POLK COUNTY NEWS, TBYOIT, NORTH CAEOLI1TA
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Copyright by Doubleday, Page & Company. I
'VN
By Booth
Tarldngton
PTER XVIII Continued.
13
moment later, as he turned
shelvt of glass jars against
with thv potion she had ask-
k hu hand, he uttered an ex-
L. p(,r joshes sake, Miss!",j
lcrjbing tins aaveuiure w uis
inters, that evening, "saggeu
Ur to the counter, sne was,
'F I hadnt been a onght,
dy-for-anything young fella
flununixed plum! I was
her out the window talkln'
young s'iety fella, and she
right then. She was all right
e came in the store, too. Yes,
nrettiest girl that ever walk-
1 place and took one good look
reckon it must ne tne xruiu
Vne you town wags say about
it hour the heroine of the
le clerk's romance was en-
brightening the rosy little
under the white mantelpiece
retty white and blue boudoir.
Vtographs all framed in decor-
ln silver went to the anthra-
trce destruction frames and
three packets of letters and
a charming Florentine treas
of painted wood ; nor was the
more than the silver frames,
this rousing finish. Thrown
upon live coal, the fine wood
forth in stars, then burst In
arming blaze which scorched
e mantelpiece, but Lucy stood
ed on without moving.
s not Eugene who told her
d happened at Isabel's door.
e got home, she found Fanny
waiting for her a secret ex
bf Fanny's for the purpose, pre-
of "letting out" again; be5-
lat was what she did. She told
ery thing (except her own la-
e part in the production of the
miseries) and concluded with
to George; "The worst of it
inks he's been such a hero,
el does, too. and that makes
e than twice as awful. It's
same all his life ; everything
as noble and perfect. He had
eering nature to begin with
A11 yon neededf
Te3, mother. v
She dld'not speak again for a time:
then, "Are you sure you didn't didn't
catch cold coming home?" .
"I'm all right, mother."
"That's , good. It's sweet Itf
sweer-
Avhat Is, mother darling?"
To feel my hand on your cheek,
I I can feel it."
But this frightened him horribly
that she seemed so glad she could feel
It, like a child proud of some miracu
lous seeming thing accomplished.- It
frightened him so that he could not
speak, and he feared that she would
know how he trembled; but she waa
"Let her was correct; but the time unaware, and again was silent. Final-
came and it came in the sprint of v sae &PkP again :
the next year when It was no longer 441 wonder if if Eugene and Lucy
a question of George's letting his know that we've come home,'
mother come home. He had to bring lm sure taej. do."
her, and to bring her quickly if she "Has he asked about me?'
was to see her father again; and Am-
CHAPTER XIX.
"Yes, he was here.
"Has he gone?"
"Yes, mother."
She sighed faintly. Td llke
"What, mother?'
"I'd like to have seen him." It wta
i.1 A A f J t ... 1 .3 1 1- 1 4.1. 1 Hill. - . , . '
way, ultJ station, ior tne journey naa Leen auuiuie, mis mue regrenui murmur.
ember dusk ; and In spite of every i Amberson laughed ruefully, and Fan-1 he said. You must be careful to leave
reasoning and reasonable power within ny Minafer asked how the Major could yourself enough to f all . back on, In
ner, a pain of loneliness struck. through have managed such an economy. They case anything should go wrong."
ner heart. The dim street below her were sitting upon the veranda at Isa- Fanny deceived him. In the im-
wmoow, the dark houses across the bel's one evening during the third sum- possible event of "anything going
way, the vague air itself all looked mer of the absence of their nephew wrong" she would have enough left
empty and cold and (most of all) un-. and his mother; and the conversation to "live on," she declared, and laughed
interesting. Something more sombre had turned toward Amberson finances, excitedly, for she was having the best
than November dusk took the color "T Rfltri it xvna a ri1n-fnl caticfo rf !-wn timo that had rrma f - Voi clnns Tim
I i' v wiv .v. i aa,4 oiutc m ii" u.o occ uci xuiuci again , anil Am-
irom inem and gave them that air of Fanny," he explained. "The property bur's death. Like so many women for berson had been right: her daneer of
''er10n. I hoe trrri 3 In Tr1..s n . 4-1 I n.V.sn-. mnnair V o a V. I . i 1 . .
- I ouuc uuwu m vaiuc, uuu iney as- wjivjju ujuhj uao iiiva ueeu pro- ucver aeeiug mm again lay not in tne
j-xie iigut 01 ner nre, mckerine ud sessed It lower than thev did fiftepn vided without their nnderstnndinir Malor'a fpfhlpnpss nf hpnrt hnt i
behind her, showed suddenly a flying years ago." - how. she was prepared to be a thor- own. . As It was Georee tPiPjrrnnhpH
group of tiny snowflakes nearing the "But farther out n' ough and irresponsible plunger. his uncle to have a wheeled rhair nt
window-pane; and for an instant she "Oh. yes. 'farther outl Pripps nr Amhmnn. in his wporior maxr the station, for thp Innmpv hnrt in
I . I - w w J fl - ' w i - -
ieit the sensation of being dragged magnificent 'farther out. and farther shared her excitement, and in th a disastrous, and to this.hvbrid vehirlp. Several minutes passed before there
through a snow-drift under a broken in, , too ! We just happen to be the winter, when the exploiting company Placed close to the car platform, her was another. "Just just once, she
uiier, witn a ooys arms about her wrong spot, that's all. Not that, I had been formed, and he brought son carried her In his arms when she whispered, and then was stilL
an arrogant, handsome, too-conauerins don t think something could be done if Fanny her imnortantlv pnernvpr. arrived. She was unable to snpak. She seemed to have fallen as.priv
Doy, .who nevertheless did his best to father would let me have a hand ; but shares of stock, he reverted to his pre- but patted her brother's and Fanny's 1 and George moved to go, but a faint
ei nurt himself, keeping her from any he won't. He can't, I suppose I ought diction of possibilities, made when hands and looked "very sweet." Fannv pressure upon his fingers detained
possible harm. to say. . He's 'always done his own fitr- they first snoke of the new lierht. found the desperate courace to tell him. nnd he remainpd. with h-f hand
She shook the picture out of her urin' be says ; and It's his lifelong "We seem to be partners, all right." her- Sne was lifted from the chair still pressed against his cheek. Aftei
eyes indignantly, then came and sat nabit to keep his affairs, and even his he laughed. "Now let's go ahead and into a carriage, and seemed a little a while he made sure she was aslret
before her fire, and looked lon- andl D00ks to himself, and just hand us be millionaires before Isabel and young stronger as they drove home ; for once and moved again, to let the nurs
long at the blackened mantelnlece,. out tne money. Heaven knows he's George come home." sn9 took her hand from George's and come in, and this time there was no
She did not have the mantelpiece re- done enough of that!" "When they come home!" she waved u feebly toward the carriage pressure of the fingers to keep htm.
painted and, since she did not "There seem to be so many ways of echoed sorrowfully and it was a window. . , hShe was not asleep, but, thinking that
might as well have keDt' his nhoto- making money nowadays," Fanny said phrase which found an evasive echo Changed, she whispered. "So if he went he might get some rest, and
graphs. One forgets what made the thoughtfully. "Every day I hear of a in Isabel's letters. In these letters changed. be better prepared for what she knew
scar upon his hand but not what made new fortune some person has got hold Isabel was always planning pleasant lou mean tne town, Amberson was coming, sne commanded those
the scar UDon his wall. of, one way or another nearly always things that she and Fanny and the "You mean the old place is longing fingers of hers and let him
Npw fnrp nnnparpd .t ,0 it's somebody you never have heard Major and George and . "brother cnangea, aon i you, aear go,
dances of the-winter- new faces had of R doesn't seem all to be in just George" would do when she and her bfte smiled and moved her lips: tie found the doctor standing witH
heen annenrino- OTOJrohfl,a n kq. making motor cars ; I hear there's a son came home. "They'll find things "Yes." the nurse In the hall; and, telling
matter and familiar ones were disan- pretty changed, I'm afraid," Fanny "It'll change to a happier place, old them that his mother waa drowsing
UC1' u- lauimur ones were aisap- - m ,, . , ,. , u ,. , . ... I Hour " ha Gid "nnm tv.ot h.ni. nrro. n.unt Kov m
sum. 11 tuey ever uo come nome i i "" a. . wa
in it, and going to get well again." room, where he was startled to find
pearlng, merged in the increasing
crowd, or, gone forever and missed a
little and not long; for the town was
growing and changing as it never had
grown and changed before.
It was heaving up in the middle .In
credibly ; it was spreading Incredibly ;
and as It heaved and spread, It be
fouled Itself and darkened its sky.
You drove between pleasant fields and
woodland groves one spring day ; -and
In the autumn, passing over the same
ground, you were warned off the tracks
by an interurban trolley-car's gong-
ing, and - beheld, beyond cement side
walks just dry, new house-owners busy
"moving in." Gasoline and electricity
were performing the miracles Eugene
had predicted.
But the great change was In the
ritirenrv itself. What was left nf the
Jet itgo on, and fostered it nntrifttlp ftM.stftrte nprntinn tw hnd
bsolutely ruled her. I never L,rt.f f. n. TOQ D . O11ueomiontl
ainer case of a person's fault ftntPftllp1 mio hd hnma vener.
them pay for having it! She flhlp nn(1 wna llttlp fie What han
dout, overseeing the. packing pened tQ Bogton and tQ Broadway hap.
lising George and pretending to
pened in degree to the Midland city;
fctly cheerful about what he s oW stQck became lesg and legg
&e pretends he did such a fine lcft, and of the n le wfao
manjy and protective-go- Cfllled place hom lesg &
pirs. Johnson. And so heroic ... : . . .n ,rn . If
f hat ills 'principles', made him . i
Ithnnh ha v- J what it wnnid A new &Pirit of citizenship had al-
twlth you! And all the whilt f? arply defined itself. It was
lueuiisiic, uuu ils lueaia were ci-
lost killintr hpr what he Raid
I -" I ,i iw. m
r father! She's always been T f S
n (n
Amberson went over the next sum
mer and joined his sister and nephew
in Paris, where they were living. "Isa
bel does want to come home," he told
Fanny gravely on the day of his re
turn In October. "She's wanted to for
a long while and she ought to come
while she can stand the journey
And he amplified this statement, leav
ing Fanny looking startled and solemn
when Lucy came by to drive him out
to dinner at the new house Eugene
had just completed.
He was loud In praise of the house
after Eugene arrived, and gave them
But she only looked at him wist- his grandfather lying on the bed, and
fully, her eyes a little fatigued.
When the carriage stopped her son
carried her into the house and up the
stairs to her own room, where a nurse
was waiting ; and he came out a mo
ment later, as the doctor went In. At
the end of the hall a stricken group
was clustered : Amberson and Fanny
and the Major. George, deathly pale
and speechless, took his grandfather's
hand, but the old gentleman did not
seem to notice his action.
"When are they going to let me see
my daughter?" he asked querulously.
"They told me to keep out of the way
no account of his journey until they while' they carried her because ft
uuu reuieu nuui lue umua " I might upset her. I wish they'd let me
Eugenes uurary, a gray ami wiuuimj gQ in and gpeak to my daugnter.
room, where their coffe was brought. tWnk ghe wants t0 see me
xiieu, euuiuyeu wuu a cigar, mtii TTp was rlht nrPSPntlv the dnrtnr
seemed to occupy his attention, Am- Mm. nnt fln(1 hp(lk..P(1 tn hlm and thp
berson spoke in a casual tone of his MaJor shuffled forward, leaning on a
sister and her son. shaking cane; his figure, after all its
"I found Isabel as well as usual," vears of proud soldierliness. had
he said, "only I'm afraid 'as usual J grown stooDlng at last, and his un
isn't particularly well. Sydney and trimmed white hair straggled over the
Amelia had been up to Paris, in the back of his collar. He looked old--spring,
but she hadn't seen them. old and divested of the world as he
Somebody told her they were there, crept toward his daughter's room. Her
it seems. They'd left Florence and voice was stronger, for the waiting
were living in Rome ; Amelia s become group heard a low cry of tenderness
Bough, so to speak, and had the.
in business downtown. They were op-
a Catholic and is said to give great an(j welcome as the old man reached
'The Property Has Gone Down in sums to charity and, to go about with the open doorway. Then the door was
Value." line gentry 111 c-uusequeiiv-e, uut oju- ciosea.
! ney's ailing ana lives in a wneei cnair nonro-o hpo-nn tn nnnp thp flnnr. tak-
'" I A.S X 11,. !i V.l I .... ... .. I . . .. . . I -'-O f"
n Idea of the Ambersons being UlUlsls"pL11UiS,ia lu . puiut great deal m manutactunng tnese most of the time, it struct me lsaoei Ing care not t0 g0 near isabel's door,
r to the rest of the world, and "serence uieir mouu uemg owuau things that motor cars use new inven- ought to be doing the same tning." and tnat hls footsteps were muffled by
but rudeness or anvthine like Don,t Knock!" And they were hus- tions particularly. I met dear old He paused, bestowing minute care the long, thick hall rug. After a while
e,' or any bad manners they llt;l0, vllvlL1 m uusulu6.nuu 111 t ranK isronson tne omer aay, ana ne up0n the removal of the little Dana he went to where Amberson, with fold-
just madP her lrlrt Wnt sho esty because both paid. They loved told me" ; from his cigar; and as he seemed to ed arms and bowed head, had seated
lever sep wlmt fipnr?P-i man- their city and worked for it with a oh, yes, even dear old Frank's got have concluded his narrative Eugene himself near the .front window. "Uncle
hre-oh, it's been a terrible l)lutonic energy which was always ar- the fever," Amberson laughed. "He's spoke out of the . shadow beyond a George," he said hoarsely. "I didn't"
on! . . . It' eoimr to hp n task aPniIy vocai. xney were viciously guv- as wilci as any of them, tie told me heavily shaded lamp: "Wliat do you "Well?"
, living in that biz house all erned bnt they sometimes went so tar about this .Invention he's gone into, mean by that?" he asked quietly. "Oh, my God, I didn't think this
you must come and see me suuggie iw ucicci u l too. lunuons in ui soiue new eit--.- von, sne s cneenui enougn, saia tnmg tne matter witn ner couia ever
after they've gone, of course. account 01 Tne neipim eneci 01 guuu trlc headlight better tnan anytning Amberson, still not looking at either be serious! I" He gasped. "When tne
crazy if I don't see something g"2""11111- uu iJLl-v Ui cai yet every car m America cau ueip his young nostess or ner iatner. ; ai aoctor l naa meet us at me uoul
pie I'm ship vmi'ii rnmp n ana oettermeor generally; me yunu- nut nave em,' ana an tnat. nes pui- least," he saia, "sn? manages to seem jtie could not go on.
S you cm I know vrm tnn wpll ciails txiuiu uul iuu ii in iucm, img nail lie a iuiu uy miu 11, uuu mc go. x in airaiu aue-tiasii l ueeu icmij vmuersou ouiy uouueu jjis ucuu, nuvx
set- well ior several years, kjl cuur&e i1" ulo uot oiuerwise trnauge ins aimuuc
or makes nothing of it, but it seemed .... Isabel lived through the night.
's rather serious to me when I noticed At eleven o'clock Fanny came timidly
be sfie had to stop and rest twice to to George In his room. "Eugene is
when they used the word "better" was would again if I had the heart to ask get up one short flight of stairs in here," stie whispered. "He's down-
I'aneed to ht tht ffppt "more prosperous," and the core of him. At any rate-rve been thinking their two-floor apartment. I told her stairs. He wants" She gulped. "He
bly about thi-StmLfePvl" thelr Idpallsni was this: "The more it over." I thought she ought to make George wants to know-If be can't see her.
Lrr, v. , mon-,y prosperous my beloved city, the more . So have I," Fanny admitted. "He let her come home." I didn't know what to say., I said I'd
k you'll lie sensitive about COm- snew -A"eiueaiiia pmuucu u.u Iagi is lie aimust laiiveu me miu ,
I. Thank ,o,v.nw 11. should become a better, better, and me to go into it. Poor father! he
fed" Micu po1 i better city and what they meant, financed me before! I suppose
I ' ' UUIII I.UI1.1UUCU I
anny
profound fervor, "you're too
prosperous beloved I!" seemed to be certain it would pay "Let her?'" Eugene. repeated in a see. l didn t know tne aoctor saia
These were bad times for Amberson twenty-five per cent the first year, and i0w voice. "Does she want to?" "The doctor said we 'must keep ner
,1.1 mut0 nn.fa. oirondr nirl. lav I prinrimisiv morp after that: and I'm ticiv, Jnocn't iirtT it ctonrva eppms t neaeeful.' " Georce said sharply. "Do
4uaiii i... 1 i - . i kjlic v v.- i ' - - w - -
within a mile of the center of the only getting four on my little pnnci- t0 like the life there in his grand, you think that mans coming wouia De
town, but business moved in other pal." People are making such enor- gi00my and peculiar way; and of very soothing? My God! if it hadn't
uJinns- and the Addition's share of mous fortunes out of everything to do COUrse she'll never change about be- been for him this mightn't have hap-
r photoerahs ad the paint- I
ntine box went to their crema
:hin the same hour that Miss
sPoke; and a little lntpr L,uev
ter father in, as he passed her
d pointed to the blackened area
uuuersiue of the manteFniece. I .. i. u I -4-v, mnfnrrare it aoq spptti as if- " i .1 v,; n Vio v. I npnpd wp rnnld havp cone on livlne
iV . I PrnenorifV was OIll V llie !XiVa.c I uui ixij.jm. o, w I 1 11 Ul UUU ui iiiiu aiiu ait vuai i i - " "
"e ournt heap upon the coal, 1- i- Tho sho nansprij "WpII. I told him I'd I cttoii Tint n cnito nf Anvthin? here ouietly. and why. it would be
snrtia i,. I dirt witn tne uantv licuh ich .. - 1 un. o. " .t" rf 0 - .
ome metallic shapes still re- - ,iai hi.r honses sold thinkl'it over seriously." shp snid. rather than because. I know like taking a stranger Into her room!
uuine. She flung her arms ' f rented thm tQ boardlng.house "We may turn out to be partners she does indeed want to come. She'd She hasn't even spoken of him more
U1 neck in passionate svm- ... . - m. anA miiiinnairps thpn." Amherson h k -nrifh fotv. nrBp- nnri than twice in all the time we've been
taiiir. v. 1 i-ppnpr! and tne tenants 01 me muiu- 1 ov. 1 iiJvt- lkj uc " i"-1 v... , - ... . ...
klwng him that she knew what Ke!p J "forthpr lauehed. "I thought I'd ask Eugene's T think she's well, she intimated one away. Doesn't he know how sick she
1111 l ami 1 1 1 i 1 1 iiiiiiir.o utv - 1 1 . - 1 . .- . .
out" (where the smoke was' thinner) advice." I day that she feared .it might even hap- to? You tell .tne Ldoctor saia sne
.f. onnrtmpnt houses which were 1 wisn you wuum, ou pen tnat sue wuumnt gei iu ace mm 1 m -
or nto apartment . houses wmfo I rohflhl knows exactly how much L,n At the tim I thought she re- what he did say. isn't it?"
1 1 ..HA w. r nrn a n w iifH nri iruuiiLtJ w- mr a m - -
well" he said. "I was too ' thp rpftt were profit there would be in this." ferred to his age and feebleness, but Fanny acquiesced tearfully. "IH tell
f such foniuhnoeo k ir,r IOOK . . .p ' - ,0K. Kiiffene's advice was to "go slow:" nn t hnat comine home I remem- him. I'll tell him the doctor said she
i , -...00 ic (uu6 lmvpr ano lower, anu iue uuusw ouuu- . . 1 - 0 . . 1 , . . . ,.
7 head nnvh, lower anu BllvKw hp thoneht electric lights for automo- horar! thp little look of wistfulness. was to be kept very quiet. I I didn't
Uol", shpKK bIerand f a?, ' am thPir biles were "coming some day," but Vet of resignation, with which she know " And she pottered out
'hw I ::"r.;:' not until -certain difficulties rsaId it. and it struck me all at once An hour later the nurse appeared
.. rt'- nest to neip iu i UCOL' "v. . - . , . a v. TOoo 1 .. . ' . . -r 1 ., a-, . iBA.
nutanpea had ceased to I coma ue overcome, iwwgcuici 1 tnat i q Deen misiaKen; 1 saw auc wao 1 m uwco uwnuj , tome umac-
value. distances discouraging, but by this time his two reaily thinking of her own state of lessly. and his back was toward her;
but he jumped as if he had been shot.
5use, uu v , Frank Bronson himself had it; i see, Eugene said, his voice even and his jaw fell, he so feared what
the fine lawn or me , ... t0t, I ... , , inH -,o ino t en
auu 1 oiiv 0 w4u v
"She wants to see you.
The terrified mouth shut with a click
pened tohim; and presently
f u w comfort her and managed
passed laugh.
l . -yiac uiyseir. lur iui
f yng thought one Instant about
itv.. "-vt uiu tifeut m&tter. ..... j . !.. j .0 11 . ... .
monkey! Heisl" chouses, built so closely -mu.."rAnlUL
fe. I thint t n "" n thP as old Frank uronson mmsen naa 11; ! se,
.... " 4 sree wiui juu, where naa Deen me v' vh hnn Wlth Rrnnsnn tn spp 1 i h.H km hofnrp
. I IV TT V. & - -w
LA .
a a 1 i 1 1 v u n v v i airuu . . m w rrmm -n . a k . . . .
. , . auv4 411 uia tjtn 1 imnrsnn muuaiuu, viv - i . .. . . i. ...i..n . n m.,. i . , -a, , "3
stpniw ,5k , " thpv lnoked tne ngnt wonting uuuiu.., you say
last. "Ym r . :"r; " ."r:;:. ;'nv. ,Bi chine shop. "Perfect . Fanny cneci. Amberson laughed, but still contln
Fas
a
he won't let her come home?'
Yes T
ut that !" -
re's only one thing to do with
PrSon." Rhft aaiA nhomantlv
C , put hIm out of our thoughts
f forever I"
tt
t, the
?er l"
next tiaxr n olv n'nlnAlr
wVhe hour, Fanny had told
uu ms motner were
Po their lone lournev. Iucr
tvi Th.i ' r w
Uifu I whed place on her
v ewture, she went to
M A ....
7- between the cm-
and he nodded and followed her, but
as 01a as n- v... . tf worked m the shop its Pf1 tn hA interested in his cigar. "Oh,
two of them were W0;-;"B to work any place else, isn't r don,t think he useg force j He's very she remained outside- his mother's
heen rentea, ior m - j Mtia TOith hpr. t miht if the sub- room wnne ne went in.
about apartment houses haa pee 1(rpnA won!d not agree it was wt is mentioned between them, and
disastrous one. He guessea wub, . fn pt hein, pressed, was Upnd vet. knowing mv-interesting did not open them or move her head.
George Amberson said, seu lt mlght," and nephew as you do, wouldn't you think but she smiled and,edged her hand
n.An- 0 nt the wrong time! People unyeu w uU " F. tnwnrH him s he sat on a stool beside
rnnr was aim u me wa.v lu uui ui . ..
"Knowing him as I do-yes," said the bed. He took that slender, cold
Ttrpn siowlv. "Yes. I should think hand and put It to his cheek.
that was about the way to put it." "Darling, did you get something to
A murmur out of the shadows be- eat?" She could only whisper slowly
wmri him faint Konnd. musical and and with difficulty .It was as If Isa-
feminine, yet expressive of a notable bel herself were far away, and only
intensity seemed to Indicate that able to signal what she wanted to say.
i.nmr wait or tne same oDinion. 1
wrong at just tne wrong - fe " retiring from what was developing in
were crazy for apartments-too J)ad renr . Contest. repeated r
he couldn't have seen 11 m T1 min, ahont not "nutting too much
man! he digs away at his leagers u,
his old gas drop-light lamp -M ' Amberson also laid stress on
every nignt-ne B" 'rng yon caution later, though the Major had
Mansion be torn up for wiring, , you ' im ealn. and he was "go-"
know. Bnt he had 01 pamrui on must be careful to leave
itcttoa this sprtnj: b ot:Ml jjif -i-Wiito f nfetj,'
his, uncle leaning against the wall.
They had gone home two hours before
and he did not know they had return
ed.
The doctor thought we'd better
come over," Amberson said, then waa
silent, and George, shaking violently.
sat down on the edge of the bed. nis
shaking continued, and from time to
time he wiped heavy sweat from bla
forehead.
The hours passed, and sometimes
the old man upon the bed would snore
a little, stop suddenly, and move as if
to rise, but George Amberson would
set a hand upon his shoulder, and
murmur a reassuring word or two.
Once George gasped defiantly:
"That doctor In New York said she
might get better ! Don't you know he ;
did? Don't you know he said she
might?"
Amberson made no answer.
Dawn had been murklng through
the smoky windows, growing strong
er for half an hour, when both men
started violently at a sound In th
hall; and the Major sat up on the bed.
It was the voice of the nurse speaking
to Fanny Minafer, and the next mo
ment Fanny appeared in the doorway
making contorted efforts to speak.
Amberson said weakly: "Does shf
want us to come in?"
But Fanny found her voice, and ut
tered a long, loud cry. She threw hei
arms about George, and sobbed in an
agony of loss .and compassion :
"She loved you!" she wailed. "She
loved you! She loved you! Oh, how
she did love you!"
Isabel had just left them.
Major Amberson remained dry-eyed
through the time that followed; he
knew that this separation from hi
daughter would- be short; that the
separation which had preceded It was
the long one. He worked at hi
ledgers no more under his old ga
drop-light, but would sit all evening
staring into the fire, in his bedroom,
and not speaking unless someone ask
ed him a question. He seemed almost
unaware of what went on around him,
and those who were with him thoueht
him dazed by Isabel's death, guessing
that he was lost In reminiscences and
vague dreams. "Probably his mind is
full of pictures or ins youtn, or the
Civil war, and the days when he and
mother were young married people
and all of us children were jolly little
things and the city was a small town
with one cobbled street and the others '
Just dirt roads with board sidewalks." .
This was George Amberson's conjec
ture, and the others agreed; but they
were mistaken. The Major was en
gaged in the profoundest thinking of
his life. No business plans which had
ever absorbed him could compare in
momentousness with the plans that
absorbed him now, for he bad to plan
how to enter the unknown country
where he was not even sure of being
recognized as an Amberson not sore
of anything, except that -Isabel would
help him if she could. The Major wat
occupied with the first really Impoiv
tant matter that had taken his atteu
tlon since he came home invalided, af
ter the Gettysburg campaign, and
went Into business, and he realized
that everything which had worried
him or delighted him during this life
time between then and today all bis
buying and building and trading and
banking that It all was trifling and,
waste beside what concerned Mm now.
Meanwhile, the life of the little be,
reft group still forlornly centering up-
m i . a. 2 - - - ' .
will, and to emerge from its own peri
od of dazedness. It was not IsabeTa
father but her son who was really -dazed.
1 -TO BS CONTINUED.
tito tn rold No-