The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1919-11-14

By Booth
Harrington


on what may be nothing more than
unfortunate appearances and"
MY Godw said George. II can't
stand this"
You have the option Of dropping
the subject" Mrs. Johnson suggested
tartly, and she added: "Or Of leaving
the house."
I'll do that soon enough, but first
l mean to Know"
Il am perfectly willing to tell you
anything you wish If you will remem-
Der to ask 1t quietly. I'll also take
the liberty of reminding you that
had perfect right to discuss the SUBJ
ject with your aunt. Other people"
"Other people! !" the unhappy George
repeated viciously. "Thats 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" o. ..
"How many?"
"What?"
II want to know how many other
people talk about it?"
Dear, dear!" she protested. SLOW
should I know that?"
Haven't you heard anybody men
| ton it?"
81 presume sou
swell, how many have you heard?
i Mrs. Johnson was becoming more
annoyed than apprehensive, and she
| Sh(.WQ6 II SPn0llvy fhic icn,f a anI1rf-
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. 81 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! I
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. I 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, disheveled and
perspiring but cold all over, he burst
into his Uncle Georges room at the
Majors without knocking. Anderson
was dressing. 81
"Good gracious, Georgie!" he ex-
| claimed, whats up?"
I've just come from Mrs. John
| son's-across the street." George pant
| ed.
"You have your own fastest" was
Amberson's 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. Il 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 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
"I've done itY 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 Jovew he NUT
tered. ''That is too badw
George folded his arms bitterly.
"Will you kindly answer my question?
What have I done that wasn't honor
able and right? Do you think these
riffraff can go about bandying my
mothers name"