The herald. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1905-1953, 1921-02-10
Mr.. FORBES
BY JACK LAYTON.


Mary Todd leaned back in her chair
and listened, as her garrulous neigh
Dor talked. She was well aware OF
the jubilant spitefulness of Able
Mead's tone. yet almost convinced OF
its truth. Her own patient lips
trembled in an effort to keep back
protesting words of denial-of what
use to deny that Of which she knew
nothing? Bob had been strangely ret
fcent concerning this well published
love affair Of his. Every one seemed
to have known Of Bob's marked at
tentiOn to the pretty stranger. before
his mother had taken note Of his alb
sent evenings
"Guess I'll run out for awhile" Bob
would say; while she would nod smil-
ingly, and get out the silk mutfier she
was knitting for him. Mary Todd
was very proud of her sons position
in Millville's only bank. All the men
of Bob's family had been clerical men.
Mary was proud that her son added
honorably to the line. The Todds had
always been "looked up to"-as Abbie
Mead had Just repeated. 1T was
really too bad" she continued that
Bob should go and take up with a
queer actin stranger instead of nice
girls he'd been brought up with. Alb
bies own niece had seen Bob night
, after night, sittin' right out with the
girl from the city on the porch of the
Hall house, which she, herself, had
rented and furnished, when the Halls
, went off to stay with their sons folks
for the summer.
"My father and will move In at
once" the girl said. and the very next
day she drove up In @ car with big
man, who hurried into the house be-
fore those watching could catch a
glimpse of his face, and nobody"-Ab-
bie's voice dropped impressively-
nobody had seen the man since. Not
even Jim Burley, when he left the
groceries, or Ann Cloud, when she
went there to work.
"'My father, Mr.. Forbes, doesn't
wish to be disturbed the girl says
calm as you please, an Ann says that
the girl even carries his meals up to
him In his room; an when one passes
the door all one can hear Is rattle
Of papers, or smell cigar smoke be-
meath the door. Jim was telling Ann
yesterday that this mysterious Mr..
Forbes might be a bank rObber from
the way he hides his face. No one
here pays any attention to the girl
but-your Bob. A quick choice she
made too. No one else was worth
smilin' up to, I reckon, in her opinion
=. cause Bob's good salaried man. Up
an down the street she goes in dresses
like those on a fashion cover, her COM
e plexion too good, / says, to be true, an
her hair done up like dancers" Abb
bic Mead coughed. II always like to
know what there is to know before I
II condemn folk" she went on, $50
stopped in myself to call on Mis-
ID Forbes, an I asked straight out for
er her Pa.
70 ''He is not seeing anyone while we
are here" Miss Forbes says real
10 smooth, you must try to let me en-
n terrain you"
well, didn't let her entertain me
long; but II was you, Mary, I'd ask
. Bob, seeing how things Is going, II he
. has seen the father Of this new girl
:. he's so crazy about, an II not, what's
- the man hiding fort Ann says the
y door of his room was open one day
when she went up the stairs, an the
10 girl, Fran-outlandish name-just
~ flew ahead to close 1t before she got
y. there. Well, good by Mary, hope you
>. realize this Is told In friendly spirit"
or Mary Todd arose as her neighbor
m left. and wiped the tears from her
Y. glasses. It was all nonsense Of course,
to be so disturbed over Millville Cos
n, sip; yet Mary was disturbed. Bob's
q, unusual reticence in this affair grieved
her. When he came In she met him
~ gravely. Bob dear" she said, Sab
70 bic Mead has been telling me Of your
n attachment for-the young stranger
In our town. Your mother would be
q the first to rejoice with you II 1t Is
happy attachment, Bob. Or Is there
"a. no truth In their suppositionsi
., want very much to know" Robert
10, Todd drew his mother back to her
chair, then looking down upon her
70 slowly replied.
$50 much truth, mother, that have
just come from asking Frances Ken
ell. nedy to marry me-"
p A light came to Bob's dark eyes
his voice rang triumphant
y "Fran has accepted met Is incon.
] ceivable with her beauty, her knowl'
edge of bigger, better men In a world
ny outside our little one. But my girl
ed loves me mother, she really does
women are strange. And I'm bringing
her to meet you tonight She Is SC
Ill anxious to know you, mother-can you
nc believe Tito make her home humblJ
OF with US II you are willing. My gold
en- girl with a heart as sweet and
Ill pure as q child"
ne "Bob," Mary Todd spoke quietly
; "you referred to this little girl al
IN Frances Kennedy; here she has giver
ne the name Of Miss Forbes