Courier Democrat., 1920-01-15
Mary returned.

ma'am."
"Another one?" Isabel said, sur
.prised. II thought you said it was
peddler when the bell rang little
while ago."
"Mister George said it was, ma'am;
he went to the door," Mary informed
her, disappearing.
"There seem to be great many of
them," Isabel mused. "What did
yours want to sell. George?"
HE didn't say"
"YOu must have cut him off short !"
she laughed; and then, still standing
in the doorway, she noticed the big
silver frame upon the table beside
him. Gracious, Georgie!" she exclaim-
ed. "You have been investing" and
as she came across the room for a
closer view, us it's it Lucy?" she
asked half timidly, half archly. But
the next instant she saw whose like
ness was thus set forth in elegiac
splendor--and she was silent, except
for long, just-audlble "Oh"
He neither looked up nor moved.
"That was nice Of you, George" !"
she said, in a low voice presently. II
ought to have had it framed, myself,
when gave it to you."
He said nothing, and, standing be.
side him, she put her hand gently up
on his shoulder, then as gently with
drew it, and went out of the room.
But she did not go upstairs; he heard
the faint rustic of her dress in the
hall, and then the sound Of her foot
steps In the reception ROOM" After
a time, silence succeeded even these
slight tokens Of her presence; where
upon George rose and went warily in
to the hall, taking care to make no
noise, and he obtained an oblique view
| of her through the open double doors
of the reception room." She was sit
ting In the chair which he had occu-
] pied so long; and she was looking
out Of the window expectantly-a lit
tie troubled.
He went back to the library, waited
an interminable half hour, then re-
turned noiselessly to the same position
in the hall, where he could see her.
She was still sitting patiently by the
window.
Waiting for that man. was she?
Well, it might be quite long wait !!
And the grim George silently ascended
the stairs to his own room, and began
to pace his suffering floor.
He left his door open, however, and
when he heard the front door bell
down the stairs and stood to listen.
He was not much afraid that Nor
gan would return. but he wished to
make sure.
Mary appeared in the hall below
him. but, after a glance toward the
withdrew. Evidently Isabel had gone
f, to the door. Then a murmur was
heard, and George Amberson's voice,
quick and serious: "T want to talk
to you, Isabel" and another
murmur; then Isabel and her brother
passed the foot of the broad. dark
stairway. but did not look up. and
remained unconscious Of the watchful
presence above them.
F.. For time all that George could
hear was the indistinct sound Of his
uncle's voice: what he was saying
could not be surmised. though the
| troubled brOthcrliness Of his tone was
evident He seemed to be explaining
something at considerable length, and
there were moments when he paused,
and George guessed that his mother
was speaking but her voice must have
been very low, for it was entirely in
audible to him.
Suddenly he did hear her. Through
the heavy doors her outcry came,
clear and loud:
ooh, no!''
1t was 4 cry of protest. as if some
thing her brother told her must be I'M
true, or. if it were true, the fact he
stated must be undone; and it was q
sound of sheer pain.
| Another sound of pain. close to
George, followed it; this was Il vehe-
1 ment shifting which broke out just
above him, and, looking up, he saw
Fanny Minafer on the landing, lean
ing over the .banisters and applying
her handkerchief to her eyes and
nose.
81 can guess what that was about" +"
she whispered huskily. "He's just
told her what you did to Eugene!"
George gave her dark look over
his shoulder. "You go ON back to
your room!" he said; and he began to
descend the stairs; but Fmny, guess
ing his purpose, rushed down and
caught his arm, OBTAINING him.
you're not going in there?" she
whispered huskily: "You don't"
"Let go of mel"
But she clung to him savagely. mo,
you don't, George Minafer! You'll
keep away from there! You will !"
''You let so Of
II won't! You come back here |!
You'll come upstairs and let them
| alone. thNt'S what yOu'll do" And