Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1919-11-11

George overlooked the admission ;
his mind was not now occupied with
analysis. what do you mean," he
asked, when you say that IL father
had lived, TIE talk wouldn't have
amounted to anything?"
Things might have been-they
might have been different"
you mean Morgan might have mar
ried your
Fanny galped. mo. Because l
don't know that I'd have accepted
him." She had ceased to weep. and
now she sat up stiffly. II certainly
didn't care enough about him to mar
ry him; / wouldn't have let myself
care that much until he showed that
he wished to marry me. I'm not that
sort of personl" The poor lady paid
her vanity this piteOus little tribute.
what / mean is, if Wilbur hadn't died
people wouldn't have had 1t proved
before their very eyes that what
they'd been talking about was true j.
"You say-you say that people be-
forced himself to continue. in sick
voice: '"They believe my mother is
is in love with that manY
"Of course!'
"And because he comes here-and
they see her with him driving-and all
that-they think they were right when
they said she was INN love with him
befOre-before my father diedT
She looked at him gravely with her
eyes now dry between their Redeemed
lids. "Why George" she said. gently,
don't you know that's what they sayi
You must know that everybody in
town thinks they're going to be mar
ried very soon."
George uttered an incoherent cry
and sections Of him appeared to
writhe. He was upon the verge OF
actual nausea.
"You know it ~ Fanny cried, getting
up. "You don't think I'd have spoken
of it to you unless 1 was sure you
knew it?' Her voice was wholly
genuine, as it had been throughout the
wretched interview. Somebody must
have told your
'Who told you?" he said.
"What?
"Who told you there was talk
Where is this talk? Where does IL
{ ome from? Who does it?"
"Why, 1 suppose pretty much every
body" she said. 81 know it must be
pretty general"
"Who said sO?"
"What?"
George stepped close to her. "You
say people don't speak to a person OF
gossip about that PERSONS family
Well, how did you hear it, then? How
did you get hold of it? Answer me =
"Why-" Fanny hesitated.
"You answer mel"
II hardly think it would be fair tc
give names"
Look here" said George. "One OF
your most intimate friends is that
mother of Charlie Johnson's. for In
stance. Has she ever mentioned this
to you? You say everybody is talking
Is she onef"
"Oh, she may have intimated-"
I'm asking you: Has she ever
spoken of it to your"
"She's a very kind, discreet woman
George; but she may have inttmat
ed
George had a sudden intuition, as
there fiickered into his mind the pic
ture of a street-crossing and two alb
sorbed ladies almost run down by 9
fast horse. "YOu and she have beer
talking about 1t today!' he cried. "YOU
were talking about it with her not two
hours ago. Do you deny it?"
"I-"
do you deny it?''
"Nor'
"All right said George. THAT'S
enough"
She caught at his arm as he turned
away. what are you going to do
George7"
"rll not talk about it, now" he said
heavily. ~ think you've done a good
deal for one day. Aunt Fanny"
And Fanny, seeing the passion In
his face, began to be alarmed. George
you know I'm sorry for you, whether