Show alie turmoil T tur m oil by BOOTH copyright ty by harpor brothers CHAPTER continued 15 5 sybil the loudmouthed loud m mouthed daughter in law Is engaged iti in poisoning mrs Sheri Sherid dans ants mind against the vertrees Vcr trees family amily and mary vertrees Vcr trees whom bibbs loves the two women are standing just outside the door of bibbs room he hears beam it all so go sho she started tor for roscoe but she found out pretty quick he was married and she turned right around to jim and she sha lauded landed him theres no doubt about it she had jim and it if hed lived had mother another daughter in law before this as sure as I 1 stand here telling you the gods truth about it well when jim was left I 1 att ctt in the cemetery sho she was waiting baitin out there to drive home with bibbs jim cold and she know whether bibbs was insane or not but he was the only one of the rich sheridan boys letl left she had to get him the texture of viliam hat was the truth troth made an even fabric with what was not in sibyll sibyls mind she believed every word that luat she uttered and she spoke with the rapidity and vehemence of fierce conviction mint I 1 feel fed about it Is she said it to be allowed to go on its too mean I 1 like poor bibbs anil ani I 1 dont want to see him made such it fool of and I 1 dont want to see the family made such a fool of I 1 like poor bibbs but if hed only stop to think a minute himself hed have to realize he be the kind of a man any girl would be apt to fall in love ore with lies hes better looking lately maybe but you h know now how he be was just kind of a long white rag in good clothes and girls like men with some go to em some sort of dashing ness anyhow nobody ever looked at poor bibbs before and nelt herd lierd she no sir air not till shed tried both and jim first it was only when her and her family got desperate that she bibbs whlter whiter than when he caine from the sanIt sanitarium arlum opened the door ile he stepped across its threshold and stood looking at her both women screamed oh ob good heavens cried sibyl were you yon in there oh I 1 she elie seized mrs Sheri dans arm ami pulling her toward nowara the stairway come on mother sheridan she urged and as the befuddled and confused lady obeyed sibyl left a trail of noisy exclamations clar nations good gracious oh I 1 too bad I 1 dream he be was there I 1 hurt his feelings not tor for the world of course he had to know some time but good heavens she heard beard his door close ns as she and mrs sheridan reached the top of the stairs and she glanced over her shoulder quickly but bibbs was not dot following he had gone back into his room ile he he be looked oh terrible bad stammered mrs mra sheridan 1 I 1 wish P still its a good deal better he knows about it said sibyl 1 I wonder it might turn out the tery ery best thing could happened come on DO anil and completing their descent to the library the two made their appearance to roscoe koscoe and his father sibyl at once pave gave a full and truthful account of what bad taken place repeating her own remarks and omitting only the fact that it was through her desiga that bibbs had overheard them but as I 1 told mother sheridan Sheri dau the ghe said in conclusion it might turn out for the very best that lie he did hear bear lust just that way dont you think so rather father sheridan ne ile merely grunted in reply and sat rubbing the thick hair on the top of lit his head bead with his left hand band and looking at the fire helian he had given no sign of being impressed in any manner by her exposure of mary vertrees character but his impassivity did not cism dismay ni sibyl it was bibbs whom she desired desire to impress and she was content in that matter im sure suri lt it was wai all for 06 baat bes t ehe said its over now and lie he knows what she is in one way I 1 think it was lucky because just hearing a thing that way a person can tell its so BO and he knows I 1 got gol kiy ax to grind except his bis own good ind aud the good of the family mrs sheridan went nervously to the loor door and stood there looking toward the stairway 1 I wish 1 wish I 1 knew what he be was doln she said ile he did look terrible bad it was like something had been done to him that was I 1 dont know what I 1 never saw anybody look like he did he looked so go queer it was like she called down the hall georger Geore ei I 1 besin Yc Ye sm sin were you up in sir mr bibbs room just now hesni Ye sni ue he ring bell tole me make him bah la in his bis grate I 1 done bull him bin nice flah cah I 1 reckon lie he an ain feelen so BO well 11 he departed what do you expect lie be wants a ore fire for she asked turning toward her husband the house bouse Is warm as aa can be I 1 do wish I 1 oh quit frett lull said eald sheridan well 1 1 kind a 0 wish you gadut said anything sibyl I 1 know you meant it for the best and all but I 1 dont believe it would been so go much harm if P mother sheridan you yon dont mean you want that kind of a girl la in the family why she 1 I dont know I 1 dont know the troubled woman quavered it if lie he liked it ked her it seems kind of a pity to spoil it lies hes so queer and ho he over eyer taken much enjoyment and besides I 1 believe the way it was there was nacre chance of him bein willin to do what papa wants him to it if she wants to marry him bim y sheridan interrupted her with a hooting laugh she dont doat he said cald youre barkin up the wrong tree sibyl she aint that kind of a girl buti but father sheridan she ile he cut her short enough you may mean all right but you guissi wrong so do you mamma ma inina sibyl cried out oh but just look how bow she ran after jim she lid did not lie ho said curtly she tale take jim she turned him down cold but Ini P its ICs not lot I 1 know she did sibyl looked flatly incredulous and you worry lie said sa I 1 d turning to ills his wife this wont have any effect on your idea because there any sense to it anyhow I 1 D you think shed be very likely to take dibbs bibbs after she take jim ashes a good hearted girl and she lets leti hebbs come to see her but it if shed ever given him one sl sign u of encouragement the way you women think he of acted the stubborn fool he has hed bed a been at me long ago begala we me for some kind of a job he could support a wife on theres bothin in it and ive got the same old fight with him on my lands hands ive had all his life and the lord knows what he be wont do to balk met mel happened now it 11 probably only make him twice as stubborn but sh mrs sheridan still la in the doorway lifted her hand Th ati hn bli step lies hes comia downstairs irs sho shrank away from the door as II if she feared to have bibbs see her 1 I 1 I 1 t wonder she said almost in a whisper 1 I wonder what hes gow to do tier her timorousness had its effect upon the others sheridan rose frowning but remained standing beside his chair and roscoe moved toward sibyl who stared uneasily at the open do doorway they listened as the slow steps descended the stairs and came toward the library bibbs stepped upon the threshold ind and with sick and haggard eyes looked slowly from one to the other until at last ast his gaze rested upon his fattier father then he came and stood before him im sorry youve youre had so much trouble with me he said gently you wont any more ill take the job you offered me sheridan did not speak he stared astounded and incredulous and biblis bibbs 1 11 tj 1 5 4 M 1 k 1 i ill take the job you offered me had left the room before any of 0 its ita occupants uttered a bound though ho he went as slowly as he came mrs sheridan was the first to move she went nervously back to the doorway and then out into the hall biblis had gone from the house bouse bibbs mother had bad a feeling about him then that she had never known before it was indefinite and vague but very poignant something in her mourned for him uncomprehendingly she felt that an awful thing had been done to him though she did not mt know what it was waa site she went up to to his bis room the ure tire george lad had built for or him we was almost smothered under thick charred ashes of paper the lid of his trunk stood open and the lie large tipper tray which she remembered to haw been full of papers and notebooks wits was empty and somehow silo she understood that bibbs lind had given up the mysterious vocation he be had hoped to follow and that he fie had bad given it up tor for ever she thought it was the wisest thing hp he could have done and yet for an unknown reason she sat upon the bed and wept a little before she went downstairs so sheridan had his way with cabba all through CHAPTER As bibbs came out of the new house bouse a sunday trio was in course of passage upon the sidewalk an ample young woman placid of face a black clad thin young man whose expression was one of habitual anxiety habitual wariness and habitual eagerness ile he propelled it a perambulator containing the third and all three were newly cleaned Sunday fled and made fit to dine with the cifes relatives howd you like for me to be that young fella ella bammar mamma the husband whispered lies iles one of the sons and there aint but two left now the wife stared carlou curiously sly at bibbs well I 1 dont know she returned lie ile looks to me like he had his own troubles 1 I expect he has like anybody else said the young husband but I 1 guess we could stand a good deal it if we had bad his money well maybe it if you keep on the way you been baby it 11 bo be as well fixed as the Sheri dans you cant tell she glanced back nt at bibbs who had turned north lie ile walks kind of slow and stooped over like so much money moncy in his pockets it makes him sag I 1 guess said the young husband with bitter admiration mary happening to glance from a window saw bibbs coming and she started clasping her hands together in a sudden alarm she met him at the door Bl bibbs bbs she cried what Is the matter I 1 saw something was terribly wrong when I 1 you look she paused and he came in not lifting his eyes to hers always when he crossed that threshold he be had come with his head up and his wistful gaze seeking liers hers ali ah poor boy she an said with a gesture of understanding and pity 1 I know what it Is uc lie followed her into the room where they always sat and sank into a chair you tell me she said made you give up your fathers won youre going to do what ile he wants youve given up still without looking at her he inclined his head bead in affirmation she gave a little cry of compassion and came nud and sat near him babbs she said 1 I can be alaa glad ot of one thing though its It selfish pel fish I 1 c cibe be glad you came straight to me its more to me than even it if come because you were happy she did bof not speak again for a little while then she said bibbs dear could you tell me about it do you want to still he be did not look up but in a voice shaken and husky he asked her a question so grotesque that at first she thought she had misunderstood his words mary lie he sat said could you marry me what did you say bibbs bbs she asked quietly ills his tone and attitude did not change will you marry me both her hands leaped to her cheeks she grow grew red and then white she rose slowly and moved backward front from him staring at him at first inbred ulous ly then with an intense perplexity more and more luminous lu in her wide eyes it was like a spoken question the room tilled filled with strangeness in the long silence the two were so BO strange to each other at last she said what made you say that uc he did not ausa ans vier er bibbs look at met me her voice was loud and clear what wade made you say that look at me lie ile could not look at her and he be could not speak what was it that made you sho she auald 1 I want you to tell acl me she went closer to lim him her eyes ever brighter and aad wider with that intensity of wonder youve given uy up to your father she said eald slowly laud and then you come to ask me she broke off bibbs flaut me to marry you yes he said just audibly nol ehe cried you do noe not then what made mad 0 Y you ask alc fic me ali what at isit la it happened nothing g walt she said let me think its something that bapp happened eDed since our walk this morning yes yea since you left mo me at noon coon cometh something ng happened that she stopped abruptly with a tremulous murmur of amazement and dawning comprehension she remembered that sibyl had gone eone to the new house bouse dibbs swallowed painfully and contrived to say bay 1 I do I 1 do want you to marry me it if it if you could she looked at lim him and slowly shook her bead bibbs do you her voice was as 03 unsteady as lils his more than a whisper do you think im aai in love with you no lie said somewhere in the still euil air ot of the room there was a whispered word it old aid not seem beem to come from marys parted lips alpa but he was aware of it why ive had bad nothing but dreams biblis bibbs said eald desolately but they like alke this sibyl said no girl could care about me 00 he smiled I 1 faintly though sull still he did vot look at mary and when I 1 first came home edith told me sibyl was so anxious to marry that shed have married me she meant it to express sibyls sibyla extremity you see sec but I 1 hardly needed either of them to tell me I 1 thought of myself as well not as particularly captivating oddly enough marys pallor changed to an angry flush those two she exclaimed sharply and then with thoroughgoing contempt lamborn Lam hom like them she turned away wont went to the imre little black mantel and stood leaning upon it presently she asked when did mrs rosee roscoe sheridan say that no girl co could uld care about you today mary drew a jeep deep breath 1 I think im beginning to understand a little she bit her up there was anger in good truth in her eyes and la in her voice answer me once more she said bibbs do you know now why I 1 stopped wearing my furs yes 1 I thought got so your sister in inlaw law told you she 11 1 4 V Y IX J Z 4 ar mary maryl he cried helplessly 1 I I 1 hoard beard her say 1 I think I 1 know what happened now marys breath came fast and her voice shook but she spoke rapidly you heard her say more than that you hoard board her say that we were bitterly poor and on that account I 1 tried first to marry your brother and then but now she faltered and it was only after a convulsive effort that site she was abrego able to go an and then that I 1 tried to marry you you heard her say eay that and you believe that I 1 dont care for you and that no BO girl con could care for you but you think I 1 am in such an extremity as sibyl was that you and so not wanting me and abd bel believing levIng that I 1 con could not want you except for my extremity you took your fathers offer and then camo came to ask me to marry you what had I 1 shown you of myself that could make you suddenly she sank down kneeling with her face burled in her arms upon the lap of a chair tears overwhelming her mary ilary mary tie he cried helplessly oli oh no you you dont understand 1 I do though she sobbed 1 I dol do lie he came and stood beside her you kill me he said 1 I cant make it plain from the first of your loveliness to me I 1 was all self it was a always you that gave and I 1 that took I 1 was the depend dependent cut I 1 did nothing but lean on you we always talked of me not of you it was all about my idiotic distresses and troubles I 1 thought ot of you as a kind of woud wonderful erful bezug that had no mortal or human suffering except by 83 sympathy mpa thy you seemed to loan down dowa out of a rosy cloud to be L lind kind ind to me I 1 never dreamed I 1 could do alist anything bing for youl I 1 never dreamed you could need anything to be done for you by anybody and today I 1 heard that that you you heard beard that 1 needed to marry someone anybody with money she sobbed and you thought we were so so desperate you |