The Arvada enterprise., 1919-12-11
CHAPTER xvIlI-contlnusd.

CHAPTER xvlli-contlnusd
IS
But moment later, as he turned
from the shelves Of glass Jars against
the WALL with the potion she had ask.
ed for in his hand, he uttered an ex-
clamatiOn: "For goshes' sake, Miss I"
And. describing this adventure to his
fellow bOarders, that evening, "SaggeI
pretty near to the counter, she was"
he said "'F I hadn't been a bright,
quick, ready-for-anything young fella
she'd "a fiummixed plum! was
Hatchin' her out the window-talkin'
to some young s'lety fella, and she
was all right then. She was all right
when she came in the store, too. Yes,
sir; the prettiest girl that ever walk
ed In our place and took one good look
at me. reckon 1t must be the truth
what some you town wags soy about
my facet"
At that hour the heroine of the
susceptible clerks romance was en-.
gagged in Frightening the rosy little
coal fire under the white mantelpiece
In her pretty white and blue boudoir.
Four photographs all framed in decor.
Gus plain silver went to the anthra-
cites fierce observation-disclosures and
all-and three packets of letters and
notes In a charming Florentine treas
ure box Of painted wood; nor was the
box, any more than the silver frames,
spared this rousing finish. Thrown
heartily upon live coal, the fine wood
sparkled forth in stars, then burst In
to an alarming blaze which scorched
the white mantelpiece, but Lucy stood
and looked on without moving.
1t was not Eugene who told her
what had happened at Isabel's door.
When she got home. she found Fanny
Minafer waiting for her-a secret ex-
cursion Of Fanny's for the purpose. pre-
sumably. Of "letttng out" again; be-
cause that was what she did. She told
= Lucy everything Except her own la
mentable part in the production Of the
recent miseries) and concluded with
a tribute to George; "The worst Of it
10, he thinks he's been such a hero,
and Isabel does, too. and that makes
him more than twice as awful. It's
been the same Sll his life; everything
he did was nahls and perfect. He aad
a domlneerIng nature to begin with.
and she let 1t 90 Un. and fostered 1t
till 1t absolutely ruled her. ! never
saw = palmer case Of persons fault
'<QaGag them pay for having 1t! She
goss about overseeing the packing
and pralsing GsQEge and pretending to
be perfectly cheerful about what he's
done. She pretends he did such a fine
thing-sO manly and protective-go-
ing to Mrs. johnson. And 80 heroic
doing what his principles made him
even though he knew what It would
cost him with you! And all the while
it's almost killing her-what he said
to your father! She's always been
lofty enough, SO to speak, and had the
greatest idea Of the Ambersons being
superior to the rest Of the world. and
all that. but rudeness, or anything like
Q 'scene.' or any bad manners-they
always Just made her sick! But she
could never see whnt Georges man.
ners were-oh. it's been a terrible
adulation It's going to be task
for me, living In that big house, all
alone; you must come and see me
] mean after they've gone. Of course.
IN 20 crazy II I don't see something
Of people. I'm sure you'll come rs
often % you can. know you too well
to think you'll be sensitive about com
Ing there. or being reminded OF
George. Thank heaven you're too we'll
balanced" Miss Fanny concluded,
with q profound fervor. "you're tor
well.balanced to let anything affect
you deeply about thnt-that monkey"
The four photographs and the paint.
ed Florentine box went to their crema-
tion within the same hour that Miss
Fanny spoke: and q little later Lucy
called her father In. as he passed her
door, and pointed to the blackened area
on the underslde Of the mantelpiece.
and to the burnt heap upon the coal.
where some metallic shapes still re-
tained outline. She flung her arms
about bis neck In passionate sym.
pathy. telling him that she knew what
bad hapraned to him: and presently
he began to comfort her and managed
an embarrassed laugh.
swell. WE'LL" he said. II was too
old for such foolishness to be getting
Into my head. anyhow"
mo. not" she sobbed. "And II you
knew how I despise myself for-for
ever having thought one instant about
--Jh. Miss Fanny called him the right
name: that monkey! He Isl"
There. I think agree with you."
Eugene said grtmly. and 10 his eyes
tAsre WAS steady light Of anger that
Vas 10 last. "Yes think I agree with
soa about thatr'
there's only one thing to do with
such . person." she said vehcmently.
That's 70 pat him out Of our thoughts
forsvef-forevef
And yet. the nsxt day. at nix o'clock.
which was the boar. Fanny had told