Okolona messenger., 1920-01-01
haIf-whIspered.

AAN A4dJOI uuIu Ut 0COE ~
from under his white eyebrows. "YoT
didn't mean him. you soy, GeOrge7
suppose If we had a clergyman as q
guest here you'd expect him not to bC
offended, and to understand that your
remarks were neither personal nor un.
tactful If you said the church was q
nuisance and ought never to have been
invented. We seem to have a new
kind Of young people these days. It's
new style Of courting pretty girl
certainly, for young fellow to go de-
lIberately out of his way to try and
make an enemy of her father by at
tacking his business! BY Jove That's
a new way to win wOlnanr
George flushed angrily and seemed
about to offer a retort, but held his
breath for a moment; and then held
his peace. 1t was Isabel who respond
ed to the Major. "Oh, nOp she said.
Eugene would never be anybody's
enemy-he cOuldn'ti-and last of all
Georges. I'm afraid he was hurt, but
J. don't fear his not having understood
that George spoke without thinking of
what he was sayng-I mean, without
realizing its bearing on Eugene"
"Well, WE'LL" said his grandfather,
rising, 1T wasn't very successful lit
tie dinner!"
ThereupOn he offered his arm to his
daughter, who took it fondly, and they
left the room, Isabel assuring him that
all his little dinners were pleasant,
and that this one was no exception.
George did not move, and Fanny,
following the other two, came round
the table and paused close beside his
chair; but George remained posed in
great imperturbability, cigar between
teeth. eyes upon ceiling and paid no
attention to her. Fanny waited until
the sound Of Isabels and the Majors
voices became inaudible in the hall.
Then she said quickly, and in low
voice so eager that 1t was unsteady:
George, you've struck just the
treatment to adopt; you're doing the
right thing!"
She hurried out, scurrying after the
others with a faint rnstling of her
black skirts. leaving George mystified
but incurious.
In truth, however, he was neither so
comfortable nor so imperturbable. as
he appeared. He felt some gratifc0-
ton; he had done a little to put the
man In his place-that man whose In
fiuence upon his daughter was precise
ly the same thing as a cOntemptuOus
criticism Of George ANDERSON Nina
fer, and of George Anderson Nina
fer's ideals of life" Lucys going
away without a word was intended,
he supposed, as bit of punishment.
Well, he wasn't the sort Of man that
people were allowed to punish; he
could demonstrate that to them
since they started It'll
Isabel came to Georges door that
night and, when she had kisesd him
goodnight, she, remained in the open
doorway with her hand upon his
shoulder and her eyes thoughtfully
lowered, so that her wish to say some
thing more than goodnight was evil
dent. Not, less obvious was her per-
plexity about the manner. of saying
1t; and George, divining, her thought,
amiably made an opening for her
swell, old lady," he. said, indulgent-
ly, ''you needn't look so worried.
won't be tactless with Morgan again.
After this I'll Just keep out Of his
way" H a
Dear" she said, II wish you'd tell |
me something Why don't you like Eu-
gene"
"Oh like him well enough" George
returned with short laugh, as he sat
down and began to unlace his shoes.
II like him well enough-in his place."
"NO dear" she said hurriedly. "I've
had feeling from the very first that
you didn't really like him-that you
really never liked him. I can't under
stand it, dear; don't see what can be
the matter"
'Nothings the matter"
This easy declaration naturally
failed to carry great weight, and Isa.
bel went on, in her troubled voice: 'It
seems so queer, especially when you
feel as you do about his daughter"
At this, George stopped unlacing his
shoes abruptly and sat up. How do
[ feel about his daughter?" he de.
handed.
swell, it's. seemed-as if-as if"
ISABEL began timidly. "It did seem
At least, you haven't looked at any
other. girl ever since they came here,
you've seemed very
much interested in her. Certainly
you've been very great friends?"
"Well, what of that?"
''It's only that I'm like your grand.
ather: can't see how you could be
20 much interested in girl and-and
lot feel very pleasantly toward her
ather"
well, I'll tell you something"
1eOrge said slowly, and a frown of
could be seen upon his
row, as from a profound effort at 1
"The truth is,
on't believe I've ever thought of the
$50