NORTH IMjATTK fiKMI WKEKLV TRIBUNE. "WILL YOU BE ENGAGED TO M?" Synopsis. Major Amberson had mndo a forturio In 1873 when other people were losing fortunes, and the magnificence of the Ambersons began then. Major Amberson laid out a 200-acre 'development," with roads and statuary, and In the center of a four-acre tract, on Amberson avenue, built for himself the most magnlflcerit mansion Midland City had over seen.. When the major's daughter married young Wilbur Minafer the neighbors predicted that as Isabel could never roally lovo Wilbur all her lovo would bo bestowed upon the children. There Is only one child, however, George Amberson Minafer, and his upbringing and hla youthful accomplishments ns a mschlof maker are quite In keeping with tho most pessimistic predictions. Dy the time Georgo goes away to college he doea not attempt to conceal his bollef that tho Ambersons are about tho most Important family In the world. At a ball given In his honor when ho roturns from college, George monopolizes Lucy Morgan, stranger and the prettiest girl present, and gets on famously with her until ho leains that a "queer looking duck" at whom he had bten poking much fun, Is the young lady's father, lie Is Kugeno Morgan, a former resident of Blg burg, and ho Is returning to erect a factory and to build horseless carriages of his own Invention. Eugene had Veen an old admirer of Isabel's and they had been engaged when Isabel threw him over because of a youthful Indiscre tion and married Wilbur Minafer. George makes rapid progress In his court ship of Lucy. A cotillion helps their acquaintance along famously. Their "friendship" continues during his absences at college. CHAPTER Vlllr-Contlnued. 0 In tho matter of coolness George iet Lucy upon her own predeter mined ground; In fact, he was (here first, and at their next encounter proved loftier nnd raoro formal thnn ho did. Their estrangement lasted (hreo weeks, and then disappeared without any preliminary treaty: It JUd worn Itself out and they forgot It. Tho Major had taken n great fancy to her, Insisting upon her presence nd her father's at tho Amberson fam ily dinner at the Mansion every Sun day evening. She knew how to flirt with old pcoplo, ho said, as she sat next him at tho table on one of these Bunday occasions; nnd ho had alwnys Mked her father, even when Eugene wns d "terror" long ago. "Oh, yes, he was I" tho Major laughed when she remonstrated. "lie camo up hero with my son George and some others for a scrcnado ono night, nnd Kugeno stepped Into a bass fiddle, and tho poor musicians Just gave up I That erenado was Just before Isabel was married and don't you fret, Miss Lucy: your father remembers It well enough 1" Tho old gentleman burst Into laughter, and shook his linger at Kugene across tho table. "Tho fact Is," the Major, went on hilariously, "I btllovo If Eugeno hadn't broken that bass flddlo and given himself away Isabel would never have taken Wil bur 1 I shouldn't bo surprised If that was about all tho reason that Wilbur not her I What do you think,' Wil bur?" MI shouldn't bo surprised," said Wil bur placldy. "If your notion Is right rm glad 'Geno broke tho flddlr. Ho was giving mo a hard run 1" Tho Major always drank three glasses of champagne at his Sunday dinner, nnd ho was finishing tho third. "What do you say about It, Isabel? By Jove J" ho cried, pounding the table, "sho's blushing 1" Eugeno was as pink ns Isabel, but he laughed without any sign of embar rassment other than his heightened color. "There's another important thing that Is, for me," ho said. "It's Omj only thing that makes mo forgive that bass viol for getting In my way." "What Is It?" tho Major asked. "Lucy," said Morgan gently. Isabel gave hltn n quick glance, all warm approval, and. thero was a mur- ft$iWi&S.!S!lin4 the table. I Bummer gjldedby evenly and qulck 3y enougfi, for the most part, and at to end seemed to fly. On the last sight beforo Gcorgo went back to be . Junior his mother asked hltn confi dently If It had not been a happy summer. He hadn't thought about It, ho nn ufwyjxd. "Oh, I supposo so, Why?" f '5IJust thought It would bo nice to hear you say so," she said, smiling. "It's seemed to mo that It must have been a happy summer for you a real ummcr of roses nnd wine' without the wine, perhaps. 'Gather yo roses while yo may' or was It primroses? Ttine does really fly, or perhaps It's Uko the sky and smoke " I George was puzzled. "It strikes mo you're getting mixed. I don't seo tnnch resemblance between time and the sky, or between things and smoke Vreafitsj but I do see ono reason you Uko Lucy Morgan so much. Sho talks that samo kind of wistful, moony way sometimes I don't mean I to say I mind It In cither of you, be cause I rather Uko to listen to It, and you've got a very good volco, mother. It's nlco to listen to, no mat ter bavjr niucJi emoko. and sky, and to on, you talk. "Bo's Lucy's, for that .p tatter; and I seo why you're con gonial. Sho talks that way to her father, too; and ho's right there with the same kind of guff. Well, It's all bight with met I'vo got plenty to think about when people drool along 1" ' She pressed his hand to her check, and a tear made a tiny warm streak across ono of his knuckles. "For heaven's sake!" he said. -What's tho matter? Isn't everything all right?" i "You'ro colnc away! l never can 1onr "to seo you go that's tho most of It. I'm a little bothered about your father, too." "Why?" "It seems to me ho looks so bad. everybody thinks so." "What nonsense I" George laughed He's been 1 joking that way all sum mer, lie Isn't much different from tho way ho's looked all his life, thrft I can seo. What's tho matter with him?" "Ho never talks much about his business to mo, but I think ho's been worrying about somo investments ho mndo last year. I think his worry has affected his health." "What Investments?" Georgo de manded. "Ho hasn't gono into Mr. Morgan's automobllo concern, has ho?" . , "No," Isabel smiled. "Tho 'auto mobile concern' is all Eugene's, nnd It's so small I understand It's taken hardly anything. No ; your father has always prided himself on making only the most absolutely safo Investments, hut two 6r three years ago ho and your Undo George both put a great deal pretty much everything they could get toggthcr, I think Into the stock of rolling mills somo friends of theirs owned, and I'm afraid tho mills haven't been doing well." "What of that? Father needn't worry. You nnd I can take enre of Jilm tho rest of his life on what grand father" "Of course," sho agreed. "But your father's always lived so for his busi ness nnd taken such prido in his sound investments; It's a passion with him. I " "Pshaw 1 IIo needn't worry! You tell him we'll look after him." Ho kissed Her. "Good night; I'm going to tell Lucy goodby. Don't sit up for me." "Yes, I will," sho laughed. "You won't bo very Into." "Well It's my last night" "But I know Lucy, and she knows I want to see you too, your last night. You'll seo: she'll send you home promptly nt cloven I" But sho was mistaken: Lucy sent him homo promptly nt ten. CHAPTER IX. s Isabel's unenslness about her hus band's health sometimes reflected In her letters to Georgo during tho win ter that followed had not been alle viated when the accredited Senior re turned for his next summer vacation, "For Heaven's "What'a Sake!" He the Matter?" Said, and sho confided to him In his room, Boon after his arrival, that "some thing" tho doctor had Bald to her late ly had made her moro uneasy than over. "Doctor Ralnoy says wo ought to get him awuy." "Well, let's do It, then." "Ho won't go." "He's a mau awfully set In his ways; that's true," said George. "I don't think thero's nnythlng much the mnttor with him, though, nave you soon Lucy latoly? How Is sho?" "She looks pretty 1" said Isabel "I suppose sho wroto you they'vo moved?" "Yes; I'vo got her address. Sho J said they were building.1 M 1 Copyright by Doufcledty, Pntt & Company. "They did. It's nil finished, nnd they've been In It a month. It's small, but oh, such n pretty little house!" "Well, that's fortunate," Georgo said. "Ono thing I've always felt they didn't know a great ttcnl about Is ar chitecture." v I "Don't they?" nsked Isabel, sur prised. "Anyhow, their houso is charming. It's way out beyond the end of Amberson boulevard; it's quite near that big white house with a gray green roof somebody built out there u year or bo ago, I suppose you'll bo driving out to see Lucy, tomorrow." "I thought" George hesltnted. "I hthought perhaps I'd go after dinner this evening." At this his mother laughed, not as tonished. "It . was only my feeblo Joke nbout, 'tomorrow,' Gcorglel I was pretty sure you couldn't wait that long. Did Lucy wrlto you nbout tho factory?" "No. What factory?" "Tho automobile shops. This spring they'vo finished eight automobiles and sold them all, nnd they'vo got twelvo more almost finished, and they're sold already! Eugeno Is so gny over It I They're very Interesting to look nt; behind tho driver's sent there's a sort of box whero four people can sit, with a step and a llttlo door In the rear, and" "I know nil nbout It," said George. "I've seen any number like that, east. You can see nil you want of 'em If you stand on Fifth avenue half nn hour any afternoon. I've seen half a dozen go by almost nt the samo time within a few minutes, anyhow; nnd of course electric hansoms nro n common sight there any day. I hired one myself tho last time I was there, now fast do Mr. Morgan's machines go?" "Much too fasti It's very exhila rating but rcthcr frightening; ' nnd they do make a fearful uproar. Ho says, though, he thinks he sees a way to got around the noisiness in time." "I don't mind tho noise," said George. "Give me a horse for mine, though, any day. I must get up a race with ono of these things; Pcndennls'll leave it ono mile behind In a two-mile run. How's grandfather?" "He looks well, but he complains sometimes of his heart" George had taken off his coat. "I don't like to hint to a lady," he snld, "but I do want to dress before- din ner." "Don't be long; I'vo got to do a lot of looking nt you, denrl" She kissed him nnd ran nwny. sinclnc But his Aunt Fanny was not so fond; nnd nt the dinner table there came a spark of liveliness Into Iter eyes when George patronizingly asked her what was the news In her own particular line of sport" "Well, whnt'a the cossln? Yon usually hear prefty much everything that goes on around tho noolra nnd crannies in this town, I hear. What's the last from tho gossips' corner; auntie?" Fanny dropped her eyes, but a movement of her lower lip betokened tendency to laugh ns sho replied, There hasn't been much gossip lately except the report that Lucy Morgans nnd Fred Kinney nro engaged and that's quite old by this time." There was u clatter upon George's plate. "What what do' you think you'ro talking about?" he gasped. Miss Fanny looked up innocently. About the report of Lucy Morgnn'3 engagement to Fred Kinney." George turned dumbly to his mother and Isabel shook her head reassur ingly. "People aro always starting rumors," she said. "I haven't paid any attention to this one." But you you've heard It?" ho stammered. "Ob, one hears all sorts of nonsense, dear I haven't the slightest Idea that It's true." "Then you have heard It I Georgo turned pule. "Eat your dinner, Georgie," his mint saljl sweetly. "Food will do you good. I didn't say J knew this rumor wns true. I only sold I'd heard It" "Fanny, you're a hnrd-hearted crea ture," Isabel said gently. "You really nro. Don't pay any attention to her, George. Fred Kinney's only a clerk In his uncle's hardware place: he couldn't marry for ages even II any body would accept him I" Georgo breathed tumultously. don't care anything about 'aces!' What's that got to do with It?" he said, his thoughts appearing to bo somewhat disconnected. " 'Ages, don't mean nnythlng 1 I only want to know I want to know . I want " Uo stopped. "You must finish your dinner, dear," his mother urged. "Don't" "I have finished. I've en ton nil want I don't want any more thnn I wanted. I don't want I" He rose, still incoherent. "I prefer I .want ploase excuse mo!" lie ioit tno room, and a moment later tho Bcroens outside tho open front uoor wore heard to slam. "Fanny I You shouldn't" "isnbol, don't reproach me. no did hnvo plenty of dinner, nnd I only told tno trutnt ttverybody has been say lUg " . Mnoersoas "We don't actually know there Isn't," Miss Fanny insisted, giggling. "We've never asked Lucy." "I wouldn't nsk her anything so nb surd 1" "Gcorgo would," Georgo's father re- marked. "That's what ho's gone to do." Mr. MInnfor was not mistaken : that was what his son had gono to do. Lucy and her father were Just rising from their dinner tablo when the stirred youth arrived nt the front door of the now house. It wns n cot tage, however, rather than a house; and Lucy had taken a free hand with the architect, achieving results In white nnd green outside nnd white and blue Inside to such effect of youth and daintiness that her father com plained of "too much springtime!" The whole plnco, Including his own bedroom, was a young damsel's bou doir, he said, so that nowhere could ho smoke n cigar without feeling like n ruffian. However, he was Bmoklng when Georgo arrived, nnd ho encour aged George to Join him In tho pas time, but the caller, whoso air was both tenso nnd preoccupied, decUncd with something like agitation. "I never smoke that is. I'm sel dom I mean, no, thanks," he said. "I mean not at all. I'd rather not." "Aren't you well, George?" Eugene asked, looking at him in perplexity. "Have you been overworking nt col lege? You do look rather pa " "I don't work," wild George. "I mean I don't work. I think, but I don't work. I only work at tho end of the term. There Isn't much to do." Eugene's perplexity wns little de creased, and n tinkle of the doorbell afforded him obvious relief. "It's my foreman," he - said, looking at his watch. "I'll take him out In the yard to talk. This is no place for a fore man." And he. departed, leaving the "living room" to Lucy and George. "What's wrong, George?" she asked softly. "What do you mean: 'What's wrong?r What makes you think arty- thing's 'wrong' with me?" "You do look pale, as papa said, nnd it seemed to me that the way you talked sounded well, a llttlo- con- fusedl" Seo here!" George stepped eloso to- her. "Are you glnd to" see me?" "You needn't bo so fierce about It 1" Lucy protested, laughing at his dra matic Intensity. "Of course r ami Do tell me what's the matter with you, Georgo 1" "I wllll" he exclaimed. "I woo a boy when I' saw you last I see that now, though I didn't then. Well, I'm not a boy any longer. I'm w man, and a man has n right to demandia totally different treatment" "I don't soeta to bo ablo to under stand you at all, Georgo Why shouldntt a boy bo treated. Just as well as- a nran?" George seemed to find himself at a loss. "Why shouldn't Well( he shouldn't, because a man Trtevjj.rjB'tt to certain, explanations." "What In the world do yoaiwanbme to explain?" "Your conduct with Frodi Kinney 1 George shouted. Lucy uttered a suddon cry of lnughterr. she was dellghtedi "It's been awful 1" sho said, "t don't know that I ever head of worso misbe havior 1 Papa nnd I have been twice to dinner with his fnrally, and I've been three times to church with Fred and' onco to the clreus! I don't know when they'll bo here to- arrest me!" "Stop that!" George commanded fiercely. "I want to know Just one thing, and I mean to know It, too!" "Whether I enjoyed tho circus?" "I want to know If you'ro engaged to him I" "Nol" sho cried, and- lifting her face close to his tot the shortest In stant possible, sho gave him a look half merry, half defiant, but aU fond. It was an ndorable look. "Lucy 1" he sold huskily. But she turned quickly from him, nnd ran to the other end of the room. He followed awkwardly, stammering: "Lucy, I wont I want to nsk you. Will you wlU you will you be en gaged to me?" Sho stood at a window, seeming to look out into tho summer darkness, her back to him. "No," she murmured, Just audibly. "Why not?" "You're too young." "Is that" he snld, gulping "Is that the only reason you won't?" She did not ansVer. As she stood persistently staring out of tho window with her back to him sho did not see how humblo his attitude had become; but his voice was low, and It shook so that she could have no doubt of his emotion "Lucy, please fprgtvo me for mnklng such a row," ho said, thus gently. "I'vo been I'vo beon terribly upset terribly I You know how I feel about you, and always have felt about you. Don't you?" Still sho did not movo or speak. "Is tho only reason you won't be engaged to me you think I'm too young, Lucy?" By Booth Tarkington "It's It's reason enough," sho said faintly. At that he caught ono of her hands, nnd 6he turned to him: there were tears In her eyes, teurs which ho did not undarstand nt nil. "Lucy, you llttlo denrl" ho cried. "I knew you " "No, nol" she snld, nnd sho pushed him away, withdrawing her hand. "George, let's not talk of soletnn things." '"Solemn things!' Like what?" "Like being engaged." But George had becomo altogether Jubilant, nnd he laughed triumphant ly. "Good gracious, that Isn't sol emn 1" "It Is tool" sho snld, wiping her eyes. "It's too solemn for us." "No, It Isn't I I" "Lot's sit down nnd bo sensible, dear," she said. "You sit over there " "I will If you'll call me 'dear' again." "No," sho said. "Ill only call you that once again this summer the night before you go away." "That will have to do, then," he laughed, "so long as I know we're en gaged." "But we're not!" sho protested. "And we never will be If you don't promise not to speak of It again until I tell you to I" "I won't promise that," said tho happy George. "I'll only promise not to speak of It till the next time you alll mo 'dear;' nnd you'vo promised to call me that the night before I leave for my senior year." "Oh, but I didn't 1" she said ear nestly, then hesitated. "Did I?" "Didn't you?" "I don't think I meant It," sho mur mured, her wet lashes flickering above troubled eyes. 'T know one thing nbout you," ho said' gayly, his triumph increasing. you never went back on anything you said yet, nnd I'm not afraid of this being the first time I" "But we mustn't let" she fal tered; then went on tremulously, "George, we've got on so well together we won't let this make a difference between us, will we?" And she Joined In his laughter. "It will all depend on what you tell me the night before I go away. You agree we're going to settle things men, don't- you Lucy?" "I don't promise." "Yes, you. do ! Don't you?" "Well ' c CHAPTER X. That night George began a Jubilant wnrfaro upon hla Aunt Fanny, open ing the campaign unon his return home at about eleven o'clock. Fanny had retired, and was presumably asleep, but George, on the way to his own room, paused before her door, and serenaded her In n full baritone: "A I walk along the Boy de Balong "H my inuepenaent air, Thrt nannln nil uln. JvjHo must be a millionaire!' And see wm wink the other oye vT At the man that broke tho bank at Monte After breakfasting In bed, George spent the next morning nt his grand father's nnd did not encounter his Aunt Fanny until lunch, when she sconcd to-be ready for him. "Thank yon so much for tho sere nade, George!" she said. "Your poor father tells me he'd Just got to sleep for tho first time In two nights, but after your kind attentions he lny nwnke tho rest of last night" "Perfectly true," Mr. Minafer said grimly. "Of course, I didn't know, sir," George hastened to assure him. "I'm awfully sorry. But Aunt Fanny wns so gloomy nnd excited before I went out, last evening, I thought she needed cheering up." He turned to his mother. "What's the matter with grandfather?" "Didn't you see him this morning?" Isabel nsked. "Yes. He was glad to see me, and nil that, but ho seemed pretty fidgety. Has he been having trouble with his heart again?" "Not lately. No." "Well, he's not himself. What's he upset over?" Isabel looked serious; however, It was her husband who suggested gloom ily, "I suppose tho Mnjor's bothered nbout this Sydney and Amelia busi ness, most likely. 'IWhat Sydney and Amelia bus! ness?" George asked. "Your mother can tell you, if she wants to," Minafer said. "It's not my side of the family, so I keep off." "It's rather disagreeable for all of us, Georgie," Isabel hegan. "You see, your Uncle Sydne, wanted a diplo matic position, nnd he thought Brother Georgo, being in congress, could nr range it George did get him tho offer of n South American ministry, but Sydney wnnted a European ambassa dorshlp, and ho got quite indignant with poor George for thinking he'd take anything smaller and ho be lieves Georgo didn't work hard enough for him. George had done his best, of , course, and now he's out of corfgress, nnd won't run again so there's Syd ney's Idea of a big diplomatic position gono for good. Well, Sydney nnd your Aunt Amelia nro terribly disappoint ed, and they say they'vo been thinking for yenrs that this town Isn't really lit to live. In 'for a gentleman,' Sydnoy says nnd It Is getting rnthor big and' dirty. So they'vo sold their house nnd decided to go nbrond to live perma nently; there's a villa near Florence they've often talked of buying. And they want fnthor to let them have their sharo of thoestnto now, Instead of wnltlng for him to lcavo It to them In his will." "Well, I suppose thnt's fair enough," Georgo said. "That Is, In caso ho In tended to lenvo them a certain amount in his will." "Of course that's understood, Georgie. Fnther explained his will to us long ngo; n third to them, nnd a third to Brother George, nnd a third to us." Her son made a simple calculation In his mind. Undo Georgo wns a bachelor, nnd probably would nover marry; Sydney nnd Amelia were child less. The Major's only grandchild ap peared to remain tho eventual heir of the entire property, no matter If the Major did turn over to Sydney a third of it now. "Well, I suppose It's grand father's own nffnr. Ho can do it or not, Just as he likes. I don't see why he'd mind much." "He seemed rather confused and pained about it," Isabel said. "I think they oughtn't to urge it George says that tho estate won't stand taking out 'Lucy, I Want I want to Ask You," the third that Sydney wnnts, and that Sydney and Amelia are behaving like a couple of pigs.. I'm on George's side, whether he's right or wrong; I always' was from the time we were children; nnd Sydney nnd Amelia are hurt with me nbout It, I'm nfrald. They've stopped speaking to George entirely. Poor father! Family rows at his time of life." An hour after lunch, George'strolled over to his grandfather's, Intending to npply for further Information, as a party rightfully interested, He did not enrry out this Intention. however. Going into the big house by n side entrnnce, he wns Informed that the Major was upstairs in his bedroom, that his sons Sydney nnd George were both with him, nnd that a serious -P'P-TWwna.ln progress. stairway. He couldlhentf JnVJ&SSi overhead those' of his two uncles and n plaintive murmur, as If the Major tried to keep the peace. Such sounds were far from encour aging to callers, nnd George decided not to go upstairs until this interview wns over. He turned from tho stair wny, and going quietly into the library, picked up a magazine but he did not open it, for his attention was Instant ly arrested by his Aunt Amelia's voice, speaking In tho next room. The door wns open and Gcorgo heard her dis tinctly. "Isabel jdoes? Isabel 1" she exclaimed, her tone high and shrewish. "Yon needn't tell me anything about Isabel Minafer, I guess, my denr old Frank Bronsonl I know her a llttlo better than you do, don't you think?" George heard the voice of Mr. Bron son replying n voice familiar to him as that of his grandfather's attorney-in-chief and chief intimate ns well. He was a contempornry of tho Major's, be ing over seventy, and they hnd been through three years of the war In tha same regiment "I doubt your knowing Isabel," lie said stiffly. "Yon speak of her as. yon do because she sides with her brother George, instead of with you and. Syd ney." "You little fooll You awful little fool!" (TO KB CONTINUED.) Reasoning From Kittens, ' Little Edward's twin sisters were bolng christened. All went well until Edward saw the water In the font Then ho unxlously turned to his moth er and exclaimed: "Ma, whleh one are you going to keep?" niiehty (Lon don). Chicory. In some parts of Cape Province, South Africa, chicory gives a yield of $250 to $300 nor acre. Jnhnnno I being tho chief market