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
