The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1926-05-20
GO ON WITH THE STORY
CHAPTER 4.

1t was the only thing Sandy no.
fticed-that gaping mouth and the
silence, stiff, raging with accusation
She felt queer weakness in her
wrists and her jaws.
She got her voice out with little
hysterical catch and went toward
them: Hello. Beatrice! Close your
mouth. fathcr-kccp your teeth int
ono had pounded him on the back.
Sandy went on brazcnly. "Thcre's
no mystery about it. We're not hav-
ing any wild intrigue. We wouldn't
choose shack like this. The bat
terry ran down. the garage was
closed. l couldn't walk ten miles in
the pouring rain. We only came in
here to wait till it stopped. 1t didn't
stop. We had to stick!"
"You seemed to find it rather
agrceablc!" Each word jabbed out
like a vicious dagger.
"Oh, if you're meaning the small
matter of Timmy's arms, we'll got
rather sobby when it came o'clock.
Jimmy had to keep me from faint.
ing"
Her father came over and took
her arm: "I'll talk with you tomor.
row morning, young man."
Timmy's young mouth trcmblcd,
but he answered manfully: snow,
sir!"
And Sandy, white rs death, flung
her chin up: "Don't he ridiculous,
father! Stage stuff! / suppose VIC
should have sat out there in the
machine and died Of cold to keep
the cockeyed world from talking!
Jimmy couldn't help it,"
Angds Mcneil had large green
eyes. They turned black when he
was angry. They were black now.
He picked Sandy's hat from the
couch, clappcd it on her head.
She tried valiantly to carry it off
with an air. She said: "Well, come
along, Jimmy. Such nice, sym
pathetic father as I've got! Don't
mind that be doesn't thank you for
breaking house open to save his
child from the storm. Don't mind
that. He's got to take US home,
anyway"
Sandy's mother. her two married
sisters and an older brother were in
the dining room. sick with the
tension Of the. waiting. Cups Of
coffee were sctaaround the table. 1t
had a look of nervous disordcr--a
hunk of French bread half eaten,
cup here. saucer thcrc-as
though no one had remained long
enough to take two consecutive bites.
At the spectacle Of Sandy. whole,
unframed, peculiar indignation
swept over them. They wcro astound-
cd that she dared return unhurt
fter causing them such torment.
She said a little flatly, wishing
very much to sit down and weep
thinking that, at least, her mother
might have rushed up and put her
arms about her-shc said: Hello,
everybody! Sorry to keep you up
late"
It was touching off dynamite
They stared incrcdulously. I'VE
thought you'd been killed." her sister
said accusingly. 1--WE thought you'd
gone over bankl"
"Wcll-it's too bad I'm not brought
home dead and save you the dis
appointment"
When they heard what had hap.
pened they began talking all ut once,
why didn't she do this? Why didn't
she do that! She could at least have
found phone somewhere! The,
would have come for her
Her father cut in with brutal
coldness: "Thcy were quite. comfort
able. We found them in each others
arms. She's satisfied now-disgrac.
ing the family"
Sandy put down the coffee she
had taken. She tried to put on a
bored air. as though this absurdity
of her fathers was something no
one would believe. But her brother
walked behind her chair, leaned
down with the coffee pot and filled
Sandy's cup.
She was almost overcome with
gratitude, was about to give him
. such look, when he said: "Damn
little fool-nice mess-you've put
your foot in it pretty!"
II was as though he had taken
a whip and curled it across hcl
shoulders.
She met them with sheer bravad0
finding it exceedingly had to keep
her head from dropping to her arms.
"Don't act like lunatics. I suppose
Tn King Ganute--I could order the
rain TO stop"
/ But it was a, very crushed and
frightened, Sandy who came down
stairs late. the next morning. Her
mother sat at the table. She now
! folded the morning paper, creasing
!, it with a long, slow pressure of her
palm. She said with grieved dignity:
"I'm sure we're all very proud of
you, Sandy. l didn't really think
! you could be so heartless. If you
didn't care about yourself. you
| might have remembered there are
others. who bear the name Of Nc
| Neil"
She could no longer brave them
They made 1t seem thateshe had done
some shameful wrong. She had in
jured the entire family. They would
| never be able to raise their heads
again. BY now the whole town would
be talking about it. OF course, Beat
rice Muril1o couldn't be expected to
believe Sandy's absurd explanations.
She became hystericsl, said in =
high, breaking voices: "Oh. sup
pose I'm to have the scarlet lctter
pinned on my chest and be marched
down the main thoroughbred"
Because she appeared so callous,