News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1921-05-11
CHAPTER SEVEN.
In Which High Voltage Develops In
the Conversation.

1
the Conversation.
1t was warm, bright May day.
| There was not a cloud in the sky.
Roger Delane had arrived and the
/ Bings were giving dinner that even
ing. The best people Of Hazelmead
| were coming over in mOtOrcarS.
Phyllis and Roger had a long ride
together that day on the new Ken
lucky saddle horses. Mrs. Bing had
spent the morning in Hazelmead and
had stayed to lunch with Mayor and
Mrs. Stacy. She had returned at
four and cut some flowers for the
table and gone to her room for an
hours rest when the young people
returned. She was not yet asleep
when Phyllis came into the big bed
room. Mrs. Bing lay among the cush-
ions on her couch. She partly rose,
tumbled the cushions into a pile and
leaned against them.
Heavens! I'm tired!" she ex-
claimed. "These women in Hazel
mead hang onto one like lot of
hungry cats. They all want money
for one thing or another-Red Cross
or Liberty bonds or fatherless chill
dren or tobacco for the soldiers or
books for the library. My word I'm
broke and it seems as if each of my
legs hung by thread"
Phyllis smiled as she stood look
ing down at her mother.
"HOw beautiful you look!' the fond
mother exclaimed. eff he didn't pro-
pose to-day, he's a chump."
. But he did," said Phyllis. 81 tried
TO keep him from it, but he just would
propose in spite of me-"
The girls face was red and serious.
She sat down in a chair and began
to remove her hat. Mrs. Bing rose
suddenly, and stood facing Phyllis.
81 thought you loved him. she said
with a look of surprise.
$50 l do" the girl answered.
what did you say?"
81 said no."
"What"
81 refused him"
"For Gods sake, Phyllis! Do you
think you can afford to play with
man like that? He won't stand for
it,"
Let him sit for it then and, mother,
you might as well know, first as last,
that l am not playing with him."
There was a calm note of firmness
in the voice of the girl. She was pre-
pared for this scene. She had known
it was coming. Her mother was hot
with irritating establishment. The
calmness of the girl in suddenly be-
ginning to dig a grave for this dear
ambition-rich with promise-in the
very day when it had come submits
sively to their feet, stung like the
tooth of a serpent. She stood very
erect and said with an icy look in
her face:
you young upstart! What do you
mean?"
There was a moment of frigid
silence in which both of the women
began to turn cold. Then Phyllis an
swered very calmly as she sat look
ing down at the bunch of viOlets in
her hand:
at means that l am married,
mother"
Mrs. Bing's face turned red. There
was a little convulsive movement of
the muscles around her mouth. She
folded her arms on her breast, lifted
her chin a bit higher and asked in
a polite tone, although her words fell
like fragments of cracked ice:
"NTarried! To whom are you mar
ried?"
ITO Gordon King"
Phyllis spoke casually as if he were
a piece of ribbon that she had bought
at a store.
Mrs. Bing sank into a chair and
covered her face with her hands for
half a moment. Suddenly she picked
up a slipper that lay at her feet and
flung it at the girl.
My God" she exclaimed. "What
a nasty liar you arer'
1t was not ladylike but, at that
moment the lady was temporarily
absent.
Mother, Pm glad you say that
the girl answered still very calmly.
although her fingers trembled a little
as she felt the violets, and her voice