Shoshone journal. [volume] (Shoshone, Idaho) 1884-1931, 1923-06-29

lew questions, Dut ner modest SNARE
Of the unwonted alcohol made her
sleepy, and she never knew how late
the two men-and the bottle Cd
Scotch--sat up.
She got no chance next morning,
either, for a private talk with George
before they met their guest, and in
consequence Georges calm announce
ment Of the days program and his
total elimination of himself from it
fell upon her like a thunderclap. She
caught him alone a few minutes after
breakfast and asked him what he
meant by it.
81 don't mean anything by it," he
protested. 81 have got to work all
day, just as I told you. Hawkins I'M
derstands all right. | told him about
1t last night. He's got to leave this
afternoon and there's no good Sunday
train from here, so it seemed decent
to say that you'd drive him over to
Rockport."
You're simply-throwing me at his
head y she protested.
She detected touch of bravado in
the way he said, "Nonsensel He came
to see you, didn't he?" But Charley
was already coming downstairs with
his bag, so there wasn't time for any
thing more.
Well, the events of that day were
in Georges head, then, whatever they
turned out to be.
George babe their guest a cordial,
almost paternal farewell and, clapping
his hat little too much on one side
of his head for Sabbath morning
and an hour when he was certain to
meet their neighbors going to church.
strOlled down the street in the direc-
ton of his Office.
1t was seven o'clock that evening
when she stopped their car at the curb
after her return, alone, from the
fifteen-mile drive to Rockport. George
was reclining, very much at his ease,
upon the Gloucester swing on the
veranda.
'Hellol" he called to her. you back
already? Had a good day?"
She chose to regard his second ques-
ton as of a piece with the first, and
she came up the front steps before she
spoke at all.
81 suppose you're famished for sup
per-" she remarked, 81. If you've
been working all day"
"Oh, 1 got home about an hour ago
and scrambled myself some eggs. How
about your"
I'm not specially hungry" she said.
'Tll get myself a glass of milk by
and by"
She sat down facing him. George"
she demanded, "why did you send for
those three plays of Charley'sT
He sat up. "Why did 1 send T.. 2"
at was either you or Anna who sent
for them," she interrupted. Charley
swears he didn't send them and that
he didn't say anything to soul about
coming out here
He lay back again. "Oh. all right"
he conceded. 81 telephoned to Chi
cago for 'em the morning after found
out he was coming"
But why?'
"Oh, | don't know. How could l
know what he was going to be like?
I didn't know what he was coming for.
So-well, I wanted you to be-ready
for him."
She took a minute or so to digest
this reply. 81 suppose you mean," she
mused, that you thought he might
be coming out here to see how much
Of a-hick the girl was that he wanted
to marry once, after she'd lived
twenty years in Avonia. And you /
wanted to-fix me up so he wouldn't |
augh. 1 suppose that afternoon dress
Miss Maitland made for me doesn't
oOl1 like much"
"Oh, d-nr he said, and got to his
'eet. Look here Emily You're all
light in any dress. 1t wasn't you 1
lidn't feel sure about. But he might
ave been any sort of ass. OF course,
saw he was all right before I'd talked
With him ten minutes"
NO." she said. you needn't have
Worried about that"
She let the voltage accumulate dur
ny a longish silence. Then she added,
He kissed me this afternoon. He'd
cen rather--sentimental all day, and
hen I said good-by to him he kissed
ie"
WELL" said George. after a silence
{ his own, "he certainly is a darned
ice fellow"
She stared at him. speeches..
"Oh. Pm not much surprised" he
ent on. you see, he told me about
last night"
"ToId you. last night" she echoed.
"He didn't say he was going to kiss
III" George exclaimed. said he'd
ways been romantic about ysI. and
/ the more after he'd got old enough
realize how kind you'd been 10
diculous, priggish kid. lie said you'd
attributed more 10 his education than
lyb0dy else he'd ever met, and he'd
ways fen grateful 70 you. Been !
anfing 10 come 10 see you for years