The Ordway new era., 1919-12-12
,an would retur-. but he wished to

gan would retur-k but he wished to
make sure.
Mary appeared in the hall below
him, but, after a glance toward the
front of the house, turned back, and
withdrew. Evidently Isabel had gone
to the door. Then n murmur was
heard, and George Amberson's voice,
quick and serious: 81 want to talk
murmur; then Isabel and her brother
passed the foot of the broad. dark
! stairway, but did not look up. and
remained unconscious of the watchful
presence above them.
For a time all that George could
hear was the indistinct sound Of his
uncle's voice: what he was saying
could not be surmised, though the
troubled brotherllness of his tone was
evident. He seemed to be explaining
something at considerable length, and
there were moments when he paused.
and George guessed that his mother
was speaking. but her voice must have
been very low. for it was entirely In
audible to him.
Suddenly he did hear her. Through
the heavy doors her outcry came,
clear and loud:
"Oh, mol"
1t was a cry of protest, as If some
thing her brother told her must be un-
true, or, If 1t were true, the fact he
stated must be undone; and 1t was n
sound of sheer pain.
Another sound Of pain. close to
Fayl aEa-
ment smiling which broke out just
above him. and. looking up. he saw
Fanny Nfinafer on the landing, lean
ing over the banisters and applying
her handkerchief to her eyes and
nose.
81 can guess what that was about"
she whispered huskily. "He's just
told her what You did to Eugene"
George gave her n dark look over
his shoulder. "You go on back to
your room !" he said; and he began to
descend the stairs: but Fanny, guess
ing his purpose, rushed down and
caught his arm, OBTAINING him.
You're not going in there?" she
whispered huskily: "You don't"
Let go of mel"
But she clung to him savagely. "No.
you don't, George Minaferl You'll
keep away from therel You Will"
"You let go Of"
81 won'tl You come back herel
You'll come upstairs and let them
alone; that's what you'll dol" And
with such passionate determination
did she clutch and tug. never losing
n grip of him somewhere, though
George tried as much us he could.
without hurting her, to wrench away
with such utter forgetfulness of her
maiden dignity did she assault him.
that she forced him, stumbling up
ward, to the landing.
"Of all the ridiculous" he began
furiously; but she spared one hand
from Its grasp of his sleeve and
clapped it over his mouth.
"Hush upI" Never for an instant in
this grotesque struggle did Fanny
raise her voice above husky whisper.
"Hush upl It's indecent-like squab-
bling outside the door of IN operating
room Go on to the top Of the stairs
so on"
And when George had most unwill-
ingly obeyed, she planted herself in
his way. on the top step. 'Therel"
she said. 'The idea of your going in
there nowi never heard of such n
thingi" And with the sudden depart
ure of the nervous -vigor she had
shown SO amazingly. she began to cry
again. II was an awful fool. Do You
suppose I dreamed you'd go making
everything into such tragedy? Do
your"
az don't care what you dreamed"
George muttered.
But Fanny went on, always taking
care to keep her voice from getting
agitation. do you dream I thought
you'd go making such a fool Of your
self at Mrs. Johnson's? oh, I saw her
this morningl She wouldn't talk to
me, but met George Anderson on my
way back, and he told me what you'd
done over there! And do you dream i
thought you'd do what you've done
here this afternoon to Eugene? oh,
/ knew that, tool or course he went
to George Anderson about 1t, and
that's why George Is here. He's got
to tell Isabel the whole thing now.
and you wanted to go in there inter
fering-God knows what! You stay
here and let her brother tell her; he's
got some consideration for herW
II suppose you think I haven't"
George said. and at that Fanny laugh
ed witheringly.
"YouI Considerate of anybodyw
"rm considerate of her good name!"
he said hotly. ut seems to me that's
about the first thing to be considerate
of. in being considerate of a person
And look here; 1t strikes me you're