The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1920-01-08

"she will he eighteen presently.
And why shouldn't she be In lover
And the question is-whof That Is
for you to answer. Who did she
meetf"
"She met no one with me. My ac-
cident left me to enjoy my holiday as
best I could NJ ranch deep In the
| foothills, and Reenle stayed with me
there. There was no one else"
mo one3 No ranchmen, cowboys
COW punchers-I think have heard"-
with nice dlsdaln.
"No Only young Eden"
"Onlyf Who il this young EldenT
"But he Is Just q boy. Just the son
OF the old rancher Of whom ! have
told you"
Exactly. And Irene is Just girl.
Doctor Hardy, you are all very well
with your fevers and your chills, but
you can't diagnose a love case worth
a cent. What about this young Ell
denf Did Irene see much Of himT
The doctor spread his hands. do
you realize that there were four OF
us at that ranch-four only, and no
one else for miles1 How could she
help seeing himr
"And you permitted it7'
81 was on my back with n broken
leg. We were guests at their home.
They were good Samaritans to us. l
couldn't chaperon her. And besides
they don't do things that way In that
country. You don't understand. Its
altogether different"
Andrew" said Mrs. Hardy, leaning
forward. and the word was ominous-
for she used his Christian name only
in moments Of crisis. "was Irene ever
with this young man-aloneT
The doctor arose to his feet and
trod heavily upon the rich carpetings.
II told you you don't understand" he
protested. "The West is not the East.
Everything is different"
II suppose human nature Is differ
emit" she interrupted meaningly. Then
her head fell upon the table and her
hands went up about her hair. II
had been brown hair once but was
now thin and streaked with gray. "Oh.
Andrew" she wept. 1--WE are ruined
That we should ever have come to
thlsi"
IL was now Doctor Hardy's turn to
be exasperated. There was one thing
: his philosophy could not endure. That
was a nerson who was not and who
would not be philosophical. Mrs.
Hardy was not and would not be phil
osophical.
This is all nonsensel" said the doc
tor. impatiently. There Is nothing
to II, anyway. The girl had to have
: some company. What IL they did ride
j together? What"
"They rode together? AloneT
"They had their horses along" said
. the doctor. whose Impotence had
made way for sarcasm.
! "You are mocking me. In this hour
OF SHINE you are making tests. Call
Irene"
The girl was summoned. Her fine
face had lost some of its provinces
/ and the eyes seemed deeper and
slower. but she was still vision OF
grace and beauty as she stood in re-
Spouse to their call. framed In the
curtains OF nm archway. Her quick
sense caught the tense atmosphere
and she came forward with parted
lips and extended fingers.
"Yesf" she said. "What is wrong
= Can helpf"
your father has confessed" said
Mrs. Hardy, trying hard to speak with
judicial calm. "Now tell us about
{ your relations with this young Eden
this COW puncher. Let us know the
worst"
Irene's eyes flew from her mother
=. to her fathers face. and there the,
caught something that restored theii
calm.
"There was no worst" she said
= with a ripple OF laughter. but there
was a good deal Of best. Shall tel
you the besti"
"Irene," said her mother severely
; did you permit that young man Il
make love to your
81 did not give him permission. u
that answers you, because he didn'
!" ask IT,"
Mrs. Hardy had risen. ANDREW
u you hear that7 She cOnfesses. IT.
: dreadful Horrible! What will ev
' erybody sayf"
. mo worse than you have said, III
be bound" put in the doctor.
= "Yes, take her part What care you
for the family manner"
II have a right TO speak for tn
family name" said the doctor firmly
ut was mine before II was yours.
y cannot see that the family name ha
Z been compromised in the slightest de
, gree. This is Irene's first adventure
= II will pass away. And even II II doe
a not-he is a manly boy"
Mrs. Hardy surveyed her husband
; hopelessly, then turned to Irene
= "Have you made any promises"
: "Only that wouldn't make an!
= promises until he had his chance. Tha
seemed fair"
81 suppose you are receiving letter
!, from hlm?"
"No."
"Why doesn't he writer"
r For the first time Irene's eyes fel