The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1920-01-08
and he did not know they had return.

''The doctor thought we'd better
come over" ANDERSON said, then was
silent. and George, shaking violently,
sat down on the edge Of the bed. His
shaking continued, and from time to
time he wiped heavy sweat from his
forehead.
The hours passed, and sometimes
the old man upon the bed would snore
little, stop suddenly, and move as IL
to rise, but George ANDERSON would
set hand upon his shoulder, and
murmur q reassuring word or two.
Once George gasped defiantly:
THAT doctor In New York said she
might get betterl Don't you know he
did? Don't you know he said she
mightT"
Anderson made no answer.
Dawn had been murking through
the smoky windows, growing strong
er for half an hour, when both men
started violently at a sound in the
hall; and the Major sat up on the bed
1t was the voice Of the nurse speaking
to Fanny Minafer, and the next mo-
ment Fanny appeared In the doorway
making contorted efforts to speak.
/ ANDERSON said weakly: Does she
J want us-tO come inT'
But Fanny found her voice, and ut
tered long, loud cry. She threw her
arms about George, and sobbed In an
agony of loss and compassion:
"She loved you" she walled. "She
loved you! She loved you! Oh, how
she did love you"
Isabel had just left them.
Major ANDERSON remained dry-eyed
through the time that followed; he
knew that this separation from his
daughter would be short; that the
separation which had preceded 1t was
the long one. He worked at his
ledgers no more under his old gas
drop-light, but would sit all evening
staring into the fire, In his bedroom,
and not speaking unless someone ask
ed him a question. He seemed almost
unaware Of what went on around him.
and those who We're with him thought
him dazed by IsabeIs death, guessing
that he was lost In "reminiscences and
vague dreams. probably his mind is
full of pictures OF his youth, or the
Civil war, and the days when he and
mother were young married people
and all of US children were jolly little
things-ani the city was small town
with one cObbled street and the others
Just dirt roads with board sidewalks"
This was George Amberson's conjec-
ture, and the others agreed; but they
were mistaken. The Major was en-
gagged in the profoundest thinking Of
his life. No business plans which had
ever absorbed him could compare in
momentousness with the plans that
absorbed him now, for he had to plan
how to enter the unknown country
where he was not even sure of being
recognized as an Amberson-not sure
of anything, except that Isabel would
4; help him if she could. The Major was
:, occupied with the first really impor
tant matter that had taken his atten
tion since he came home invalided, af
ter the Gettysburg campaign. anC
that everything which had worried
him or delighted him during this life
time between then and today-all hi!
e buying and building and trading an(
!, banking-that ii all was tritiing ant
d waste beside what concerned him now
Meanwhile, the life of the little be
reft group still forlornly centering up
on him began to pick up again, as lift
will, and to emerge from its own perl
cd of dazedness. 1t was not Isabel
/ father but her son who was reall.
dazed.
7. A month after her death he walked
abruptly into Fannys room, ond>!ght
and found her at her desk, eagerl,
adding columns of figures with whicl
; she had covered several sheets Of pa
| per.
George! You startled me-"
81 beg your pardon for not knock
ing" he said huskily. 81 didn't think.
She turned in her chair and lOOke
at him solcitously. "Sit down, George
n won't you?"
"No. | just wanted"
:, 81 could hear you walking up an
u down in your room," said Fanny. "Yo
u were doing it ever since dinner, an
u Ii seems TO me you're at it almos
>. every evening. don't believe it's goo
~ for you-and / know 1t would worr
Is your mother terribly if She" Far
- ny hesitated.
"See here" George said breathin
y fast, II want to tell you once more tina
what I did was right. How could
have done anything else but what
did do?"
"Oh, don't pretend to judge" Far
ny said soothingly, for his voice an
gesture both partook Of wildness.
know you think you did, George"
"'Think l didr he echoed violent
Us ly. "My God in heavenW And h
IL. began to walk up and down the foo
re "What else was there to do? Wha
ne choice did have? Was there an
other way of stopping the talk?" FL
p' stopped, close in front of her, gesti'
NJ ulating, his voice harsh and loud
Pu "Was there any other way on cart
III of protecting her from the talkT
aA