Gunnison news-champion., 1922-09-29


MetkeF@Yev Muse Tell Her."
street came in-lauRhter. q touch at
piano. . Ginning clock. Lights
starred and quickened In the blurred
houses. Footsteps echoed on the
board walks. The gate opened. The
gloom yielded up Cornish.
Lulu was inortiinAtely glad to se<
him. To have the strain Of the time
broken by him was like hearing, on a
lonely winter wakening. the clock
strike reassuring dawn.
Cornish. In his gentle way. asked
about the journey. about the sick
woman and Dwight talked OF her
again. and this time his voice broke
Di was curiously silent. When cor.
nish addressed her, she replied simply
and directly-the rnrest Of DIS man.
ners-ln fact. not DIS manner at all.
Lulu spoke NOT at all--lt was enough
to have this respite.
After little the gate opened again.
II was Bobby. In the besetting fear
that he was leaving Di to face some.
thing alone, Bobby had arrived.
And now DIS spirits rose. To her
his presence meant repentance. re-
capitulation. Her laugh rang out. her
replies came archly. But Bobby was
plainly not playing up. Bobby was.
in fact, hardly less than gium. Il was
Dwight. the irrepressible fellow. wha
kept the talk going.
Mammal" Monona shouted from
her room. ''Come and hear me say
my prayers!"
Monona entered this request with
precision on lnn's manifest moments.
but she always rose, unabashed. and
went, motherly and dutiful, to hear
devotions, as n that function and the
process Of living ran their two d..
vided channels.
She had dispatched this errand and
was returning when Mrs. Bett crossed
the lawn from Grandma Gates, where
the old lady had taken comfort In
Mrs. Belts ministrations for an hour.
"Don't you help me.r Mrs. Bett
warned them away sharply. = ~
guess can help myself - awhile. I"
She gained her chair. And still In
her momentary rule Of attention, she
said clearly:
II got joke. Grandma Gates
says It's all over town Dl and Bobby
Larkln eloped on together today.
He!r The last was single note Of
laughter. high and brief.
The silence fell.
''What nonsense" Dwight Herbert
said nngrily.
But Ina said tensely: 'Is II nom
sensei Haven't been trying and
trying to find out where the black
satchel went7 Dir M
DIS laughter rose, but It sounded
thin and false.
Listen to that, Bobby" she said.
"Listen!"
"That won't do, dr. said Ina. "You
can't deceive mamma and don't you
try!" Her voice trembled. she was
frantic with loving and Authentic
anxiety, but she was without power.
she overshadowed the real gravity Of
tha moment by her Indignation.
Mrs. Deacon" began Bobby, and
stood up, very straight and manly
before them All.
But Dwight intervened. Dwight,
the father. the master OF his house.
Here was something requiring him to
act 50 the father set his face like
a mask and brought down his hand
on the mil OF the porch. It was as
II the sound shattered a thousand
filaments-where?
"Dlana !" his voice was terrible,
demanded a response, ravened among
them.
"Yes, papa" said DI. very small.
ANSWER your mother. Answer me.
Is there anything to this absurd taleY"
mo. papa" said Di. trembling.
Nothing whatever"
Nothing whatever"
Can you imagine how such q n
diculouss report started?"
"No, papa"
1very we'll Now We know whers
We. are. II anyone hears this report
repeated. send them to me-"
well. but that satchel-" said Ina.
to whom an idex manifested less rs n
function than a. ieech.
Zone moment" said Dwight. .Lulu
Will cf course verify what the child
has said~
III you cannot settle this with d."
said Lulu, ayoa cannot settle It with
me-.
"A shifty answer" said Dwight.
sYcu Nam. genius At misrepresent-
ing 1aeE1, l0u know. Lulu.~