The Hope pioneer. [volume] (Hope, N.D.) 1882-1964, 1919-10-30

as that!" He stopped, faced her, and
spoke with ore self-control: swell,
what are you going to do about it,
mother2"
George was right about his mothers
being proud. And even when she
laughed with a negro gardener, or even
those few times in her life when peo-
pie saw her weep, Isabel had a proud
look-something that was independent
and graceful and strong. But she did
not have it now: She leaned against
the wall, beside his dressing table, and
seemed beset with humility and with
weakness. Her head dropped.
"What answer are you going to
make to such a letter." George de-
manded, like a Judge on the bench.
IL don't quite know, DEAR" she
murmured.
"You don't?" he cried. "You-"
"Wait," she begged him. "I'm 80
confused"
II want to know what you're going
to write him. Do you think if you
did what he wants you to I could
bear to stay another day in this town,
mother? Do you think 1 could ever
bear even to see you again if you
married him? I'd want to, but you
surely know I just-couldn't!"
She made a futile gesture, and
seemed to breathe with difficulty. II
II wasn't-quite sure" she faltered,
"about-about it's being wise for us
to be married-even before knowing
how you feel about it. I wasn't even
sure 1t was quite fair toto Eugene.
l have-I seem to have that family
trouble-like father's-that I spoke
to you about once" She managed a
deprecatory little dry laugh. "Not
that 1t amounts to much, but I wasn't
at all sure that it would be fair to
him. Marrying doesn't mean so much,
after all-not at my age. It's enough
to know that-that people think of
you-and to see them. I thought we
were all-oh, pretty happy the way
thugs were, and I don't think it would
mean giving up q great deal for him
or me, either, if we just went on as
we have been. IL see him almost
every day, and"
"MOther!" Georges voice was loud
and stern. "DO you think you could
go n seeing him after this!"
y She had been talking helplessly
enough before; her tone was little
more broken now. "Not-not even
see him?"
SLOW could you?" George cried
"Mother, it seems to me that if he
ever set foot in this house again
oh! I can't speak of it! Could yor
see him, knowing what talk it makes
every time he turns into this street
l ond knowing what that means to me
oh, I don't understand all this:
don't! If you told me, a year ago
that such things were going to hap
pen, I'd have thought you were in
sane-and now I believe I ami"
e Then, after a preliminary gesture O.
despair, as though he meant harm tt
n the ceiling, he flung himself heavily
e face downward, upon the bed. Hi:
8 anguish was non the less real fOl
its vehemence; and the stricken lad!
u came to him instantly and bent owe
t him, once more EMBEDDING him in he
t. arms. She said nothing, but suddenl,
e her tears fell upon his head; she saw
them, and seemed to be startled.
ooh, this won't do! !" she said. "I'v,
k never let you see me cry before, ex
r cept when your father died.
mustn't!"
VI And she al from the room.
D. ... 4 little while after she hat
n gone, George rose and began solemn,
e to dress for dinner.
He sat gauntly at the dinner tabl,
r with Fanny to partake of a mea
K throughout which neither spoke. Is
u abel had sent word mot to wait" fol
II her, an injunction it was as we'll they
obeyed, for she did not come at all
But with the renewal of %sustenanct
= furnished to his system, some relax
d alton must have occurred within the
high-strung George. Dinner was not
quite finished when, without warning
sleep hit him hard. His burning eyes
could no longer restrain the lids above
them; his head sagged beyond con,
troll; and he got his feet, and went
lurching upstairs, yawning with ex
@haustion. From the door Of his room
e which he closed mechanically, with his
eyes shut, he went blindly to his bed
fell upon it %soddenly, and slept-witA
o his face full upturned to the light.
n .... It was after midnight
when he.woke, and the room was dark
He had not dreamed, but he woke with
the that somebody OF something
IL had been with him while he slept
somebody OF something infinitely com
n passionate; somebody or something in
Il finitely protective, that would let him
1 come to no harm and to no grief.
He got up, and pressed the light on
e Pinned to the cover Of his dressing ia.
d BILE was a square envelope, with the
n words, "For you, DEAR" written in
pencil upon it. But the message in
o side was in ink, a little smudged here
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