Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1920-01-01

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blance, however, for it lasted no long
er than the time it took him to groan
"Riffraff !" between his teeth. Then he
sat up, swung his feet to the floor, rose
and began to pace up and down the
large room.
He had just been consciously rude
to his mother for the first time in his
life; for, with all his riding down of
%populace and %riffraff, he had never be-
fore been either deliberately or i'm
pulsively d%isregardful of her. But
now he had done a rough thing to her
and he did not repent; the rather he
was the more irritated with her. And
when he heard her presently go by his
door with a light step, singing cheer
fully to herself as she went to her
room, he perceived that she had mis-
taken his intention altogether, or, in
deed, had failed to perceive that he
had any intention at all.
There came a delicate, eager tap
ping at his door, not done with a
knuckle but with the tip Of a finger
nail, which was instantly clarified to
Georges minds eye as plainly as if he
saw it: the long and polished white.
mooned pink shield on the end Of his
Aunt Fanny's right fo%refinger. But
George was in no mood for human
communications, and even when things
went we'll he had little pleasure in
Fanny's society. Therefore it is not
surprising that at the sound of her
tapping, instead of bidding her enter,
he Immediately crossed the room with
the intention of locking the door to
keep her out.
Fanny was too eager and, orenin
the door before he reached it, cam
quickly in, and closed it behind he:
Her look was that of a person VIII
had just seer something ]extraordinar
or heard thrilling news.
"Now, what on earth do you wanti
her chilling nephew demanded.
George" she said hurriedly, II So,
what you did when you couldn't spea
to them. l was sitting with Mrs. Johl
son at her front window, across th
street, anQ L saw II all
"Weli, what Of it2"
"You did right" Fanny said with a
vehemence not the less spirited be-
cause she suppressed her voice almost
to Il whisper. "You did exactly
right! You're behaving splendidly
about the whole thing, and 1 want to
tell you 1 know your father would
thank you if he could see what you're
doing"
my Lord!" George broke out at her.
"You make me dizzy! For heavens
sake quit the mysterious detective
business-at least do quit it around
me! Go and try it IN somebody else,
# you like but I don't want to hear
D.!
She began to tremble, regarding him
with a fixed gaze. "You don't care to
hear, them" she said huskily, that I
approve of what you're doing?"
Certainly not! Since I haven't the
faintest idea what you think I'm do
ing naturally / don't care whether
you approve Of 1t or not. All I'd like,
if you please, is to be alone. I'm not
giving a tea here, this afternoon, If
you'll permit me to mention it,"
Fanny's gaze wavered; she began
to blink; then suddenly she sank into
a chair and wept silently, but with a
terrible desolation.
ooh, for the Lords sake!" he
moaned. "What in the world is wrong
with you"
you're always picking on me-" she
%quavered wretchedly, her voice indis-
tinct with the wetness that dubbed in
to it from her tears. "You do-you
always pick on me! You've always
done it-always-ever since you were
a little boy! Whenever anything goes
wrong with you, you take it out on
me! You do! You always"
George flung to heaven a gesture of
despair; it seemed to him the last
straw that Fanny should have chosen
this particular time to come and sob
in his room over his mistreatment Of
her!
ooh, my Lord!" he whispered; then,
with a great effort, addressed her in q
reasonable tone: "Look here, Aunt
Fanny; I don't see what you're making
all this fuss about. Of course 1 know
I've leased you sometimes, but"
""Teased' me?" she walled.
"Teased' me! Oh, it does seem too
hard sometimes-this mean old life of
mine does seem too hard! I don't
think l can stand it! Honestly, I don't
think I can! I came in here just to
show you I sy%mpathiZed with YOU
just to say something pleasant to you,
and you treat me as if l were-oh, no,
you wouldn't treat a servant the way
you treat me! You wouldn't treat any,
body in the world like this except old
Fanny!"
ooh, nay Lord!" George groaned.
Fanny spread out her small, soaked
handkerchief, and shook it in the air
to dry it a little, crying as damply and
as wretchedly during this operation as
before-a sight which gave George a
curious shock to add to his other agi-
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