The Starkville news., 1920-09-17

response to light rap. Mrs. Sidney
was there.
MAY | come in momentT" she
asked. "Thank you. l have a request
to make which you cannot help but
think is neutrality-suspicious."
placed chair for her. She thanked
me but remained standing. / thought
she must be In an agony of mind, but
she smiled.
II hope 1t is to ask me to take Jed
In hand" said.
mo; 1t is to ask you to permit me
to announce the engagement Of my
daughter Isobel to you. Don't be
alarmed. 1t shall not make any diff
ference in your life. 1t is a desperate
expedient l am using out of a diff
Guilty."
felt as IL were in a spiritual fog.
"1s that the only way can help you
out?" ! asked.
'The only one," she said. II have
thought of everything"
"Has 1t to do with Jed again" l
asked.
with things / cannot possibly ex-
plain. Is there any one who would be
distressed by such an announcements
"Not SOUL" I said, Except Miss
Sidney"
II would not cause pain," said Mrs.
Sidney. "Are you sure there is no
one?"
"Mrs. Sidney" l said, "you are the
only lady who ever has given me
thought since l knew my mother. l
am merely wondering what Miss Sid
ney will think of me in such role.
VIII she understand why l take it? l
am not hesitating. l hope l do not
seem to be, but l know suspect
that your decision is sudden"
"Isobel's affection for us Is greater
than her demand for independence"
said Mrs. Sidney. "If she knows that
l asked you to consent to this an
nouncement, she will think Of you as
proved friend"
l had suggested all the precautions
that were reasonable. "You certainly
may make any use of me you want
to-" said. She thanked me and said
good night.
Isobels view Of our engagement was
purely comic. She may have had q
second Of spiritual revolt, but comedy
ald consideration for her mother as
serted themselves. Mrs. Sidney, when
she told Isobel of the engagement, had
me present. The mother was really
embarrassed, almost tlustered but she
was determined. Isobel was greatly
amused.
1t may be imagined that I was not
heroic. / might better have been q
wax figure taken from a display win
dow. l felt like one, thing with a
wax smile and no animation.
ut is merely precautionary" said
Mrs. Sidney uneasily. "It is quite i'm
possible to explain. You will have to
accept my judgment, Isobel. DR.. John"
an odd halfway house toward inti-
macy she reached and stopped at
"Dr. John has been kind enough to
do as l asked him. need and want
lllC SuppOIl VI Cu III Wuul 4
am doing"
1 felt touch of emotion at that.
Unconsclously intent upon her main
point, she had included me at the fire.
side and had spoken Of her children"
Anything you do or have done is
all right, MOTHER" said Isobel, recov-
ering from her sense of humor. "Dr.-
John-wll not be unhappy am sure
will you, doctor? And I-mother-
I'll get an advantage of you in this
see If / don't"
"You mustn't try to, Isobel," said
Mrs. Sidney anxiously. Il am doing
the best / can"
Later in the evening l saw Isobel,
finding her alone in the library, where
she was reading. ] went in to get
book before going to bed. She was
by lamp near the fireplace, a1d she
looked very beautiful.
81 want to talk to you," she said
when she saw me. do you know the
explanation of this?"
NO. said.
you are not quite honest" she said.
"a man engaged to girl he never
asked to marry him might suspect that
something was out of the ordinary"
"Of course, something Is extraordi-
nary" / said. "Do you know what
it Isl"
mo, don't" she said. "Why don't
you sit down."
With soft witchery of femini1ity
she pervaded and glorified the room,
but she was peremptory. 1 was not
sullen. but felt defiant.
Because l don't want to sit down."
said.
1sobel smiled indulgently at me.
u0h eit dnurn DR. Inhn y Sha