NORTH PLATTE SEMI-WEEKLY TRIBUXE.
o 7 . ran
The
nincent
rsons
By Booth
Tarkington
Copyrleht by Doubleday, P Company.
lie's look
"OH, NOW YOU HAVE DONE IT!"
Synopsls.-Major Amborson has made a fortuno In 1873 when other pcoplo
wero losing fortunes, and tho magninccneo of tho Ambcrsons began tbon.
Major Amberson laid out a 200-acro "development," with roads and statuary,
nd In tho center of a four-acro tract, on Amberson avonuo, built for hlmsolf
the most mngnMcent mansion Midland City had over seen. Whon tho major'a
daughter married young Wilbur Mlnafcr tho neighbors predicted that as Isabel
could never really lovo Wilbur all her Iovo would be bestowed upon tho
children. Thero Is only one child, however, Georgo Amborson Mlnafor, and
his upbringing and hla youthful accomplishments as a mischief maker aro
quite In keeping with the most pessimistic predictions. By tho tlmo Georgo
goes away to collego he does not attempt to conceal his belief that tho
Amberoons ore about tho most Important family In tho world. At a ball
given In his honor when ho returns from college, Gcor&o monopolizes Lucy
Morgan, a stranger and tho prottlcst girl presont, and gets on famously with
her until ho learns that a "queer looking duck" at whom he had been poking
much fun, la tho young lady's father. Ho Is Kugono Morgan, a former resident
of nigburg, and ho Is returning to erect a factory and to build horseless
carriages of his own Invention, Kugono had been an old admirer of Isabel
and thoy had boon engaged when Isabel throw him over becauso of a youthful
Indiscretion and married Wilbur Mlnafcr. Goorgo makes rapid progress In
hie courtship of Lucy. A cotillion helps their acquaintance along famously.
Their "friendship" continues during his absences at collego. Goorgo und
Lucy becomo "almost engaged." Thero Is a family quarrel over a division
of property which reveals that both Georgo's Aunt Fanny and Georgo's mother
are moro or less Interested In Eugeno Morgan. Georgo's father dies. Georgo
Is graduated. Ho and Lucy remain "almost engaged." Georgo announces to her
his Intention to bo a gentleman of leisure. Lucy disapproves and George
resents hor fathor's Influence. Tho lovers "almost quarrel." Georgo tries to
Insult Morgan. Tho sight of Morgan with his mother makes him "see rod."
CHAPTER XIV. I
10
Ho went to his room, threw oft his
coat, walstcont, collar anil tic, letting
them Ho whero they chanced to fall,
and then, having violently enveloped
himself In a black velvet dressing
gown, continued this action by lying
down with a vehemence that brought
a wheeze of protest from his bed. His
repose was only u momentary sem
blance, however, for It lasted no long
er than tho time It took him to groan
"Riffraff I" between his teeth. Then he
wit up, swung his feet to tho floor, rose
and begnn to pace up and down the
large room.
He had Just been consciously rude
to his mother for tho first time In his
llfo; for, with all his riding down of
populaco and riffraff, ho had never bc
foro been cither dollborntcly or Im
pulsively dlsregtirdful of her. But
now ho hnd dono n rough thing to her;
and ho did not repent; tho rather ho
was tho moro Irritated with her. And
when ho heard hor presently go by his
door with a light step, singing cheer
fully to herself as she went to her
room, ho perceived that -she had mis
taken his Intention altogether, or, In
deed, had failed to perceive that ho
had any Intention at nil.
Thero camo a delicate, eager tap
ping nt his door, not dono with n
knuckle but with tho tip of a finger
nail, which was Instantly clarified to
George's mind's cyo ns plainly ns If ho
saw It: tho long and polished white
mooned pink shield on the end of his
Aunt Fanny's right forefinger." But
George was in no mood for human
communications, and even when things
went well he had little pleasure In
Fanny's society. Therefore It Is not 1
uurprlslng that nt tho sound of her
tapping, Instead of bidding her enter,
he immediately crossed tho room with
tho intention of locking the door to
keep her out. -
Fanny was too eager and, opening
the door boforo ho reached it, camo
quickly in, and closed It behind her.
Her look was that of a person who
had just seen something extraordinary
or heard thrilling news.
"Now, what on enrth do you want?'
her chilling nephew demanded.
"George," she Bald hurriedly, "I saw
what you did when you couldn't spenk
to them. I vas sitting with Mrs. John
son nt her front window, across the
trcct, and I saw It all."
"Well, what of It?"
"You did right!" Fnnny said with n
chemenco not tho less spirited ho
cause sho suppressed her voice nlmost
to n whisper. "You did exactly
right! You'ro behaving splendidly
About tho wholo thing, nnd I want to
tell you I know your father would
thank you if ho could seo whnt you'ro
doing."
"My Lordl" Georgo broke out at her.
"You make. mo dizzy! For heaven's
nako quit tho mysterious detectlvo
business nt least do quit it around
met Go and try it on somebody else,
if you like; hut I don't want to hear
it V
She began to tremble, regarding him
with u fixed pizo. "You don't enro to
hear, then," uhe said huskily, "that I
upprovo of whnt you'ro doing?"
"Cortalnly not I Slnco I haven't tho
rulutest Idcn what you think I'm 'do-
ing,' naturally I don't caro whether
you npprovo of It or not. All I'd like,
If you please, Is to bo alono. I'm not
giving a tea here, this afternoon, if
jrouH permit mo to mention ltl"
Fanny's gazo wavered; sho began
lo blink; then suddenly sho sunk Into
C chair nnd wept silently, but with a
errlblo desolation,
"Oh, for tho Lord's sakol" ho
jnoancd. "What in tho world Is wrong
with your
"You'ro ulways picking on mo," sho
ouavcrcd wretchedly, hor volco Indis
tinct with tho wetness that bubbled In
to it from her tears. "You do you
always pick on mol You've ulways
dono It always ever slnco you wore
a llttlo boyl Whenever anything goes
wrong with you, you tako it out on
me! You do I You always"
Georgo flung to heaven a gesture of
despair; It seemed to him tho last
jfttruw that Fnnny should havo chosen
.tfcls particular tlmo to como and sob
In his room over his mistreatment of
her I
"Oh, my Lord I" ho whispered ; then,
with a grcnt effort, addressed her In a
reasonable tone: "Look here, Aunt
Fnnny; I don't seo whnt you'ro making
all this fuss about. Of course I know
I've teused you sometimes, but "
"'Tensed' mo?" sho wnllcd.
" 'Teased' mol Oh, it does seem too
hard sometimes this mean old llfo of
mine docs seem too hard I I don't
think I enn stand. It ! nonestly, I don't
think I can! I camo In here just to
snow you i sympathized with you
Just to say something plensnnt to you,
nnd you treat mo ns If I were oh, no,
you wouldn't treat n servant the wny
you treat me 1 You wouldn't treat any
body In the world like this except old
Fanny 1"
"Oh, my Lordl" Georgo groaned
Fnnny spread out her Bmnll, soaked
handkerchief, und shook it In tho air
to dry It u little, crying as damply and
as wretchedly during this operation ns
before a sight which gave Georgo n
curious shock to .add to his other agl
tatlons, it seemed so strange.
"You'ro so proud," sho quavered,
"and so hard 1 I tell you I didn't mean
to spenk of It to you, nnd I never,
never In tho world would have told
you ubout it, nor hnvo made the faint
est reference to it, if I hadn't seen that
somebody clso had told you, or you'd
found out for yourself somo way,
I"
In despair of her Intelligence, and
In somo doubt of his own, George
struck the palms of his hands together.
"Somebody else hhd told me what?
I'd found what out for myself?"
"How pcoplo nro talking about your
mother."
Except for tho incidental tcnrlncss
of her voice, her tono was casual, as
though sho mentioned u subject pre
viously discussed and understood
for Fnnny hnd no doubt that Georgo
hnd only pretended to bo mystified be
cause, In his pride, ho would not In
words admit that ho know what ho
knew.
"What did you suy?" ho asked in
credulously.
"Of courso I understopd whnt you
wero doing," Fanny went on, drying hor
handkerchief again. "It puzzled other
people when you began to be rudo to
Eugene, because they couldn't seo how
you could treat him ns you did when
you wero so Interested In Lucy. But
I remembered how you enmo to mo,
that other tlmo when thero was so
much talk about Isabel; and I knew
you'd give Lucy up in a minute, if it
camo to a question of your mother's
reputation, becauso you said then
thnt "
"Look hero," Goorgo interrupted In
n slinking voice. "Look here, I'd
like " Ho stopped, unable to go on,
his ngltntlon was so grout Ills chest
heaved ns from hard running, und his
complexion, pallid at first, had be
como mottled; llery splotches appear
ing nt his temples nnd checks. vtVlmt
do you menn by telling mo telling mo
there's talk about about " Ho
gulped, and began again: "What do
you mean by using such words as
'reputation?' Whnt do you mean,
speaking of a 'question' of my my
mothcr'B reputation?"
Fnnny looked up at him woefully
over tho hnndkerchlef which sho now
implied to her reddened nose. "God
knows I am sorry for you, George
sho murmured. "I wnntcd to sny so,
but It's only old Fnnny, so whatever
sho says oven when it's sympathy-
pick on her for it!" Sho sobbed. "It's
only poor old lonely Funny I"
what Aunt Amelia said about pcoplo
talking. You denied it. And that
wasn't tho only time; you'd nttneked
me before then, because I Intimated
that Morgnn might be coming here ton
often. You made me believe thnt
mother let him come entirely on your
account, nnd now you sny "
"I think ho did," Fanny Interrupted
desolately. "I think he did como as
much to see me as anything for a
while It looked like It. He did net a
good deal thnt way and If Wilbur
hadn't died"
"You told me there wasn't any
talk."
"I didn't think there was much,
then," Funny protested. "I didn't
know how much thero was."
"Whnt 1"
"People don't come nnd tell such
things to n person's family, you know.
You don't suppose anybody wus going
to say to Georgo Amberson that his
sister was getting herself talked about,
do you? Or that they were going to
sny much to me?"
"You told me," said George, fiercely,
"that mother nevor saw him except
when sho was chaperoning you."
"They weren't much alono together,
then," Fanny returned. "Hardly cvor,
beforo Wilbur died. Everybody knew
thnt he'd been engaged to her "
"Whnt's that?" George cried.
"Everybody knows it Don't you re
member your grandfather speaking of
it at the Sundny dinner one night?"
"Ho didn't say they were engaged
or "
"Well, they worel Everybody knows
It; and she broke It off on nccount of
that serenade when Eugene didn't
know whnt ho was doing. Ho drank
when ho wns a young man, and sho
wouldn't stand for it, but everybody
In this town knows thnt Isabel has
never rcnlly enred for any other mnn
In her life! Poor Wilbur I no wns
tho only soul nllvo that didn't know
ltl"
Nightmare had descended upon the
unfortunate George; he leaned bnck
against tho footboard of his bed, gaz
ing wildly at his nunt. "I believe I'm
going crazy," ho said. "You mean
when you told mo thero wasn't any
talk, you told mo a falsehood?"
"No I" Fanny gnsped.
"You did 1"
"I tell you I didn't know how much
talk thero wns, and it wouldn't hnvo
umounted to much if Wilbur had
lived." And Fanny completed this
with a fntnl udmlsslon : "I didn't want
you to Interfere."
Georgo overlooked tho admission;
his mind wns not now occupied with
thnt they think they were right when
they said sho wns In In love with him
before before my father died?"
Sho looked nt him gravely with her
eyes now dry between their reddened
lids. "Why George," sho snld, gently,
"don't you know flint's whnt they say?
You must know thut everybody In
town thinks they're going to bo mnr
rlcd very soon."
Georgo uttered nn incoherent cry;
and sections of him nppeared to
writhe. Ho was upon tho verge of
actual nausea.
"You know It !" Fnnny cried, getting
up. "lou don't think I'd hnvo spoiten
of It to you unless I wns sure you
know It?" nor voice was wholly
genuine, as It had been throughout the
wretched Interview. "Somebody must
have told you?"
"Who told you?" ho sold.
"Whnt?"
Who told you there was talk?
Whero Is this talk? Whero docs It
jmo from? Who does it?"
"Why, I suppose pretty much every
body," sho snld. "I know It must be
pretty general."
"Who said so?"
"What?"
George stepped close to her. "You
say pcoplo don't speak to n person of
gossip about that person's family.
Well, how did you hear It, then? How
did you get hold of it? Answer me!"
"Why" Fanny hesitated.
"You answer me!"
"I hnrdly think it would be fair to
give nnmes."
"Look here," said George. "One of
your most Intimate friends is that
mother of Charlie Johnson's, for in
stance. Has she ever mentioned this
to you? You say everybody is talking.
Is she one?"
"Oh, she mny have Intimated "
"I'm nsklng you: Has she ever
spoken of it to you?"
"She's a very kind, discreet woman,
George; but she may have Intimat
ed"
Georgo hud n sudden Intuition, as
there flickered Into his mind the pic
ture of n street-crossing nnd two ab
sorbed Indlss nlmost run down by n
fast horse. "You nnd sho have been
talking nbout It today 1" ho cried. "You
were talking nbout It with her not two
hours ngo. Do you deny it?"
"Do you deny It?"
"No 1"
"All right," said George. "That's
enough 1"
She caught nt his arm ns he turned
nwny. "What arc you going to do,
George?"
"I'll not talk about it, now," ho said,
heavily. "I think you've done a good
deal for one day, Aunt Fanny 1"
And Fanny, seeing the passion In
his face, began to be alarmed. "George,
you know I'm sorry for you, whether
you caro or not," sho whimpered. "I
never In tho world would have
spoken of It If I hadn't thought you
know all about it. I wouldn't have "
But ho had opened the door with his
free hnnd. "Never mind!" ho said,
nnd sho wns obliged to pnss out Into
tho hull, the door closing quickly be
hind her.
CHAPTER XV.
"Do Sit Down," the Hospitable Lady
Urged Him,
nnnlysls. "Whnt do you mean," ho
asked, "when you sny that If father
hnd lived, tho talk wouldn't have
amounted to anything?"
"Things might have been they
might have been different."
"You mean Morgan might have mar
ried you?"
Fnnny gulped. "No. Because 1
don't know that I'd havo accepted
him." Sho bail censed to weep, und
now sho sat up stlllly. "I ccrtnlnly
Georgo took off his dressing-gown
nnd put on u collar nnd tic, his fingers
slinking so that the tic was not his
usual success; then ho picked up his
coat and waistcoat, and left tho room
while still In process of donning them,
fnstcnlng the buttons as ho ran down
tho front stairs to tho door. It was
not until he reached tho mlddlo of tho
street thnt ho realized thnt he had for
gotten his hat; and he paused for an
Irresolute moment then ho decided
thnt ho needed no hnt for the sort ol
call ho Intended to mnkc, nnd went
forward hurriedly. Mrs. Johnson
wns at home, the Irish girl who camo
to tho door Informed him, and he was
left to nwalt the lady, In a room llko
nn elegant well tho Johnsons "re
ception room."
Mrs. Johnson enmc In, breathing no
tlceably; and her round head, smooth
ly but economically decorated with
tho hair of an honest woman, seemed
to ho lingering far In tho background
of tho Alpine bosom which took pre-
tho dear old Mnjor's, too
lng "
Mrs. Johnson," George said, In n
strnlncd loud voice which arrested her
attention Immcdlntcly, so that she wns
abruptly silenced, lenvlng her sur
prised mouth open. "Mrs. Johnson, I
have come to nsk you a few questions
which I would like you to nnswer, If
you please."
She became grave nt once. "Cer
tainly, Mr. Mlnnfer. Anything I cun "
Ho Interrupted sternly, yet his
voice shook In spite of Its sternness.
"You were tnlklng with my Aunt Fnn
ny about my mother this ufternoon."
At this Mrs. Johnson uttered nn In
voluntary gasp, but she recovored
herself. "Then I'm sure our conver
sation wns n very pleasant one, If we
were tnlklng of your mother, be
cause "
Again he Interrupted. "My nunt
has told me whnt tho conversation vir
tually was, and I don't mean to waste
any time, Mrs. Johnson. You were
tnlklng nbout n " George's shoulders
suddenly heaved uncontrollnbly ; but
he went fiercely on : "You were discuss
ing n scandal that Involved my moth
er's name."
"Mr. Mlnnfer!"
"Isn't that the truth?"
"I don't feel called upon to nnswer,
Mr. Mlnnfer." she said with visible
ngltntlon. "I do not consider thnt you
hnvo nny right "
"My nunt told me you repented this
scandal to her."
"I don't think your nunt can hnvo
said that," Mrs. Johnson returned
sharply. "I did not repeat n scandal
of any kind to your nunt nnd I think
you nre mistaken In saying she told
you I did. We mny have discussed
somo matters that havo been a topic
of comment nbout town "
"Yes!" George cried. "I think you
mny have! That's what I'm here
about, and whnt I intend to "
"Don't toll me what you Intend,
please," Mrs. Johnson Interrupted
crisply. "And I should prefer that you
would not mnko your voice quite so
loud In this house, which I hnppen to
own. Your nunt may have told you
though I think It would hnve been very
unwise In her if she did, and not very
consldernto of me she may havo told
you that wo discussed somo topic ns I
hnvo mentioned, nnd possibly that
would have been true. If I tnlked It
over with her, you may be sure I spoke
In the most charitable spirit, and
without sharing In other people's dis
position to put an evil Interpretation
on what may be nothing moro thnu
unfortunate appearances and "
"My God,!" said George. "I can't
stand this!"
"You hnve the option of dropping
the subject," Mrs. Johnson suggested
tnrtly, and she added: "Or of leaving
tho house."
"I'll do thnt soon enough, but first
I menn to know "
T nm perfectly willing to tell you
nnythlng you wish If you will remem
ber to nsk It quietly. I'll nlso take
the liberty of reminding you that I
had n perfect right to discuss tho sub
ject with your nunt. Other people "
"Other people 1" the unhappy Georgo
repeated viciously. "That's what I
want to know about these other peo
ple! You say you know of other peo
ple who talk nbout this.' '
"I presume they do."
"now many?"
"What?"
"I want to know how many other
people talk nbout it?"
"Dear, dcarl" she protested. "How
should I know that?" '
"Haven't you heard anybody men
tlon it?"
"I presume so."
"Well, how mnny hnvo you heard?"
Mrs. Johnson wns becoming moro
nnnovod than nnnrehcnslvo. nnd sno
showed it. "Really, this Isn't n court
room," she said. "And I'm not n de
fendant in a 'libel suit, either 1"
Tho unfortunntc young man lost
whnt' remained of his bnlnnce. "You
may be 1" ho cried. "I Intend to know
just who's dnred to say these things,
if I have to force my way Into every
house In town, nnd I'm going to mnko
them tako every word of It back! J
mean to know tho name of every slnn
deror that's spoken of this matter to
even for Mrs. Jcfcnsont Whnt wore
you doing over tliere?"
"She told mo to lenvo tho house,"
George said desperately. "I went
there because Aunt Fanny told me tho
whole town wn tnlklng about my
mother and thnt man Morgan that
'hey eny my mother Is going to marry
dm nnd that proves she was foo fond
of him before my father died sho
said this Mrs. Johnson was one that
tnlked about It, and I went to her to
nsk who were tho others."
Amberson's jaw fell In dismay.
"Don't tell mo you did that 1" he said,
In n low voice; nnd then, seeing It was
true, "Oh, now you have done ltl"
"I've done It?" George cried. "Whnt
do you mean : I've dono It? And whnt
have I done?"
Amberson had collapsed Into an
easy chair beside his dressing table,
tho white evening tie he had been
nbout to put on dangling from his
hnnd, which hnd fallen limply on tho
arm of tho chnlr. "By Jove!" ho mut
tered. "Thut Is too badl"
George folded his arms bitterly.
"Will you kindly nnswer my question?
Whnt hnve I dono thnt wasn't honor
nblc and right? Do you think theso
riffraff enn go nbout bandying .my
mother's name "
"They can now," said Amberson. "I
don't know if they could before, but
they ccrtnlnly can now!"
"Whnt do you mean by that?"
nis undo sighed profoundly, picked
up his tie, und, preoccupied with de
spondency, twisted the strip of whlto
Inwn till it became unwearable. Mean-
ccdeuco of tho rest of her everywhere; you nnd of every tattler you've passed
but when sho wns all In tho room. It It on to yourself. I mean to know
wns to bo seen thnt hor bronthlni; wns "You'll know sometning pruuy
tho result of hospltnblo hasto to greet quick 1" she said, rising with difllcul-
didn't care enougk ubout him to mnr-
"You look here!" Georgo said harsh-1 ry him; I wouldn't havo let myself
ly. "When I spoko to my Undo'
Georgo nftor that rotten thing I heard
Aunt Amelia say nbout my mother, ho
said If thero was any gossip It wns
about you! He said pcoplo might bo
laughing ubout tho wny you ran after
Morgan, but thut wus all,"
Funny lifted her hands, clenched
them and struck them upon hor knees.
"Yos; it's ulwnys Funny 1" she sobbed.
"Ridiculous old Funny always, al
ways I"
"You listen 1" Georgo snld. "After
I'd tnlked to Undo Georgo I saw you ;
and you snld I hud a menn llttlo mind
for thinking thero might bo truth in
caro that much until he showed that
ho wished to marry me. I'm not that
sort of porson!" Tho poor lady paid
hur vanity this piteous llttlo tribute.
"What I mean is, If Wilbur hadn't died
pcoplo wouldn't have had It proved
beforo their very eyes that what
they'd boon talking ubout wus truo!"
"You sny you suy thut peoplo be
llovo " Goorgo shuddorod, then
forced hlmsolf to continue, In n sick
voice: "Thoy hollovo my mothur la
Is in love with thut man?'
"Of course!"
"And becuuso ho comes here and
tho visitor, nnd her hand suggested
that she had paused for only tho brief
est nhlutlons. Georgo accepted this
cold, damp lump mechanically.
"Mr. Amberson I menn Mr. Mlnn
fer I" sho exclaimed. "I'm really de
lighted; I understood you usked for
me. Mr. Johnson's out of tho city,
but Chnrllo's downtown nnd I'm look
ing for him nt any minute, now, nnd
he'll bo so pleased that you "
"I didn't want to sco Churlle,"
Georgo snld. "I wnnt "
"Do sit down," tho hospltnblo lndy
urcod him. seating horself upon tho
sofa. "Do sit down."
"No, I thank you. I wish"
"Surely you'ro not going to run
nwny again, when you've Just como?
Do sit down, Mr. Mlnafor. I hope
ty: and her volco wns thick with the
sense of Insult. "You'll know that
vou'ro out In tho street, l'leaso to
leavo my house!"
Gcnmj stiffened shnrply. Then ho
bowed, und strode out of tho door,
Three minutes luter, disheveled und
perspiring, but cold nil over, he burst
into his Uncle George's room ut the
Mnlnr's without knocking. Amborson
wns dressing.
"finnd irraclous. Georglol" ho ex-
claimed, "whut's up?"
"I'vo Just como from Mrs. John
son's across tho strcot," Georgo pnnt
cd.
"You hnvo your own tastosl" was
Amberson's comment. "But curious ns
they nro you ought to do something
hotter with your hair, and button
thoy win her with him driving, -uud all you'ro all well at your houso and ut vour waistcoat to tho right buttons
"Gossip Is Never Fatal, Georgle," H
Said, "Until It Is Denied."
while, ho tried to enlighten his nephew.
"Gossip Is never fatal, Georgle," ho
snld, "until it Is denied. Gossip goes
on nbout every human being nllvo and
nbout nil the dead thut are alivo
enough to bo remembered, nnd yet
nlmost never does any hnrm until
somo defender makes a controversy."
'See here," Georgo said, "I didn't i
come to listen to nny generalizing doso
of philosophy! I ask you "
"You asked mo what you've done,
and I'm telling you." Amberson gavo
him n melancholy smile, continuing:
"Suffer me to do It in my own way.
Fnnny says there's been talk ubout
your mother, and thnt Mrs. Johnson
does some of It. I don't know, becauso
nnturnlly nobody would come to mo
with such stuff or mention it beforo
me; but It's presumably true I sup
pose it Is. I've seen Fnnny with Mrs.
Johnson quite a lot; nnd that old
lndy Is n notorious gossip, nnd that's
why she ordered you out of her houso
when you pinned her down thnt she'd
been gossiping. I suppose It's truo
that the 'wholo town,' a lot of others,
that Is, do share In the gossip. In this
town, nnturnlly, anything ubout any
Amberson has always been a stone
dropped Into tho center of n pond,
and n He would send tho ripples as
fur as a truth would. You can bo suro
that for many years there's been moro
gossip In this place about tho Ainber
sons thnn nbout any other family. I
dare say It Isn't so much so now ns
It used to be, because the town got
too big long ngo, but It's tho truth
that the more prominent yon nro tho
moro gossip there Is nbout you, nnd
tho more people would like to pull you
down. Well, they can't do It us long
ns you refuse to know whnt gossip
there Is nbout you. But tho minnto
you notice it It's got youl I'm not
spenking of certain kinds of slander
that sometimes people hnve got to tako
to the courts; I'm tnlklng of tho
wretched buzzing tho Mrs. Johnsons
do tho thing you seem to have such
a horror of peoplo 'talking' the kind
of tiling thnt hns assailed your mother.
Peoplo who have repeated a slander
either get nshamed or forget It, If
they're let nlone. Peoplo will forget
nlmost nny slnuder except ono that's
been fought."
"Is thnt nil?" Georgo asked.
"I suppose so," his undo murmured
sadly.
"Well, then, mny I nsk what you'd
have dono In my plnce?"
"You're not wanted in
this house, Mr. Morgan, now
or at any other time."
(TO BE CONTINUED4