Fitzgerald leader enterprise and press. (Fitzgerald, Ben Hill County, Ga.) 1921-1964, 1923-04-19

fully. II suppose so, though of course
these people aren't friends Of ours
hardly acquaintance"
mo, but that's all the more reason
for our not appearing to be interested
in their troubles. Well certainly be
careful not to say anything about
this. won't we, Bella?"
"Oh, l suppose. So" she returned
absently. "Since the people are really
nothing to us, though, l don't suppose
it matters whether we say anything
or not"
"Oh, but it does" he insisted, and
then, something in her tone having
caught his attention, he inquired !:
"You haven't said anything to anyone
about it, have you, Bella?"
"What?"
you haven't repeated to anyone
what the child told you, have your"
"Oh, no." she said lightly. mot to
anyone that would have any personal
interest in it,"
"Oh, my" William exclaimed, dis
mayed. who'd you tell?"
Nobody that has the slightest in
terest in the Sullenders," Bella re-
piled, with cold dignity. Nobody
that cares the slightest thing about
them"
"Well, then, what in the world did
you tell 'em for?"
"Why, to pass the time, suppose"
Bella said, little offended Cousin
Ethel dropped in for while this after
noon and the whole thing was so ex-
traordinary l just sketched it to her.
What are you making such fuss
about|'
I'm not" he protested feebly.
"But even if the things true, we don't
want to get the name of people tnau
gossip about their"
"Oh, my" she sighed impatiently,
"Ive told you Cousin Ethel hasn't the
slightest personal interest in these
people, and besides she'll never repeat
what told her"
"Well, if she doesn't, it'll be the
first timer"
'Will, please!"
"Golly, l hope it won't get back to
the SullenderS :"
"Such horrible people rs that, what
difference would it make?" Bella de-
manded impatently. "And how could
it get back? Cousin Ethel doesn't
move in Sullender circles. Not pre-
cisely"
"NO, but her close friend, Mrs. How
ard PEBBLES, is the aunt of Mrs
Frank Deems, and Frank Deems is
Sullender's business partner"
ooh, realtor, is hep" Bella said
Jelly.
William returned to the lounge, but
did not recline. Instead, he sat down
and took his head in his hands. 81
do wish you hadn't talked about it."
Bella was sensitive; therefore she
began to be angry "Do you think
it's very intelligent" she asked, ito
imply that don't know enough not to
make neighborhoOd trouble? You NAV
not recall that only last night you
were sure that you were right and
was wrong about what sort of people
these Sullenders are. Already, the
very next day, you've had to confess
that your wife is wholly in the right.
| suppose you may feel a little de-
pressed about that and want to change
the question to something else and
claim I'm in the wrong about that.
But don't you think it's a little bit
childish of you, Will? Don't you think
that the way you're taking your de-
ffn% &c. IL lNfA o1t
He was hurt and looked up Mt her
with an expression that showed the
injury. I'D hardly have expected
you'd cali me that" he said; Eat least.
not so soon after our wedding trip!"
swell. l might have expected you
wouldn't be accusing me of gossiping
harmfully," she retorted mot quite
SO SOOn.'
Young Mr. Sperry rose again. do
you think that's as bad as using the
epithet small to your husband?"
"'Epithet'?" she echoed you
charge me with using 'epithCts?"
"Well, but didn't you?"
II think I'll ask you to excuse me-"
Bella said, with an aspect of nobility
in SUFFERING. And she pro1dly betook
herself from the room.
1t ives q tiff Next day they were
as polite to each other as if they had
just been introduced, and this cere-
monial fOrmality was maintained be-
tween them until the third evening
after its installation, when a calamity
caused them to abandon it. After a
stately dinner in their hundred square
feet of dining room, Bella had gone
out into the twilight to refresh her
strips of iris with fair water from the
garden hose, and William reclined
upon his lounge. solitary with a
gloomy pipe. Unexpectedly, he was
summoned: Bella looked in upon him
from the door and spoke hastily
"Ch-Alr and Mrs. SUIlender" she
said. "Uh-" And as hastily with
drew.
Perturbed, he rose and went ont to
the little veranda, where, with a
slightly nervous hospitality, Bella was
now offering chairs to Mrs. George NJ.
Sullender and her husband. Mrs. Sui
lender smlingly, and in her angelic
voice, declined the offer.
"Oh, no." she said eve came in a
moment to admire your lovely irises
at closer range; we're Just passing on
our way to some friends in Waverley
place"
WED be so glad" celia futtercd
"NO. no. no" Mrs Sullcnder muir
INJURED caressingly. "We've only a