Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1922-01-18

missed him. But as matters were, they
worried a great deal about him, fear
ing that rash act on his part might
reflect notoriety on themselves through
their beautiful relative-and through
the North End Daily Oriole. And
when nine o'clock came and Mrs. Dill
reported to Herbert's father over the
telephone. that nothing had yet been
heard from her son, the pressure of
those who were blaming the Oriole
more than Julia became so wearing
that Herbert decided he would rather
spend the remaining days of his life
running away from Eallie Torbin than
put in any more Of such dogs eve
ming as he was putting in-thus he
defined IT,
He made a confession; that is to
say, 1t was a proclamation. He pro
claimed his innocence. He began the
history of il with a description of
events distinctly subsequent to the lit
tie game with Patty Fairehild,. and
explained how he and Henry had felt
that their parents would not always be
with them, and as their parents wished
them to be polite, they had resolved
he related In detail her journalistic
exploit.
OF the matter in hand he told the
perfect and absolute truth-and was
Immediately refuted, confuted and
demonstrated to be false witness by
Aunt Fanny. Aunt Carrie, and Cousin
Virginia, who had all heard him We
hemently declare. no longer ago than
the preceding Sunday. that he and his
partner had taken secure measures to
prevent Florence from ever again set
ting foot within the newspaper build
ing In addition. he was quite snow
cred with definitions; and these, though
so variant, all sought to phrase but the
one subject; his conduct in seeking to
drag Florence through the mire, when
she was absent and could not defend
herself. Poor Florence would answer
later in the evening. he was told. Sc
verely and though her cause was thus
championed against the SANDER 1t is
true that some of them felt STRINGS Of
curiosity in regard to Florence. In
fact, there was getting to be something
like cloud upon her reputation There
were several important things for her
TO explain: among them. her taking
II upon herself to see that Noble re
ceived a copy OF the Oriole, and also
her sudden departure from home and
rather odd protraetion of absence
therefrom. II was not thought she
was In good company. Uncle Joseph
had telephoned from suburb that
they were dining at farmhouse and
would thence descend to the general
region of the movies.
That word Of any sort had come
from Uncle Joseph was In measure
reassuring, but the air of perturbation
and gloom was not nosiceably re-
moved. The general impression might
be summed up in the words of his
sister.
Nobody knows what that man'll do,
when he decides tol" Aunt Carrie
said nervously. Letting the poor
child stay up so latel She ought to
be In bed this minute, even If 1t is
Saturday night. Or else she ought TO
be here to listen to her own bad little
cousin trying to put his terrible re-
sponsibility on her shoulders"
One item of her description OF him
self the badgered Herbert could not
bear In silence. although he had just
declared that since the truth was so
Unexpected among his prosecutors he
would open his mouth no more until
the next day. BE passed over 'bad,"
but furiously stated his height In feet,
inches and fractions of inches.
Aunt Fanny shook her head In
mourning. THAT may be, Herbert"
she said gently. But you must try to
realize IT can't bring poor young Mr..
Din back to his family"
Again Herbert just looked at her.
He had n indifference more profound
than that upon which her strained
conception of the relation between
cause and effect seemed to touch and.
from his point Of view, to be missing
should be the lightest Of calamities.
1t Is true that he was concerned with
the restoration Of Noble Din to the
rest OF the Oils go far as such an
event might affect his own inccmpara-
BILE misfortuneS-but not otherwise.
He regarded Noble and Mobiles disap-
pearance merely as unfair damage to
himself. He continued to look at this
Borrowing great-aunt OF his. and his
thoughts made his strange gaze APP
pear TO her so hardened that she shook
hsr head and looked away.
Poor young Mr.. DUR she said.