The Oakley herald. [volume] (Oakley, Idaho) 1908-1961, 1924-10-03

her head ached. and she was experssoe
Ing the exhaustion of Z suddenly les
sened tension. She had stopped at thu
nursery to find Lizzie alone and sulky
Mr.. Latimer had not yet brought Tom
my back'm. Yes'm, Ii was quarter
past six
Ellen went on to her own room Il
find Gibbs flung across the bed In ono
of the heavy maps with which he some
times recruited his forces for the eve
nings demands. He rolled over when
she came In. and lay there blinking and
staring between yawns al the ceiling
Thine is lit" he asked presently,
and when she told him he added
"D-n a seven o'clock dinner anyway
My head feels rotten"
you smoke too much - Ellen sug-
gested dispassionately
He himself lad often admitted It,
and also admitted that he could not
drink as steadily as the other men
But he scowled at this reminder The
| truth was that late hours, rich food,
hot weather. alcoholic stimulants. and
the unnatural life they were leading
were bad for them both. and any pre-
text would serve In these days for a
quarrel
| sWhere's Tom?r Gibbs now asked
Ellen knew that he knew, and that he
had deliberately selected question
that would imply criticism of her
management
"Joe's coming over to dinner, Gibbs,
with the Lathrops. And he isn't to
dress, you know. for they've been out
In the boat all afternoon. SO I said
not to bother to get Tommy home be-
fore seven, he can have a simple din
ner and pop into bed as soon as he
gets here"
Gibbs was now sitting on the edge
of the bed with his silver hair in q
mop over his flushed face. and his
head in his hands
Il must say don't approve of this
constant upsetting OF Toms routine I"
he observed.
Ellen. now at her dressing table,
with the stiff lines of silk robe fall
ing about her. flushed in her turn.
Last night you kept him up until
quarter Of eight" she answered light
ly. She scored here, for Lillian had
had friends for later dinner the day
before and had captured Tommy, and
made him bring down his violin. The
child had been reluctant to play the
simple little airs he knew. and Gibbs
paternal authority had been needed,
and the threat of whipping. Ellen
had been excruciatingly uncomfortable
during this scene. and had presently
escaped with Tommy upstairs, almost
as near tears as the child was.
"You simply said that to be nasty"
Gibbs remarked with some heat. you
know the child is out too late, you
know that no sensible mother would
allow a child of six to go off in a
yacht and yet you deliberately per-
nit"
There was nothing deliberate abou.
1t, Gibbsl Tommy and went over to
see Aunt Elsie this morning. in the
small car. And Joe was home. and
asked 10 keep him. You know per-
fecfly we'll"
II know perfectly well that any
crazy thing that Joe proposes appeals
to you'll Anything TO show me , ow
absolutely Indifferent you are to my
wishesi"
Gibbs. don't talk like that" she
said, in changed tone. tone more
distressed than angry. Ordinarily, the
faint indication of desire to con-
,iiate would have softened Gibbs, but
ne was still In the prickly discomfort
If awakening after daytime sleep.
md he answered hitingly:
"Oh. cont let anything | say count
I'm not Joe. of course I" And as FL
en- was silent. with hurt tears in her
yes. he added grumblingly: "If George
.athrop wants Joe for son-in-.aw,
ust because his daughter has set her
Ieart on him. and If you want to see
our brother every day. and three
ines day-well and good All say
$: I'm done"
ITS Lillian that has set you against
oel" Ellen burst out angrily. Il know
he way she talks about him, in that
leasant. amused voice of hersl She's
lade you think he was countryfed
nd stupid and slow just because he's
ever fallen in love woth her"
THAT'S enough :" Gibbs said. in a
tern voice. Ellen even as she spoke,
ad had a feeling that II was more
nan enough. She stopped speaking.
shamed and sullIy. and went on with
err Undressing. There was silence
the room for perhaps twr minutes.
nd then Gibbs added wiz; cold dis
ppr oval: after all Lilies has done
,r you--treating you absolutely like
sister,"
Then again there was pause. bro
en- this time by the entry of Joe and
ommy from the nursery through the
ifhroom.
Tommy had had supper on the
lcht, II appeared. He was theoret-
ally anxious TO he allowed to stay
D. actually his tired. sunburned little
Is were falling over his eyes. Ellen
atcon,od her LITTLE brofher almost nc