The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1920-02-05
CHAPTER xv-contlnusd.

trusted for much, except asserting
Itself and fighting and making love-"
'Indeedr George snorted. "Afny I
ask what you think l ought to have
doneT
Nothing"
'Nothingr" George echoed. mock.
ing bitterly. 81 suppose you think
mean to let my mothers good name"
"your mothers good namev' Am.
serson cut him of impatiently. "No-
body has a good name in bad mouth.
Nobody has good name in a silly
mouth. either. Well. your mothers
name was In some silly mouths. and
all you've done was TO go and have
a scene with the worst old woman COS
sip In the town-a scene that's going
70 make her into partisan against
your mother. whereas she was a mere
prattler before. Don't you suppose
she'll be all over town with this to-
morrow? And she'll see to II that
everybody who's limited anything
about poor Isabel will know that
you're on the warpath; and that will
put them on the defensive and make
them vicious. The story will grow as
II spreads and"
George unfolded his arms to strike
his right fist into his left palm. "But
do you suppose I'm going TO tolerate
such thingsf" he shouted. "What do
you suppose I'll be doingY'
"You can do absolutely nothing"
said Anderson. Nothing OF any use.
The more you do the more harm you'll
do"
you'll sect I'm going to stop this
thing II have to force my way into
every house on National avenue and
Anderson boulevard I"
His uncle laughed rather sourly but
made no other comment.
swell. what do you propose to do7"
George demanded. "Do you propose
to sit there"
"Yes."
and let this riffrafr handy my
mothers good name back and forth
among them2 Is that what you pro-
pose to dor"
tits all I can do" ANDERSON re-
turned. TITS all any OF us can do
now: just sit still and hope that the
thing may die down In time I'm spite
of your stirring up that awful old
woman"
George drew u long breath, then ad-
vnnced and stood close before his
uncle. 'Didn't you understand me
when told you that people are say
Ing my mother means to marry this
man2"
"Yes. / understood you"
"You say that my going over there
has made matters worse" George went
on. "How about II II such a---such an
unspeakable marriage did take place?
DO you think that would make people
believe they'd been wrong In saying
you know what they say"
"No." said ANDERSON deliberately; /;
IL don't believe II would. But II
wouldn't hurt Isabel and Eugene, II
they never heard of II; and II they did
hear Of 1t, then they could take their
choice between placating gossip or liv-
ing for their own happiness. II they
have decided TO marry"
George almost staggered. Good
heaven ]" he gasped. "You speak of II
calmlyl"
Anderson looked up at him inqulr-
ingly. "Why shouldn't they marry II
they want tot" he asked. "lts their
own affair. don't see anything pre-
cisely monstrous about two people get
ting married when they're both free
and care about each other. What's
the matter with their marrying2"
ut would be monstrous |" George
shouted. "Monstrous even II this hor-
rible thing hadn't happened, but now
In the face OF this-oh, that you can
sit there end even speak OF i'll Your
own sister Oh" He became inco-
herent. swinging away from Anderson
and making for the door. wildly ges-
turing.
For heavens sake don't be so the
atrical !" said his uncle, and then, see
ing that George was leaving the room:
"Come back here. You mustn't speak
TO your mother OF thlsw
'Don't tend to-" George said Inds-
tinctly, and he plunged into the big,
dimly lii hall. He went home and got
hat and overcoat without seeing
eitner MS mother or Fanny. Then he
left word that he would be out for
dinner and hurried away from the
house.
He walked the dark streets of Am
berson addition for an hour, then went
downtown and got coffee at a restau-
rant. After that he walked through
the lighted parts o. the town until ten
o'clock. when he turned north and
came back TO the purlieus of the Addl-
tion. He walked fiercely, though his
feet ached, but by and by he turned
homeward, and, when he reached the
Majors. went In and sat upon the
steps Of the huge stone veranda In
front---an obscure figure In that lonely
and repellent place. All lights were
out at the Majors. and finally, after