Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1921-11-10

most delicate care and sympathy, or
the consequences"
"Nobody could foreter the conse-
quences," her husband Interrupted
mo matter how tactfully it's broken
to Noble"
"No," she said, ST suppose that's
true. / think he's likely to lose his
reason unless it is done very tactful-
", though"
DO you think we really ought to
tell Mrs. Dill Mollie? I mean, seri-
ously; Do your"
For some moments she considered
his question; then aswered, ''No. It's
possible we'd be following a Christian
course in doing it; but still we're rath-
er bound not TO speak Of 1t outside the
family and when it does get outside
the family think we'd better not be
the ones responsible-especially since
it might easily be traced to us.
think It's usually better to keep out
of things when there's any doubt"
'Yes," he said. meditating 81 new
err knew any harm to come off peoples
sticking to their own affairs"
But as he and his wife became ST.
lent for time, musing in the fire.
light, their daughters special convic-
lions were far from coinciding with
theirs. although she. likewise, was ST.
lent--a strangeness in her which they
should have observed. But so far
were they from a true comprehension
of her, they were unaware that she
had more than a casual, young-cou-
sinly interest in Julia Atwater's en-
gagement and in those possible con-
sequences to Noble Dill, which they
had sketched with some intentional
exaggeratiOn. and decidedly without
the staggering seriousness attributed
to their predictions by their daughter.
They did not even notice her express
sion when Mr.. Atwater snapped on
the light, in order to read. and she
went quietly out of the library and up
to her own room.
On the floor, near her bed, where
Patty Fairchild had left her coat and
hat, Florence made her second dis
covery. Two small, folded slips of
paper lay there, dropped byMiss Fair
child when she put on her coat In the
darkening room. They were the re-
plies to Patty's whispered questions.
in the game on the steps-the pledged
Truth, written by Henry Rooter and
Herbert Atwater on their sacred words
and honors. The infatuated pair had
either overestimated Patty's caution,
or else each had thought she would
so prize his little missive that she
would treasure it in a tender safety.
perhaps pinned upon her blouse (at
the first opportunity over the heart
1t is positively safe to say that neither
been set upon paper had Herbert and
Henry any foreshadowing that Patty
might be careless; and the partners
would have been seized with the ut
mosI horror could they have conceived
the possibility of their trustful mes
sages ever falling into the hands of
the relentless creature who now. with
out an instant's honorable hesitation
unfolded and read them.
"Yes, If l got TO tell the truth,
know have got pretty eyes," Herbert
had unfortunately written. ~ am glad
you think so. too, Patty, because your
eyes are too. Herbert Illingsworth
Atwaier, Jr."
And Mr.. Henry Rooter had likewise
ruined himself in a coincidental man.
ner.
"Well, Patty, my eyes are pretty
but suppose / would like to trade with
yours because you have beautiful eyes,
also. sure as my name is Henry
Rooter"
Florence stood close to the pink
shaded electric droplight over her
again and again these pathetically
honest little condolences. Her eyellds
We're withdrawn to an unprecedented
retirement, so remarkably she stared,
while her mouth seemed to prepare
Itself for the attempted reception Of
Duik Dc!DIlu It's tOtdi Cdpdtil.. AHu
these plastic tokens, so lmmoderate
as to be ordinarily the consequence of
nothing short of poignant horror,
We're Overlaid by others, subtler and
more cleaning, which wrought the
true significance of the c0ntortion--a
joy that was dumfounding.
Her thoughts were first Of Fortunes
kindness in selecting her for q favor
so mtraculously dovetailing into the
precise need Of her life, then of Henry
and Herbert, each at this hour prob
| ably brushing his hair In preparation
for the Sunday evening meal, and both
touchingly unconscious Of the calami-
ty now Detailing them; but what even
tually engrossed her mind was the
thought of Wallie Torbin.
Master Torbin, approaching four
| teen, was In all the town the boy
most dreaded by his fellow-boys, and
by girls of his acquaintance, including
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