Okolona messenger. (Okolona, Miss.) 1900-current, 1920-01-08

in this town knows that Isabel has
never really cared for any other man
in her lifel Poor Wilbur He was
the only soul alive that didn't know
ltw
Nightmare had descended upon the
unfortunate George; he leaned back
against the footbOard of his bed, gaz-
ing wildly at his aunt. II believe I'm
going crazy" he said. 'YOu mean
when you told me there wasn't any
talk, you told me a falsehood"
"NO!" Fanny gasped.
"YOu didw
II tell you didn't know how much
talk there was, and it wouldn't have
amounted to much If Wilbur had
lived" And Fanny completed this
with fatal admission: Il didn't want
you to interfere"
George overlooked the admission;
his mind was not now occupied with
analysis. "What do you mean," he
asked, when you say that if father
had lived, the talk wouldn't have
amounted to anythingT
"Things might have been-they
might have been different"
you mean Morgan might have mar
ried your?
Fanny gulped. "No. Because I
don't know that I'd have accepted
him." She had ceased to weep, and
now she sat up stiffly. II certainly
M oh RI r.
ry him; 1 wouldn't have let myself
care that much until he showed that
he wished to marry me- I'm not that
sort of person!" The poor lady paid
her vanity this piteOus little tribute.
"What l mean Is, if Wilbur hadn't died
people wouldn't have had it proved
before their very eyes that what
they'd been talking about was truel"
"You say-you say that people be-
lieve-" George shuddered, then
forced himself to continue, in a sick
voice: "They believe my mother is
Is In love with that man"
"Of course"
"And because he comes here-and
they see her with him driving-and all
that-they think they were, right when
they said she was in-in love with him
before-before my father died?"
She looked at him gravely with her
eyes now dry between their Redeemed
lids. "Why, George" she said. gently,
don't you know that's what they say?
You must know that everybody in
town thinks they're going to be mar
ried very soon."
George uttered an incoherent cry;
and sections Of him appeared to
writhe. He was upon the verge Of
actual nausea.
"You know it," Fanny cried, getting
up. ''You don't think I'd have spoken
of it to you unless was sure you
knew it?" Her voice was wholly
genuine, as it had been throughout the
wretched interview. Somebody must
have told you"
"Who told your" he said.
"What?"
"Who told you there was talk?
Where is this talk? Where does it
come from? Who does it?"
why, suppose pretty much every
body" she said. II know it must be
pretty general"
"Who said SOP"
"What"
George stepped close to her. "You
say people don't speak to a person Of
gossip about that persons family.
Well, how did you hear it, then? How
did you get hold Of it? Answer mel"
"Why-" Fanny hesitated.
"You answer me!'
II hardly think it would be fair to
give names"
Look here" said George. zone Of
your most intimate friends Is that
mother Of Charlie Johnson's, for in
stance. Has she ever mentioned this
to you? You say everybody is talking.
Is she oneT
"Oh, she may have intimated-"
"Tm asking you: Has she ever
spoken Of 1t to your"
"Shes a very kind, discreet woman,
George; but she may have intimat-
ed"
George had a sudden intuition, as
there fiickered into his mind the pic
ture of street-crossing and two alb
sorbed ladies almost run down by a
fast horse! ''YOu and she have been
talking about it todayr he cried. "You
were talking about it with her not two
hours ago. Do you deny til"
"-"
do you deny It'll"
"No"
IAN right" said George. "That's
enough!'
She caught at his arm as he turned
away. "What are you going to do,
GeOrgeT
"Pll not talk about it, now" he said,
heavily. II think you've done a good
deal for one day, Aunt Fanny!"
And Fanny, seeing the passion in
his face, began to be alarmed. "GeoEge,
you know I'm sorry for you, whether
you care or not" she whimpered. II
never in the world would have
spoken of ii IL I hadn't thought Won