The Glenwood post., 1923-12-27

Here 1t is only the next day and it's
proved was thousand times Fighter
than l said i wasl"
"Well, perhaps you'll enlighten
me" he began. but she complied so
willingly that she didn't let him finish
his request.
She gave him Georgie's revelation
in detail, emphasizing and coloring 1t
somewhat with her own interpreta-
tions of many things necessarily only
suggested by the childs meager vo-
cabulary; and she was naturally
little indignant when, at first, her hus-
band declined to admit his defeat.
''Why, it's simply not believablel"
he said. "Those people couldn't seem
what they seemed to be last night,
and be so depraved. They were genu-
inely affectionate in the tone they
used with each other and they"
"Good gracious" Bella cried. ''Do
you think I'm making this up?'
"No, of course not" he returned
hastily. "But the child may have
made 1t up"
"About his own father and mother?''
"Oh, know, but some children are
the most wonderful little story-tellers ;
they tell absolutely inexpllcable lies
and hardly know why themselves"
But at this Bella looked Mt him pity
ingly. Listen n moment! There was
all the sordid daily life of these
people laid out before me in the poor
little child's prattle: whole realistic
novel. complete and consistent, and
I'd like to know how you account for
a child of seven or eight being able
to compose such a thing-and on the
spur of the moment, too! When chill
dren make up stories they make 'em
up about extraordinary and absurd
things, not about the sordid TRACE
dies of everyday domestic life. Do
you actually think this child made up
what he told meT
"Well, it certainly does seem pc
culiar."
"Peculiar'2 Why, it's terrible, and
it's truew
"Well, if 1t is," he said gloomily,
eve certainly don't want to get mixed
up in it. We don't want to come into
a new neighborhood and get involved
in scandal-or even a gossiping
about one. We must be careful not
to say anything about this, Bella"
She looked away from him, thought
fully. 81 suppose so, though of course
these people aren't friends of ours
hardly acquaintances."
NO, but that's all the more reason
for our not appearing to be Interested
careful not to say anything about
this, won't we, BellaT'
"Oh, I suppose, So" she returned
absently. "Slnce the people are really
nothing to us, though, don't suppose
it matters whether we say anything
or not"
"Oh, but 1t 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, BellaY'
"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, myw William exclaimed, dis
mayed. who'd you tell7
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, l 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 a fuss
aboutT'
I'm not" he protested feebly.
But even If. the things true, we don't
want to get the name Of people rnat
gossip about their"
"Oh, my!" she sighed impatiently.
I've told you Cousin Ethel hasn't the
slightest personal interest in these
people, and besides she'll never repeat
what l told her."
"Well, if she doesn't, it'll be the
first time!"
"Will, pleased"
"Golly, hope 1t won't get back to
the Sullenders"
"Such horrible people as that, what
difference would 1t maker" Bella de-
manded impatiently. "And how could
1t get back7 Cousin Ethel doesn't
move in Sullender circles. Not pre-
ciselyl"
mo, but her close friend, Mrs. How
ard PEBBLES, is the aunt Of Mrs.
Frank Deems and Frank Deems is
Sullender's business partner"
"Oh, a realtor, is he? Bella said,
icily.
william returned to the lounge, but
did not recline. Instead, he sat down
and took his head in his hands. "I
do wish you hadn't talked about It."
Bella was sensitive: therefore she