The Elk Mountain pilot., 1923-10-11

AAOooO anu was PutiCAthy "aitih6 AOi
the colloquy to be over.
fMrs. Penzie." he began directly
"Im in the devil Of a FIX"
Are your Her tone was sympa
thetic, but there was in 1t no tincture
of surprise. She was accustomed to,
crises. Life in The Custard Cup pro
duced them in abundance.
"Come right on in," she invited
: cordially. "and wen. talk it over"
mo, 1 can't sit down. I'm supposed
to be on my job, but ! dropped In fos
minute, because Lorene wouldn't be
around. I didn't want her to hear
of it." Dick Chase paused. as II
hardly knowing where to begin on the
perplexity that had brought him to
Number AZ. Mrs. Penfield waited in
silence.
Presently the young mans gravity
was broken by whimsical smile.
"Say, Mrs. Penzie. you're willing
should marry L0rene. aren't your"
my dear boy" she smiled back,
you've got my consent and my bless
ing. believe you'll make Lorene
happy; and If you don't, I'll be bout
the first feller on your trail"
"You bet I'm going to try to save
you that trouble" he said, with re-
turning seriousness. "But the ques-
tion is. VIII lever get Lorener'
my goodness, you don't mean
you've quarreledr
Thunder. no. That might be SIM
pier. There'd be chance that we
might get out here under the pepper
tree and make 1t up. No. it's Mrs.
Percy"
'But, surely" she expostulated,
surely you aren't taking a nervous.
selfish woman SO seriously. Hasn't
she nm income Of her own?''
Eyes, but it's small. Unless she
earns something herself, she can't
live the way she's been living. LO-
rene has denied herself to give her
stepmother comfort and laziness-
some idea of obligation to her fathers
memory, 1 suppose. And So"
Good land, Mrs. Percy'il get used
to it. 1t may be a wrench at first.
but"
Mrs. Penzie, you don't understand.
The point is that she's getting Lo-
rene. Working on her sympathy and
conscience. Why, at this very minute
we're further from being married
than we were two months ago.con-
found itr'
"Tell me about it."
He laughed. "It is a reasonable re
quest. was rather figuring that
you'd take one word and make ten
out of 1t. Well, you know, Mrs. Per
cy's thought up various silly schemes
to make it unpleasant. And now it's
her right side. She says she's par
TALLY lost the use Of it." He broke
off, staring gloomily at the wall. Mrs
Penfield watched him, but said moth
ing.
you can see what that MEANS" hi
continued. Constant care, and sht
can't afford a nurse or companion
Only stony-hearted girl would leave
stony-hearted girl to do 1t, either
Tears; upbraiding; general chaosl"
II didn't know about her-he
helplessness" began Mrs. Penfielt
gently. f
Know about It'll" He turned an,
confronted her in swift Indignation
Nobody knew about 1t till two day
ago. She claims she hasn't been feel
ing well for a long time, but she's en-
dured in silence. We've been tryin
to have her consult doctor, but sh
won't listen to it-says we've no righ
to annoy an afflicted woman when sh
can do her own diagnosing"
But you think theres-no doubt
insinuated Mrs. Penfield slowly.
~ think there's no doubt but tina
. she's making the whole thing up" ex
: ploded the young man. "What
, thought maybe you'd do, Mrs. Penzit
/ is to look us over from the stant
, point of an outsider and tell us no,
to act"
She smiled. II can't tell you on tn
minute. but I'll see If can think ou
anything. I'll go over tomorrow. an
, mebbe I'll get line on 1t. You com
. around sometime soon. and I'll RI
r port"
9 He held out his hand. "Thank yo,
. You're my mother, Mrs Penzie, bu
n I'll bet you didn't know 1t. I neve
: had one that I could remember-ti
now"
Before she could speak. he wa
A gone.
4 The next day Mrs. Penfield crowde
U her work as much as possible. ths
\ there might be time in the afternoo
A for call on Mrs. Percy. 81
I 'Lettie," she called into the bac
yard. won't you please pick me 'bor
!, three of them pretty caterpillars Off
the willow tree? Put 'em In this her
envelope, and be careful you don
!, squeeze 'em."
: A little later Mrs. Penfield set fort
4 gingerly concealing under her wor
jacket the envelope which containe
I the three scraps of furry life. Sh
a stopped first at Mrs. Sanders.
Don't you want to run In to Mr.
! Percy's with mew she inquired.
. understand she amt we'll and seen