as
though she mentioned a subject pre-
viously discussed and understood
for Fanny had no doubt that George
had only pretended to be mystified be-
cause, in his pride, he would not in
words admit that he knew what he
knew.
"What did you say" he asked in.
credulously.
"Of course I understood what you
were DOING" Fanny went on, drying her
handkerchief again. ut puzzled other
people when you began to be rude to
Eugene, because they couldn't see how
you could treat him as you did when
you were so interested in Lucy. But
I remembered how you came to me
that other time when there was sc
much talk about Isabel; and I LneW
you'd give Lucy up in a minute, if il
came to a question Of your mothers
reputation, because you said then
that"
"Look here" George interrupted in
a shaking voice. "Look here, I'd
like" He stopped, unable to go on
his agitation was so great. His chest
heaved IS from hard running, and his
complexion, pallid at first, had be-
come notified; fiery splotches appear
ing at his temples and cheeks. "What
do you mean by telling me-telling me
there's talk about-about-" He
gulped, and began again: "What dc
you ean by using such words as
%'reputatiom?' What do you mean
speaking Of a question of my-lny
mothers reputation?"
Fanny looked up at him woefully
over the handkerchief which she now
applied to her redeemed nose. "God
knows I am sorry for you, George
she murmured. II wanted to say so
but it's only old Fanny, so whatever
she says-even when it's sympathy
pick on her for it." She sobbed. cts
only poor old lonely Fanny!"
"You look here" George said harsh
~. "When I spoke to my Uncle
George after that rotten thing I heard
Aunt Amelia say about my mother, he
said If there was any gossip it was
about you! He said people might be
laughing about the way you ran after
Morgan, but that was all"
Fanny lifted her hands, clenched
them and struck them upon her knees
"Yes; it's always Fanny!" she sobbed
Ridiculous old Fanny-always, al
ways!"
"You listenw George said. "After
I'd talked to Uncle George I saw you
and you said l had a mean little mind
for thinking there might be truth In