The Tomahawk., 1919-12-04
CHAPTER xvIII-continued.

clamation: "For goshes' sake, Miss J"
And, describing this adventure to his
fellow boarders, that evening, "Saggel
pretty near to the counter, she was" "
he said "'F I hadn't been bright,
quick, ready-for-anything young fella
she'd "a flummixed plum! was
watchin' her out the window-talkin'
to some young s'iety 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 it must be the truth
what some you town wags say about
my face!' -.
At that hour the heroine Of the
susceptible clerks romance was en-
gagged iM 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 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. -'-
It 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 letting out" again; be-
cause that was what she did. She told
HLucy everything Except her own la
i mentable purt in the production Of the
recent miser1es) and concluded with
a tribute to George; "The worst Of it
U.s. he thinks he's been such hero,
and Isabel does, too. and that makes
+ him more than twice as awful. It's
been the tllme all his life; everything
he did was noble and perfect. He had
domineoring nature to begin with,
and she Let it go on, and fostered 1t
till it absolutely ruled her. I never
saw pla4aer case Of a persons fault
making th,m pay for having it! She
goes abou;, overseeing the packing
and praisls 6 George and pretending to
be perfectly cheerful about what he's
done. She 2retends he did such fine
thing-so manly and protective go
ing to Mra. johnson. And SO heroic
doing Whist his principles made him
even thtilgh 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
;>Dfty enouth, SO to speak, and had the
greatest idea Of the Ambersons being
superior tS 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 nevsr see what Georges man.
ners were-oh. it's been terrible
adulationl =. It's going to be task
for me, living in that big house, all
alone; yoS must come and see me-
I mean after they've gone, of course.
I'll 20 crazy If I don't see something
of people. I'm sure you'll come as
often as yeu can. I 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 too
well-balansed to let anything affect
you deeply about that-that monkey
The four photographs and the paint
cd Florenttae box went to their crema-
ton within the same hour that MISS
Fanny spore; and a little later Lucy
,Scalled her father in, as he passed her
fa2ocr, and POINTED to the blackened area
tjbn the unterside of the mantelpiece,
and to the burnt heap upon the coal,
where some metallic shapes still re-
tanned outline. She flung >her arms
about his neck in passionate sym
pathy, telling him that she knew what
had fappa,,ed to him; and presently
he began t. comfort her and managed
an embarrassed laugh.
sWeIl, well" he said. II was too
old for .h foolishness to be getting
into my hfad, anyhow.
mo, nos" she sobbed. "And II you
knew how despise myself for-for
ever having thought one instant about
-oh. Miss Fanny called him the right
name: thst monkey! He is ]"
.sThere, I think agree with you"
Eugene ssid grfmly, and In his eyes
there was steady light Of anger that
was to last. Eyes think agree with
you about that ]"
saThere's only one thing to do with
sucs, q person." she said vehemently.
.sThat's to put him out Of our thoughts
forever-f)reS ef -
And yet. the next day, ut six o'clock,
which wass the hour, Fanny had told
her, when George and his nnother were
to weave upon heir long journey, Lucy
touched that =scorched place on heI
n1afatei VIII hsr hand just as the little
clock above It X4hck. Then. after this
=. 4 - -,