The Oakley herald. [volume] (Oakley, Idaho) 1908-1961, 1924-09-26
CHAPTER V-Continued

"Joe? Joes great fellow" he said
"We're very fond of Joe at my house.
In some ways he's the most remark
able boy ever knewl He's absolute
ly and utterly honest. Things don't
deceive Joe. like to Introduce him
to people-if they've got anything that
interests Joe. he gets 1t out If they
haven't. 1t doesn't matter how much
champagne they open. or whether they
have a season opera box or villa I'm
Italy, they simply don't register with
Joe. I think that fellow will go
long wayl He's taught my boy more
now than | could ever teach him.
more than he'll get out OF college"
Ellen went back to Gibbs with her
eyes shining.
"Mr. Lathrop was talking so nicely
shout joe Gibbs"
"Oh, that's love affair all round !"
Lillian said Iazily. "Of course Har-
riets feelings are no secret. She's
plain. and she's not likely Co meet any
one else on the same intimate terms
that she's known Joe. George Is Will
ing. Joe Is willing-I suppose-and
Harriet is more than willing"
"Joel" Ellen could only echo, In
amazement.
"Joe is clever, and steady. and SEN
sible." Lillian said. land George
doesn't care about anything else. His
one terror is that his precious child
will be snapped up for her money
Joe's position doesn't make the slight
est difference to Georgei'
II was said so pleasantly. In her
good-natured. Indifferent manner. that
the oddity of this sentiment, coming |!
FROM Lillian. did not occur to Ellen.
nor the proprlety OF her saying II to |
Ellea at all. The two women. utterly |
different In type. were inclined TO like |
each other. perhaps for the reason
that they lived in alien worlds. and |
spoke alien tongues. Ellen. clear OF (
VISION for ~. her simplicity and mex 1
perience. knew that Lillian regarded
FER with sort OF indulgent contempt.
A woman who was cheerfully unfash-
,cnable TO the point CO dowdiness, who
was domestic and unselfish and con-
tented, had no common ground upon
which to meet Lillian Josselyn.
As the pleasant days went on, Ellen
marveled at her more and more Lii
iian never talked of herself. She had
her mysteries. her cryptic reserves.
She had friendships of sort with
women. sometimes she tried Z, make
Ellen express herself about them. And
she had friendships with men. but Of
S1cse she never spoke at ell. She was
-. - 81 Z
ieinaiD silent with perfect self-posses-
sion and when she did speak il was
IS amuse her old husband. or to en-
courage Ellen and Gibbs TO talk.
u the evening occasionally all four
went TO the theater. But Lillian liked
Jest Ter to dine at leisure somewhere.
md 10 meet friends. as they always
It'd. and to dance. Gibbs danced a
'-'le. Ellen less. They sat and chat
10 with Josselyn. Senior, quite hap
ply. enjoying the music and the gen
.-l gaiety of the scene. Lillian's
'Nrfners would bring her back flushed.
g ely. silent: she would exert herself '
. re pleasant TO the group at the table
NTH she was claimed again. She {
ought Gibbs new steps, but II was {
rnite apparent that she enjoyed dane {
- with good dancers, regardless of [
or feeling for them as men. Some t
lines they went TO the tea dances that q
we're the latest attraction at the big S
~fes Ellen would feel a little sorry [
sr her father-in-law. He was always
Interested. alert She p
7und little pathos in his eagerness n
q join them In all their amusements. 4
ot to be clog, or to affect their o
lans. a
He treated his wife with unvarying
c7rtesy. out he grew deeply fond of h
,iien, ana little Tom became the 10y
{ his life There were days when